By Ethan Kaye

Doc Strange's recent departure from the New Avengers also means that the team's out on the streets, without a home. A super team like the Avengers ain't gonna work out of the back of a hatchback, bucko. Super heroes need huge super bases, and when you're always on the go, fighting the Hood or Kang, you can't exactly stay at a Howard Johnson. As Earth's Mightiest begin their quest for new digs, let's take a look at previous Avengers HQs.

Avengers Mansion (NYC)
First appearance: AVENGERS v1 #1
Leave it to a rich dude like Tony Stark to solve the problem of the first Avengers base. Making a few modifications to the old family estate, ol' Shellhead turned the mansion into one of the most recognized home turfs in comicdom, complete with helpful butler, Jarvis. At any given time, the mansion housed up to 12 Avengers and even allowed for public tours, which were probably suspended after the Masters of Evil nearly tore it down. Thanks to the machinations of a rather exceptionally mentally ill Scarlet Witch, the mansion now lies in ruin. These days, the only ones taking tours through Avengers Mansion are former team members, spunky wannabes and freaky dudes from the Lower East Side.

Stark Tower/Avengers Tower (NYC)
First appearance: NEW AVENGERS #3
Billionaire industrialist Tony Stark has it rough. First his family's mansion gets trashed, then as soon as construction on his swingin' bachelor pad in Midtown Manhattan wraps up, his deadbeat friends show up to crash the party with their whole, "let's make this our clubhouse!" vibe. Then the world remembered that the Sentry's Watchtower was there like an ornate cake topper. The New Avengers met there until "Civil War" threw everything on its ear. The government-sponsored Avengers then made it their base, but it really doesn't matter now. Hulk whumped the hell out of it in "World War Hulk," and it's dust. Guess you didn't see that one comin', eh, Starky?.

Bishop Publishing Warehouse (NYC)
First appearance: YOUNG AVENGERS #6
Normally, it's the villains who take over abandoned warehouses, but this unused piece of real estate has been been put to good use thanks to Kate Bishop, aka Hawkeye of the Young Avengers. When the team needed a home she got her rich publisher daddy to give the gift of acreage. Refitted more for heroics and less for storing ink and paper, the Young Avengers get some primo space in NYC for cheap. Believe us New Yorkers when we say that's a true miracle.

Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum (NYC)
First appearance: STRANGE TALES #110
For years, Dr. Strange's house remained a fairly private place, with weird goings-on keeping visitors at arm's length. Then the New Avengers went rogue and some of the furniture needed to go in storage—who needs the All-Punching Fist of Rockithree when Luke Cage is home? To keep prying eyes—and Stark's stormtroopers—out, Doc Strange mystically disguised his Greenwich Village home as an under-construction Starbucks. Who says the mustachioed magician doesn't have a sense of humor? But now that Strange has taken a powder, so has the Avengers' rent-free squat.

Avengers Compound (LA)
First appearance: AVENGERS v1 #246
The West Coast Avengers hung their hats at this former movie star residence for the bulk of their run. After one too many attacks on the Compound from super-powered villains, the NYC branch of the Avengers deemed it a bit too costly to keep two operations going and voted to shut down the entire WC operation. Freedom (as long as it fits into the budget)!

Great Lakes Avengers Headquarters (Ashley Crawford's house, Milwaukee, WI)
First appearance: WEST COAST AVENGERS #46
Sometimes, when you're a little super team that no one loves, like the Great Lakes Avengers, you don't get the finest choice in bases. The GLA found themselves forced by cash shortage—and lack of prestige—to meet at the personal home of supermodel Ashley Crawford, aka team member Big Bertha. Not much in the way of amenities, but at least there was parking for their team Jetta.


Hydrobase (outside NYC)
First appearance: SUB-MARINER #61
The Hydrobase made its first appearance under the use of long-forgotten villain Dr. Hydro as a floating base from which to launch criminal operations. With his defeat, the base became property of the heroic Stingray and his wife Diane, who lent its space out to the Avengers and Fantastic Four to store vehicles. When Avengers Mansion got just about destroyed by the Masters of Evil, the team moved all operations to the Hydrobase. Eventually with the Mansion repaired, the Avengers left their illustrious oceanic compound, only to see it later leveled by Doctor Doom and repurposed as a floating instrument platform.

What's your favorite Avengers headquarters? Where you do you think the New Avengers should go now? Sound off on our official Marvel Message Boards. Also, check out classic Avengers comics with Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited