Home is where the mutants are. The X-Men have lived in uncanny quarters over the decades. X-MEN RED #6 introduces the latest base for the outcast heroes. Jean Grey’s team have been given X-Lantis, a deep undersea base by Namor the Submariner. The current X-book “color” era features RED in the underwater headquarters, BLUE in Magneto’s mansion in Madripoor and GOLD at the Xavier Institute now in the middle of New York City’s Central Park.
X-Lantis made us dive back into the past for some of the team’s most uncanny and unlikely bases to call home:
The Outback
Still back when there was one officially titled X-Men book, after Fall of the Mutants, the world believed the team died in Dallas saving the planet from The Adversary. Storm’s team really went through a cosmic portal then set up in an abandoned town in the Australian Outback. Thanks the mutant Gateway, the team was able to teleport to trouble spots around the globe but call the desert town home once run by the Reavers. The original X-Men has reunited under the name X-Factor and lived in Apocalypse’s ship but both squads would eventually reunite at the Xavier estate.
X-Haven
The Terrigen Mists gave life to new Inhumans but was killing mutants. The X-Pox was spreading around the globe. Storm took control and took the Jean Grey School to hell….kinda, literally. Ororo and Magik created a Sanctuary to protect mutants from the deadly infection by teleporting the mutant school into the demonic dimension called Limbo. Mutants were safe from the deadly plague but an army of demons were always in danger of attacking if Magik’s spell broke. It did.
SFX/Manifest Destiny
After the Xavier mansion was destroyed for the (I lose count) time – Cyclops headed out west. The X-Men moved to San Francisco with a base called Graymalkin Industries in the hills above the city. Scott and Emma Frost were leading the team who sent out a telepathic call for all mutants to join them for a new beginning out west. The Mayor and most of the residents welcome the mutants. The new start for the mutant race didn’t last long when….
Utopia
Norman Osborn seized control of SHIELD (renaming it HAMMER) and The Avengers in the aftermath of Secret Invasion by the Skrulls. Osborn sent his Dark Avengers (villains masquerading as heroes including Daken as Wolverine) to stomp out chaos caused by reignited the mutant/human conflict. Emma Frost appeared to betray Cyclops to join Osborn’s own X-Men, which included Namor the Submariner. Before Osborn could win – Cyclops, Emma, Namor and Magneto did a surprise gambit – created their own mutant nation outside of American jurisdiction. Magneto’s old Asteroid M was raised to the surface giving mutants a new island homeland off the California coast while Namor’s Atlanteans lived below. Two refugee races formed an alliance to share a homeland and resist their enemies.
The Jean Grey School and New Charles Xavier School aka Weapon X Facility
After the Schism between Cyclops and Wolverine, the X-Men were divided like never before. Logan, Kitty and Beast built the Jean Grey School on the grounds of the old Xavier mansion with high-tech touches. Cyclops was seen as the new Magneto, branded an extremist/terrorist and the schism went even deeper after Scott (under the influence of the Phoenix) killed Professor Xavier. Cyclops, Emma, Magneto and Magik rescued and recruited young mutants. Kitty even took the original X-Men the past (it’s complicated!) to join Cyke at new school built in the old facility that turned Logan into the Wolverine.
X-Men equals evolution and new places to call home bases. With Professor Xavier reborn as the Man Called X, X-Men Gold and Blue coming to an end, and the teases for the X-Men line later this year – expect changes for the rosters and headquarters again. They say you can go home again. Will the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters in Westchester be rebuilt again?
By Editor