Avengers Headquarters in the MC2

In my ongoing effort to delay returning to my Clones in the MC2 series, I am currently procrastinating by focusing my attention on the home of the MC2’s own Avengers team. I thought I might channel this hyper focused tangent into a little post looking at the history of the Avengers Headquarters with particular focus on Avengers Mansion.

What is later known as Avengers Mansion made it’s first appearance way back in 1963’s Avengers #2 where we see the interior, referred to simply as ‘the library of Anthony Stark’, with the exterior of Stark’s Mansion first glimpsed in Fantastic Four #26 when the Hulk emerges from the sewers nearby.

 

The Avengers’ stalwart butler Edwin Jarvis made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #59 before making his debut in the Avengers title itself with Avengers #16. The building is first identified as ‘Avengers Headquarters’ and ‘Avenger Mansion’ in Avengers #38 and aside from some pedantic variations (such as Avengers #51, Avengers #53, and Avengers #60) is referred to as the ‘Avengers Mansion’ from Avengers #61 onward. There is a two-page cutaway look at Avengers Mansion in Avengers Annual (vol. 1) #1 (or Avengers King-Size Special #1 if you prefer).

 The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol. 1) #1 features a fantastic profile detailing the history of the Mansion and includes a mention of several extensive remodels, including moving the Mansion 35 feet from the street. This is referenced in Avengers #230 where Hank Pym recalls Thor and Iron Man were responsible for the move. This write up also fleshes out details published previously, including that it was built in 1932 by Howard Stark (Avengers Annual #9) (though the sliding timeline may someday change this to an earlier Stark) in addition to confirming the address is ‘890 Fifth Avenue between 70^th and 71^st Streets in New York City’ which has remained almost entirely consistent since then with the exception of it being listed as ‘721 Fifth Avenue between 70^th and 71^st Streets’ in at least some reprints of this profile. The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #1 has a few minor updates to details, and a new additional schematic of ‘Sub-Basement Level Two’. A correction for this profile notes the depth of lowest Sub-Basement was left blank and should read 110 feet.

 

During the iconic ‘Avengers Under Siege’ storyline, the Avengers Mansion is destroyed, leaving team demoralised and with no base of operations (Avengers #270-#277). After temporarily using an office suite in Four Freedoms Plaza the Avengers move their headquarters to the artificial floating island Hydrobase while plans for renovation of Avengers Mansion began (Avengers #278). The rebuilt Mansion itself would be moved to Hydrobase in Avengers #288 and the island was dubbed ‘Avengers Island’ in Avengers #301, though the whole island was soon after sunk during an assault orchestrated by Doctor Doom (Avengers #311).

 

Without a base of operations once again, the Avengers temporarily utilize the remaining Sub-Basements beneath the grounds of 890 Fifth Avenue, the location having been recently converted into ‘Avengers Park’ (Avengers #300, Avengers #312).

 

Eventually, construction would begin on a brand new ‘Avengers Headquarters’ with the help of architect Eric Masterson (Avengers #314 - #328, Avengers Annual #19, Thor #423, Thor #434). Construction on Avengers Headquarters was completed in Avengers #329 before an official opening was held in Avengers #332. This version of the Avengers Headquarters is wrecked by the Avengers team member and Eternal Sersi during in Avengers #373, when she was driven mad by the effects of ‘Mahd Wy’ry’ or ‘Eternal Madness’ and the manipulations of the evil alternate-reality version of Dane Whitman known as Proctor.

With the Avengers Headquarters ruined, the alternate reality Watcher known as Ute uses his dying moments to supposedly restore the Avengers Mansion in its place (Avengers #375). However, the team quickly noticed things were not as they seemed (Avengers #378) and soon Black Widow discovers something hidden behind a wall deep in the Sub-Basements, identified as a ‘chronal displacement field’ by Dr Henry Pym aka Giant-Man, which explodes when the Vision attempts to phase through the wall, revealing a strange door (Avengers #382). After further attempts to investigate this strange trans-temporal door (Avengers #385, Avengers: The Crossing), the Avengers make use of the strange door to time travel to the past and recruit the younger ‘Teen’ Tony Stark from Earth-96020, who was not yet corrupted by ‘Kang’ (in actuality a disguised Immortus) (Avengers: Timeslide). Following this time travel adventure, the mystery door disappears and is never satisfactorily elaborated upon (Iron Man #325).

