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Stark Tower

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Stark Tower
The Main Tower of the Stark Tower Complex when Sentry's Watchtower was still attached.
First appearanceNew Avengers #3 (February 2005)
In-universe information
Other nameAvengers Tower
TypeBuilding
LocationsManhattan, New York City
CharactersMighty Avengers
Dark Avengers
New Avengers
Avengers
Iron Man
PublisherMarvel Comics

The Stark Tower Complex is a high-rise building complex appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA, the fictional complex is named after its owner Tony Stark, who is the alter ego of the superhero Iron Man. The structure is composed of a 93-story Main Tower flanked by a 35-story South Building and 55-story North Building. Located at the top of the Main Tower was the Watchtower of the superhero The Sentry, but it has been replaced by Heimdall's observatory.

The Main Tower is informally known as Avengers Tower, as it serves as the headquarters of the superhero team, the Avengers, similar to the Avengers Mansion. Currently, the main Stark Tower is located in Broadway, occupying the space where the 4 Times Square building is in the real world.

The Stark Tower, eventually changed to Avengers Tower, has been shown in various films set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with The Avengers (2012).

Fictional history

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The Stark Tower Complex was built as a world-class financial and business facility to complement the Midtown Manhattan business district. The building was completed as a gleaming beacon of modern architecture after four years of excavation and construction. It is located in the vicinity of Manhattan's Columbus Circle approximately 10 blocks north of the Baxter Building, headquarters of the superhero team the Fantastic Four.

While initially intending to use the top three floors of the Main Tower as his state-of-the-art bachelor pad, Stark gives them over to the Avengers as their base of operations after their former base, Avengers Mansion, is destroyed.[1] Longtime Mansion caretaker Edwin Jarvis is asked to resume his duties in the new location. Later, when the Sentry joins the Avengers, his long-hidden Watchtower appears, integrating itself atop the Main Tower and the building's existing architecture.[2] Serving as both Sentry's headquarters and as the private residences of Robert Reynolds and his wife Lindy, the 20-story watchtower is operated and maintained by CLOC (Centrally Located Organic Computer), a near-sentient computer of Sentry's own design. The lower levels of the Main Tower, along with both the South and North Buildings, are largely occupied with Stark's subsidiaries and non-profit organizations.

After the passing of the Superhuman Registration Act (SRA), Iron Man is tapped to head the task force charged with enforcing the Act. Subsequently, Stark Tower becomes the base of operations of the task force. The controversy surrounding the SRA breaks the Avengers team apart, forcing Tony Stark to form a new team, the Mighty Avengers. They continue to occupy the Main Tower's higher levels. When the Tower becomes the headquarters of the SRA task force, it is assigned a squad of Cape-Killer guards with the call sign "Force Unit 9".[3][4]

In World War Hulk, a violent battle between the Hulk and Iron Man nearly destroys Stark Tower.[5] The tower is rebuilt by Stark under his S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, making it S.H.I.E.L.D. property.

Stark Tower becomes the setting for a multi-issue conflict between humans and a murderous Skrull hunting them for sport. During Secret Invasion, many non-powered New York citizens, including Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich, end up at Stark Tower. Urich retakes control of the security shutters and the Skrull is tricked into throwing itself out a high window, dying on impact.[6]

When Norman Osborn takes over S.H.I.E.L.D. and renames it H.A.M.M.E.R., he also takes ownership of the tower.[7] After Osborn is removed from power following the Siege of Asgard, the tower is returned to Stark. Following Sentry's death, his watchtower disappears from the rooftop and is replaced by Heimdall's observatory as sign of solidarity between Earth and Asgard.[8]

In Fear Itself, the Thing becomes Angir, the Breaker of Souls, after acquiring an Asgardian hammer and destroys the Tower.[9] A new tower is later built on the site of the original.[10]

When the Avengers fall under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority, S.H.I.E.L.D. takes over the Stark Tower and makes it their Golgotha station.[11]

During the Secret Wars storyline, Stark Tower is destroyed by the Children of Tomorrow during the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610.[12]

Following an eight-month ellipsis, Tony Stark, who is suffering financial difficulties at the time, is forced to sell the rebuilt Stark Tower to a Chinese company called Qeng Enterprises.[13] Stark and the Avengers relocate to another Stark Tower near Time Square.[14][15]

Reception

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Critical response

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George Marston of Newsarama included the Avengers Tower in their "Best Superhero Headquarters And Hideouts Of All Time" list.[16] Comic Book Resources ranked the Avengers Tower 1st in their "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics" list,[17] and ranked the Stark Tower 6th in their "Avengers 10 Best Headquarters" list.[18]

Other versions

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Marvel Adventures

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An alternate version of the Stark Tower appears in Marvel Adventures: The Avengers. It serves as the Avengers' base. The roster who live in it are Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, Spider-Man, Giant Girl, Wolverine, and Storm.

Ultimate Universe

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An alternate version of the Stark Tower appears in the Ultimate Universe as the corporate headquarters of Stark/Stane, one of the largest companies of the technocratic North American Union, a power bloc that includes the former United States territories after its central government was dissolved in 1969. It served as an office of Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane as both jointly were responsible for running the corporation as business partners, with Stark heading research and development and operating as Iron Man while Stane served as its public face.[19]

After Stane is killed during an assault on an international event in Latveria and Howard Stark disappears inside the city, the Maker's Council takes advantage of the resulting power vacuum and Tony Stark's rebellion against their rule over Earth, conducting a false flag attack on the Tower by making use of a Stark/Stane satellite, framing Tony and his allies as terrorists.[20]

In other media

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Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Main article: Stark Tower (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Stark Tower, later renamed Avengers Tower, appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Television

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Video games

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Merchandise

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References

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  1. ^ "Every Avengers Headquarters (So Far)".
  2. ^ New Avengers #10 (October 2005)
  3. ^ "New Avengers #25 Script (jinxworld.com)" (DOC). Retrieved December 17, 2007.
  4. ^ New Avengers #25 (December 2006)
  5. ^ World War Hulk #1 (August 2007)
  6. ^ Secret Invasion: Front Line #1–5 (September 2008 - January 2009)
  7. ^ Dark Avengers #1 (March 2009)
  8. ^ Siege #4 (June 2010)
  9. ^ The Avengers (vol. 4) #14 (August 2011)
  10. ^ Avengers Assemble #1 (May 2012)
  11. ^ The Avengers (vol. 5) #35 (November 2014)
  12. ^ Secret Wars #1 (July 2015)
  13. ^ The Avengers (vol. 6) #0 (December 2015)
  14. ^ The Invincible Iron Man (vol. 2) #1 (October 2015)
  15. ^ "New Brevoort Formspring". Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  16. ^ Marston, George (January 14, 2023). "The best superhero headquarters and hideouts of all time". Newsarama. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Avina, Anthony (September 6, 2019). "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  18. ^ Allan, Scoot (March 2, 2020). "The Avengers 10 Best Headquarters, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  19. ^ Ultimate Invasion #2 (September 2023)
  20. ^ Ultimate Universe one-shot (January 2024)
  21. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (March 8, 2013). "Disney XD Sets Premieres for Marvel-ous New Avengers and Hulk Animated Series". TVLine.
  22. ^ Paterson, Ewan (September 7, 2018). "Spider-Man PS4: 32 Secrets, References And Easter Eggs You Must Find". WhatCulture. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  23. ^ Thwaites, Sarah (November 17, 2022). "Every Marvel Snap location (and what they do)". Polygon. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  24. ^ Danielson, Matthew (October 30, 2022). "Every Location in Marvel Snap (& How They Work)". Screen Rant. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
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