House of M
Encyclopedia
House of M is an eight-issue comic book
limited series
and crossover
storyline published by Marvel Comics
in 2005
. Written by Brian Michael Bendis
and illustrated by Olivier Coipel
, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X
and Avengers Disassembled
storylines, in which the mutant
superhero
Scarlet Witch
suffered a mental breakdown and tried to alter the fabric of reality
to recreate her lost children. Scarlet Witch's father, Magneto
, and her twin brother, Quicksilver
, played major roles in the series.
The universe where House of M takes place is designated as Earth-58163
.
#13-14, and had several tie-ins to ongoing series, including Uncanny X-Men
, New X-Men: Academy X, and Wolverine
, and several mini-series: Fantastic Four: House of M,The Incredible Hulk: House of M, Iron-Man: House of M, Mutopia X: House of M, and Spider-Man: House of M.
Bendis, lead writer for the House of M event, stated that the series would "shake the world and break the internet
wide open." Prior to the event, Bendis also mentioned in several interviews that the event would have a lasting effect on the Marvel Universe
, but remained tight-lipped as to what. The reduction of the mutant community was the only rumored effect that actually came about.
The crossover was followed by a one-shot called House of M: Decimation - The Day After
, a series called Son of M
that depicts Quicksilver dealing with his loss of powers, and Generation M
, which devoted each issue to a different mutant dealing with his/her loss of powers. Characters who appeared include Chamber
, Jubilee
, and Blob
. Characters who lost their powers included Dani Moonstar
, Magneto, and Tag
. The storyline also led to the reboot of Excalibur into New Excalibur, a shift in the creative teams of several comics, and the debut of several spin-off
series, including X-Men: Deadly Genesis
, X-Men: The 198
, Sentinel Squad O*N*E, Ms. Marvel
, and a new X-Factor
series.
The epilogue
to the House of M and Decimation storylines, which served to answer to the mystery of the strange "energy-cloud" hovering in orbit around the Earth
at the conclusion of House of M #8, was revealed in the pages of New Avengers #16-20.
in 1979 (taking advantage of Marvel's sliding timescale
policy, there are no heroes active in the 1970s). At the end of the attack, Magneto revealed an alleged international anti-mutant conspiracy involving Richard M. Nixon. The main result of this was that Magneto was granted sovereignty of the island of Genosha
as the leader of the world's mutants. Another result was that the protection of mutant life was judged to be the first worry of all laws (as a result, stem cell research on mutant embryos is illegal, but stem cell research on altered human embryos is permitted). Because of this, the world is a racist society, with mutants controlling governments, businesses, and culture; and humans (or "sapiens") are looked down on as inferior (essentially a reversal of the status quo in the mainstream Marvel Universe, where mutants are looked down on and despised instead).
Some exceptions apply to "sapiens" who live with privileges like Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel in Earth-616
continuity, but Captain Marvel
in the World of M) and Peter Parker (Spider-Man
). However, while Danvers is widely known to be a "sapien," Spider-Man is believed by the House of M world at large to be a mutant.
Given that the House of M reality was created by the Scarlet Witch and Charles Xavier combining their powers to give the assembled New Avengers and X-Men
their heart's desires, it appears that Magneto's heart's desire was threefold. Primarily, he wanted the entire world to acknowledge that his paranoid fantasies about baseline humans wanting to exterminate mutants were true (hence the Sentinel attack over New York
in 1979, which concluded with the release of evidence that the world's human leaders were involved in a genocidal anti-mutant conspiracy). Secondly, he wanted to be acknowledged as a heroic figure and the rightful leader of all mutantkind (hence the disappearance of Charles Xavier and the timing of Magneto's rise to dominance before other superheroes had appeared on the scene to challenge him). And thirdly, a massive speeding-up of the natural evolution of homo sapiens into homo superior; until, by the modern era, they accounted for almost 50% of the global population, providing him with a power base sufficient to take over the governments of the world and use them to oppress baseline humans.
It is unclear whether the Scarlet Witch's magic altered the entire Marvel Universe, or merely the structure and history of Earth, a fact further complicated by the events of Secret Invasion
. The Skrull
Hank Pym stated that there was no way the Skrull army could win against such a vast number of mutants, at least possibly implying the Skrull army was left intact by Wanda's reality warp. Also, Xavier's supposed death in this reality, yet with no body, combined with his own off-planet actions, further confuse the issue. However, there is a Kree
ambassador called Genis-Vell
that appears within this illusory reality, and the Kree are shown to be peacefully collaborating with Earth, signifying that such was the Scarlet Witch's power that she was indeed capable of rewriting all of reality, the entire universe.
Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, is living on the devastated island of Genosha under the care of Professor Charles Xavier and her father Magneto. Professor X informs Magneto that his telepathic powers will no longer be enough to hold back Wanda's reality-warping abilities and that a permanent solution must be found. Magneto blames himself for twisting his children through the strength of his own dreams and ambitions.
Meanwhile, Xavier arranges a meeting of the Avengers, the X-Men and several lone heroes to Avengers Towers to decide the fate of Wanda Maximoff. Emma Frost
concludes that killing Wanda is the only way to end her destructive magic. Captain America
, however, argues that the group should seek alternate methods of dealing with Wanda including suppression of her powers and her insanity. The X-Men argue that if word gets out that a mutant with the ability to change reality went insane, it would "send human-mutant relations back to the stone-age." As the conversation progresses, it is revealed that Professor X asked Doctor Strange
to help Wanda, but unfortunately neither was strong enough to combat her magic. Wolverine speaks up, saying that there is no other way—Wanda must be killed. The rest of the group, however, decides that they must talk to Wanda in person before making their decision.
Back in Genosha, a distraught Quicksilver rushes to Magneto and reveals that he was just in New York where he heard that the X-Men and Avengers are planning on killing Wanda. Magneto angrily replies that he does not know what to do. Quicksilver falls to the floor sobbing and Magneto glances over at his sleeping daughter.
Xavier takes the two groups to Genosha, only to discover that Wanda is missing. Suddenly, the members of the group start to disappear one by one. Spider-Man is soon the only one left and becomes engulfed by a white light.
; Cyclops
and Emma Frost are married; Doctor Strange is a psychologist; Carol Danvers is now Captain Marvel, America's most beloved superhero; Gambit
is a criminal; and Steve Rogers
is an aged veteran. As we follow vignettes of their lives, it becomes readily apparent that none of them remember the change. However, Wolverine recalls all of his lost memories and knows this new world is a lie. He finds the world has changed into one where homo superior are the dominant species instead of homo sapiens. Mutants rule humans—and Magneto and his "House of M" rules mutants.
Wolverine seeks help from his fellow X-Men and Avengers. Unable to find Professor X, Wolverine goes looking for Spider-Man and Tony Stark
. He is confronted by his "teammates" in the Red Guard, elite mutant soldiers of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Wolverine escapes and finds the Human Resistance Movement led by Luke Cage
. Cage has gathered other non-mutant crimefighters to protect humans from the House of M's abuses of power. Wolverine is shocked to see one of the members is Clint Barton (Hawkeye
), a hero who had died in the real world.
Wolverine explains why he knows this world was created by the Scarlet Witch. He theorizes Magneto used her to create a world where everyone's deepest wish was granted. Magneto got the mutant supremacy he always wanted. Spider-Man got a life free of guilt. Wolverine got back all the memories he has lost over the years. Cage reveals that a little girl named Layla Miller
told him almost exactly the same thing days ago. The heroes begin visiting the Avengers and X-Men in their new lives as Layla awakens their true memories.
, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, She-Hulk
, Daredevil
, Rogue
, Mystique
, Nightcrawler
, Toad
, and Spider-Woman
. Hawkeye becomes distraught over learning of his death and briefly leaves the group. The rest travel to Genosha for a final confrontation with Magneto.
Back in Genosha, Magneto receives representatives from around the world to commemorate the mutant triumph over humanity. The heroes attack Magneto and his family directly, while Cloak
, Emma Frost, Doctor Strange, and Layla search for Xavier. They find a gravestone with Xavier's name, but Cloak discovers no body buried beneath it.