Soon after this point, the events of Onslaught occur, and at its conclusion the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Doctor Bruce Banner and even Doctor Doom apparently perished saving the world from the psychic entity known as Onslaught, a massively powerful psionic manifestation of the combined consciousnesses of Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto (Onslaught: Marvel Universe One-Shot). Consequently, this replacement Avengers Mansion was the final headquarters prior to events branching into the MC2. Oh, and don’t worry! The Avengers are okay thanks to Franklin Richards using his amazing abilities to create a pocket dimension to save his parents and all the other heroes. The reborn heroes would awaken in this pocket dimension to live out new lives, unaware of their pasts. Long story short, the heroes were all eventually returned to the Main Marvel Universe and things went back to some semblance of normality (Heroes Reborn: The Return #1 - #4). The Fantastic Four and Avengers reformed in their respective third volumes and that leads nicely into the MC2 portion of this post.

The MC2’s present day Headquarters first appeared in What If #105 when civilian Peter Parker visits hoping to recruit help. We get a much better look in the Avengers own MC2 series starting with A-Next #1. The Maria Stark Foundation runs tours with all gift kiosk proceeds going to charity. The property grounds still maintain a defensive grid with metallic restraining tentacles seen when Rock Trolls sent by Loki target Kevin Masterson. When Loki’s magical energy bolt is detected by monitors built into the Avengers Compound defences, they bring online a ‘long dormant program’. The program sends out an emergency call to assemble to over a dozen locations, but which is only received by two former Avengers; Jubilee and Jolt who would be joined by Stinger, Speedball and J2, while the program itself activates Mainframe.

 

It is worth noting it is referred to as ‘Avengers Mansion’ in What #105, though usually referred to as ‘Avengers Headquarters’ or ‘Avengers Compound’ (A-Next #1- #3). Characters such as Cassie Lang aka Stinger and even the narration calls the location ‘Mansion’ (A-Next #4, A-Next #8, Avengers Next #1) but it does not appear to be in common use by this point in time. I believe ‘Mansion’ is a colloquial and traditional term, while the building acts as the team’s ‘Headquarters’ and the grounds in their entirety are the ‘Compound.’ As Chief of Staff, Jarvis’ hires Scott Lang as a technical advisor responsible for upgrading and maintaining the team’s hardware (A-Next #3). The training room is located two floors below the ground level (A-Next #6) and the building has at least seven Sub-Basements (A-Next #6). The Avengers stylised ‘A’ logo is rendered on the roof (A-Next #7).

We know from Avengers Next #1 that there is a library, gym, and med lab as well as an armoury which is frequently updated by Tony Stark in areas restricted from the general public, in addition to many more areas. The Headquarters’ arsenal includes at least some of Tony Stark’s old Iron Man armours, the scythe once used by the villain Grim Reaper (Avengers Next #5). Some members of the Avengers take up residence within the Avengers Headquarters, such as Shannon Carter aka American Dream (American Dream #1)

 

This version of the Avengers Headquarters has strong visual similarities to the build designed by Eric Masterson, which raises some questions. Based on what we know of the shared history of the MC2 and Main Marvel Universe, the Avengers Headquarters designed by Masterson was destroyed and replace by a nearly exact duplicate from an alternate universe by Ute the Watcher. While this is most likely a case of artistic licence favouring Masterson’s design, I do have a theory to explain this. Given the interior of MC2 Avengers Headquarters retains many of the Mansion-style fittings and fixtures of old, it’s possible this is (at least in part) the ‘restored’ Mansion with various modifications and additions (such as a reinforced exterior modelled upon or inspired by Eric’s existing designs) made through the intervening years between what we know of the original Avengers team and the rise of the new Avengers in the present. This is partly supported by the mishmash of elements seen throughout, including the (at least) seven Sub-Basement levels.

 

Speaking of the Sub-Basements, there’s another (or possibly the same) mystery door behind which lies a cryogenic chamber containing the unconscious Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch, who had been holding closed the mysterious portal to another universe following the original Avengers last mission which left many of them dead (A-Next #6- #9). I find the notion of their being a different doorway in the basement too similar to be merely a coincidence, though we never learn exactly where this interdimensional aperture originated, nor how the original Avengers first learned of the threat posed by the alternate reality on the other side. Just something to think about if you like to draw crazy patterns like I most certainly do.

