Folding Circle

The Folding Circle is a team of comic book supervillains in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe. They were created by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley in New Warriors #21. They are Mutates who have an innate ability to tap into the extra-dimensional energy of the Universal Wellspring, due to exposure to the mutagenic properties of the "Well of All Things" while in the womb.

Fictional team biography
In 1966 during the Vietnam War, an American recon patrol in Cambodia stumbled upon the ancient, hidden temple of a cult known as the Dragon's Breadth, which had remained hidden for centuries. It had been built upon a well-spring of raw, primal energy called the "Well of All Things". The inhabitants decided to breed a superior race that would one day unite with the ways of the west. They believed that this union would produce children capable of harnessing the power of the Well. The members of the recon patrol were to be the fathers of these children. Most of the patrol agrees to this plan.

Diego Casseas, one of the other members of the recon patrol (who now calls himself the Left Hand), stole the power of the Well from his own child, then gathered the other children of the pact including Midnight's Fire into a group called the Folding Circle. The New Warriors and the Circle join up at the Cambodian temple where it all started. The Circle attempts to take control of the Well away from Tai, who intends to sacrifice everyone but herself in order to gain power. Both teams suffer losses as Tai knocks out several of the more durable members. Tai is seemingly slain by an Uzi to the chest wielded by New Warriors leader Night Thrasher. Casseas also apparently dies. The surviving members of the Circle escaped in an Avengers Quinjet, an aircraft originally stolen by the New Warriors.

The remaining members of the Folding Circle later crash in Madripoor and attempted to usurp the role of Aardwolf a mutant crime lord. They succeed, but were later taken down by Night Thrasher and Silhouette.

Civil War/The Initiative
More recently, Bloodstrike, Silk Fever, and Smiling Tiger had aided the Thunderbolts during Civil War. After that the three villains have been identified as members of the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book Avengers: The Initiative #1.

Membership

 * Bloodstrike - Eric Conroy is a mutate who worked as an enforcer for a Chicago crime family before being recruited into the Circle. He possesses superhuman strength and durability.
 * The Left Hand - Diego Casseas, the leader of the Circle, possesses the ability to manipulate Darkforce energies, a power he stole from his comatose daughter.
 * Midnight's Fire - Aaron Chord is a mutate possessing enhanced physical attributes and healing ability. He is the brother of Silhouette and an enemy of Night Thrasher.
 * Night Thrasher - Dwayne Michael Taylor is a skilled martial artist who infiltrated the group in order to destroy it.
 * Silk Fever - Min Li Ng originally joined the Force of Nature as the merciless killer Firewall. After being told the true source of her powers she joined the Folding Circle. She possesses pyrokinetic powers, and her body appears to be on fire.
 * Silhouette - Silhouette Chord is a mutate with the power to physically interface with the Darkforce dimension. Like Night Thrasher, she infiltrated the group in order to destroy it.
 * Smiling Tiger - Smiling Tiger is a mutate with enhanced senses. He only speaks in feral growls, and wears a bodysuit with razor sharp claws.

Resources

 * The Folding Circle
 * Return of the Folding Circle
 * The New Warriors