 

That is about it for this post; the current Avengers Headquarters fortunately has not been destroyed in the MC2. Let us hope it stays that way.

 

Until I stop using these posts to dig deep into Marvel Lore, I remain

 

frogoat

What to Watch Before Daredevil: Born Again

 

With Marvel Studios latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil: Born Again Season One fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to take a quick break from my usual content and make a guide for anyone wanting to catch up or refresh before it hits theatres. Here’s What to Watch Before Daredevil: Born Again.

 

The best place to start is with Daredevil’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, the first season of Daredevil which was initially produced for Netflix but which can now be seen on Disney+. This first season introduced Charlie Cox as lawyer and vigilante Matt Murdock aka Daredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk aka The Kingpin along with Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson and Aylet Zurer as Vanessa Marianna along with numerous other characters who would go on to appear in the various other MCU-related shows from Netflix.

 

Next up, Daredevil Season 2 introduced other key characters including Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka The Punisher, Matt’s former mentor Stick, played by Scott Glenn along with his former lover and trained killer Elektra Natchios as portrayed by Élodie Yung as a war with the criminal organisation The Hand escalates. It’s confirmed that Jon Bernthal will reprise his role in Daredevil: Born Again.

 

After this we have the crossover event mini-series The Defenders which sees Matt Murdock meet and team-up with the super strong private investigator Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), bulletproof badass Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Danny Rand aka the Immortal Iron Fist (Finn Jones) to stop the machinations of The Hand, led by Alexandra (the stunning Sigourney Weaver). The series ends with Matt Murdock believed dead in massive building collapse which leads into…

 

Daredevil Season 3 opens with a recovering Matt Murdock and leads to Wilson Fisk being released from prison a free man. Wilson Bethel portrays Special Agent Benjamin Poindexter (known in the comics as Bullseye) who is recruited by Fisk to impersonate Daredevil, framing him for various slayings. The season and series ends with a three-way battle between Murdock, Fisk and Poindexter. Poindexter is left paralysed and undergoing surgery, while Kingpin is beaten and sent back to prison, with he and Daredevil reaching an uneasy agreement that Fisk will leave Karen and Foggy alone in exchange for Daredevil not revealing Fisk’s wife Vanessa’s criminal involvement in events. The Netflix era ends here and we wouldn’t see Charlie Cox in the role for quite some time.

 

Perhaps an expected place for Vincent D’Onofrio to appear as Wilson Fisk and cement the prior series events as ‘canon’ to the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper, the Disney+ Hawkeye series reveals The Kingpin to be the big bad behind the show’s events, having been released from prison once more and using the Tracksuit Mafia to reclaim his former empire. Notably, Fisk is shown to have a close relationship with protégé Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) until it’s revealed he is responsible for her father’s murder, resulting in her shooting him in the face.

 

Released in the same week, Spider-Man: No Way Home featured Charlie Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock in a cameo appearance as Peter Parker’s lawyer. This moment got gasps and applause in the cinema when I saw it.

 

Matt Murdock returns in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law in Episode 8, even suiting up in a new Daredevil costume inspired by his earliest comic appearances and teaming up with fellow lawyer/superhero Jennifer Walters aka She-Hulk before the pair share a one-night stand. Daredevil briefly returns for a cameo in the show’s finale Episode 9.

 

Finally, during a flashback in the Disney+ mini-series Echo, we see Daredevil battle Maya Lopez in Episode One. The show follows Lopez returning to her home town and reveals Wilson Fisk survived being shot before culminating in the two facing off. Ultimately, Fisk returns to New York with his mind set on becoming the Mayor of New York City, leading into Daredevil: Born Again.

 

You may choose to skip some of these entries, but I’m sure watching them all will provide further depth and understanding for Daredevil: Born Again.

 

Until I discover how to fight blind, I remain

 

frogoat

 

  

 

 

 

 

How Vibranium Gave Us The Coal Tiger

 

 

Here’s a question you may not have asked: How does T’Chaka II aka the Coal Tiger transform into a big cat man or ‘were-panther’? That is what we will be exploring today. How Vibranium gave us the Coal Tiger.

 

First, some history for context. Let’s start with the fantastic fictional metallic substance Vibranium. First appearing in Daredevil #13, this form of Vibranium (popularly known as ‘Anti-Metal’ or ‘Antarctic Vibranium’ as codified by the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol. 1) #15) is found only in the region of Antarctica known as the Savage Land. Antarctic Vibranium emanates vibrations which cause the atomic and molecular bonds of other nearby metals to weaken and liquify.

 

The most well-known form of Vibranium is named Wakandan Vibranium due to it being found almost exclusively in the African nation of Wakanda. First appearing in the pages of Fantastic Four #53, Wakandan Vibranium absorbs and stores vibratory energy such as soundwaves and mechanical energy in its vicinity, growing increasingly more durable as it does so. Should a piece of Vibranium reach its capacity, the Vibranium would explosively release its absorbed energy (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (vol. 1) #15).

 

By now, most people are aware of Marvel’s the small African isolationist nation called Wakanda. The Kingdom of Wakanda first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 when Marvel’s First Family the Fantastic Four first meet King T’Challa aka the Black Panther. The nation’s history with Vibranium is further explored in Black Panther #7 where we learn that Vibranium is extraterrestrial in origin, having crashed as a meteor in the region that later became the nation of Wakanda. During early attempts at mining, stories spread of men turning into ‘evil spirits’ and attacking their friends and neighbours, with the radiation from the unprocessed raw Vibranium ore causing mutations among the people. These mutagenic properties were also seen in other species such as the White Gorillas (Avengers #62, Jungle Action (vol. 2) #13, Wakanda #1) and even the plant life within Wakanda, most notably the Heart-Shaped Herb which grants the powers of the Black Panther (Fantastic Four #53, Avengers #87, Jungle Action #8, Black Panther: Panther’s Prey #2, Fantastic Four Unlimited #1, Marvel Atlas #2).

 

Through the decades of published Black Panther stories, the nature, importance and depths of the Right of Ascension and the rituals associated with ruling Wakanda has grown and changed, though the Heart-Shaped Herb and Vibranium remain constant elements. Which brings us to the MC2’s Prince T’Chaka II and the nature of his ability to transform in to a ‘were-panther’. While we don’t get an origin story for the Coal Tiger in published works, fortunately co-creator Ron Frenz appeared on Adam Chapman’s Comic Shenanigans Podcast Episode 744, where he had this to say:

 

 ‘We also were going with the idea that the panther root has started to have more and more of an impact over the generations. The fact that T’Chaka is named after T’Challa’s father but that T’Challa spent most of his life using the panther root and having the powers…that it’s starting to cause a mutation or an evolution of the panther power in the offspring. That’s what we were trying to suggest.’

 

From this we can infer that the intention was that T’Challa’s (and presumably his ancestors) continual exposure to the Heart-Shaped Herb which was itself mutated by the raw Wakandan Vibranium in the region resulted in his son T’Chaka II’s ability to transform into a ‘were-panther’ form. This is a pretty neat and novel expansion on the existing Black Panther mythos which I would love to see explored further.

 

 

Special thanks to Jesús Arias for his indefatigable dedication to assisting me with various posts on this blog through the years. A big shout out to the fantastic Black Panther Blog for being the only accurate, well-researched and referenced source I could find online regarding the Heart-Shaped Herb and its history. Please check them out here: Black Panther Discussion and Appreciation

 

Until I can figure out if this science paper is right about the Heart-Shaped Herb, I remain

 

frogoat

Patriotic Parallels

 

Consider today’s post a spin-off entry to the Spider-Symmetry series, because I’m looking at the visual parallels between other MC2 comics and their parent Marvel titles. I’m calling this particular one Patriotic Parallels because this entry is about Captain America and American Dream.

 

The first comic we need to look at for today is 1965’s Avengers (vol. 1) #16, specifically the iconic cover of the issue which depicts Captain America posed in front of a wall plastered with images of various potential new members. The issue itself is notable for introducing Captain America’s new line-up of the Avengers team, comprised of former criminals Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye. This story is where the idea of the ever-changing roster of the Avengers truly begins.

 

Now let’s look at the MC2’s homage on the cover of A-Next #4 which features American Dream posed in front of a wall plastered with images of various existing and potential Avengers recruits. Of course, the issue properly introduced Shannon Carter aka American Dream and her Dream Team as new members of the Avengers: Freebooter, Bluestreak and Crimson Curse.

 

The MC2 has always demonstrated a high level of respect and appreciation for it’s comic book forebearers and this is just one more example.

 

Until I find a nice wall to pause in front of dramatically, I remain

 

frogoat