The attacker is Hawkeye, who begins to break down emotionally to Wanda about his death in the real timeline. After a heated exchange, Hawkeye is killed for the second time as one of the Scarlet Witch's antagonized sons uses his mutant powers to "erase" the Avenger. Meanwhile in the memorial garden, Magneto confronts Emma Frost and Layla Miller, who reveal the truth to Magneto about all that has happened. He then unleashes his wrath on everyone, especially his son Quicksilver. He nearly kills Quicksilver by pummeling him to a bloody pulp with large pieces of steel. Suddenly the Scarlet Witch appears, stopping Magneto and returning her brother to healthy form. She begins to lash out, saying "We're freaks, Mutants... You chose this over us and you ruined us... Daddy!" She then utters "No more mutants." Everything turns to white once again.
The Avengers come together to try to make sense of what happened that night, only to be confronted by a distraught Doctor Strange who states that the House of M really took place and its effects are slowly being felt on a wider scale. They later get an alert from the ruins of Avengers Mansion. Investigating, they find Hawkeye's uniform pinned to a wall with his arrows. It suggests Hawkeye has returned to life.
At the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, most of the students lose their mutant abilities. Emma Frost scans the whole world with Cerebro
for mutant activity. She learns the number of mutants in the world has dropped from millions to a few hundred. Meanwhile, Wolverine awakes remembering everything about his past. The X-Men fly to Genosha looking for Magneto and his children. They find Magneto is also powerless, and does not know where Wanda or Quicksilver have gone.
The heroes can only guess about what has caused the majority of the mutant population to lose their powers. With Xavier still missing, and with the Scarlet Witch probably depowered (as she could not be detected by the Cerebro scanner or by Doctor Strange, though she later appears to be living a normal life), the mutant population can only hold on to Hank Pym's words that all these powers could not simply vanish... They are contained somewhere, and that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The question remains, as Pym said, "What will be the reaction?"
As if to punctuate this statement, a colossal red ribbon of energy begins to orbit Earth.
and Professor X) suffered this fate, as well as former X-Man Chamber; although their main villain, Magneto, has also lost his abilities, as have two members of the Avengers: Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Magneto and Xavier have since been repowered, whilst Polaris and Quicksilver (and others) have either gained new powers (sometimes almost exactly like their old powers) or regained lost powers via other means (such as through Quicksilver himself and Chamber), within a span of well under two years. Other reasonably popular mutants have also been repowered by technology, such as Wind Dancer
and Jubilee.
Other consequences include:
begin their Worlds Tour in Exiles #69 to chase down Proteus
who has been reborn in this new world. It was their first stop of six.
, considered the resulting "Decimation" to be a boon to the Skrulls plans as they could now divert the part of their forces intended to deal with Earth's mutant population to other areas.
and drawn by Mike Perkins
. The series spans from 1979 to the present day and acts as a prequel to the original House of M miniseries, showing the formation of Luke Cage's Human Resistance Movement.
, Bucky
, Burner
, Dragoness
, Gateway
, Graydon Creed
, Lifter
, Mimic
, Nuke, Randall Darby, Slither
, the Soviet Super-Soldiers
(Crimson Dynamo
, Darkstar
, Red Guardian
, Titanium Man
, Ursa Major
, Vanguard), Vashti Cleito-Son, and Warlord Krang
.
assembles a gang of the deadliest "sapien" super-criminals: Madame Masque
, Absorbing Man
, Batroc the Leaper
, Blizzard
II, Chemistro
III, Cobra
, Constrictor
, Crossbones
, Nitro
, Sandman
, Titania
, Wizard
, and the Wrecking Crew
(Bulldozer
, Piledriver
, Thunderball
, and Wrecker
).
collect many of the issues involved with the House of M storyline. Arranged in order, the spines of the books form the House of M logo. It should be noted that each storyline/paperback contains a mostly standalone sidestory, and can be read individually without any continuity problems. Only the House of M miniseries itself deals with the main storyline.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
and crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
storyline published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
in 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
. Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim for his self-published, Image Comics and Marvel Comics work, and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics, with his books selling consistently highly for over a...
and illustrated by Olivier Coipel
Olivier Coipel
Olivier Coipel is a French comic book artist, known for his work on books such as House of M, Legion of Super-Heroes andThor.-Career:...
, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X
Planet X (comics)
"Planet X" is 2004 storyline published by Marvel Comics that ran from New X-Men #146-150. The story is the climax of Grant Morrison's run as writer on the X-Men, and features the return of Magneto and the death of Jean Grey.-Plot:...
and Avengers Disassembled
Avengers Disassembled
"Avengers Disassembled", referred to in some participating series as "Disassembled", is a crossover event between several Marvel Comics series. The general idea is that the major heroes are assaulted, not just physically, but emotionally...
storylines, in which the mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
suffered a mental breakdown and tried to alter the fabric of reality
Reality
In philosophy, reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible...
to recreate her lost children. Scarlet Witch's father, Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
, and her twin brother, Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, played major roles in the series.
The universe where House of M takes place is designated as Earth-58163
Multiverse (Marvel Comics)
Within Marvel Comics, most tales take place within the fictional Marvel Universe, which in turn is part of a larger multiverse. Starting with issues of Captain Britain, the main continuity in which most Marvel storylines take place was designated Earth-616, and the multiverse was established as...
.
Publication history
The first issue was released in June 2005, with the series concluding in November 2005. The first two issues were ranked first and second in sales in the June 2005 period, with the first issue selling over 233,000 copies. The final issue, House of M #8, was ranked third in sales for the November 2005 period with sales of 135,462. In addition to the main eight-issue limited series, House of M was preceded by a story in ExcaliburExcalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
#13-14, and had several tie-ins to ongoing series, including Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
, New X-Men: Academy X, and Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, and several mini-series: Fantastic Four: House of M,The Incredible Hulk: House of M, Iron-Man: House of M, Mutopia X: House of M, and Spider-Man: House of M.
Bendis, lead writer for the House of M event, stated that the series would "shake the world and break the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
wide open." Prior to the event, Bendis also mentioned in several interviews that the event would have a lasting effect on the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, but remained tight-lipped as to what. The reduction of the mutant community was the only rumored effect that actually came about.
The crossover was followed by a one-shot called House of M: Decimation - The Day After
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, a series called Son of M
Son of M
Son of M is an American comic book limited series, a follow up to Marvel Comics' "House of M" event, starring the depowered Quicksilver. Quicksilver was one of the many mutants to lose his powers as part of the Decimation, which he was, in part, responsible for.-Background:Following his sister's...
that depicts Quicksilver dealing with his loss of powers, and Generation M
Generation M (comics)
Generation M is a five-issue mini-series written by Paul Jenkins and pencilled by Ramon Bachs, starting in January 2006.- Basic plot :The story focuses on Sally Floyd, a reporter for the fictional newspaper The Alternative, after the events of M-Day, when the Scarlet Witch used her powers to cause...
, which devoted each issue to a different mutant dealing with his/her loss of powers. Characters who appeared include Chamber
Chamber (comics)
Jonothon "Jono" Evan Starsmore, better known as Chamber or Decibel, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero associated with the X-Men and the New Warriors....
, Jubilee
Jubilee (comics)
Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Jubilee had the superhuman power to generate "fireworks" of explosive plasma. A teenage "mall rat," she was the X-Men's youngest member in the early 1990s, often playing sidekick to...
, and Blob
Blob (comics)
The Blob is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an adversary of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #3 ....
. Characters who lost their powers included Dani Moonstar
Danielle Moonstar
Danielle "Dani" Moonstar, originally codenamed Psyche and later Mirage, is a fictional Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men....
, Magneto, and Tag
Tag (comics)
Tag is a fictional character, a Puerto Rican mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New Mutants, vol. 2 #7 and was a member of the student body of the Xavier Institute and the Hellions squad therein.-Fictional character biography:Brian Cruz came to Emma...
. The storyline also led to the reboot of Excalibur into New Excalibur, a shift in the creative teams of several comics, and the debut of several spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series, including X-Men: Deadly Genesis
X-Men: Deadly Genesis
X-Men: Deadly Genesis is a comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in late 2005 and early 2006. The series was written by Ed Brubaker with interior art by Trevor Hairsine and covers by Marc Silvestri. Starring the X-Men, this series celebrates the 30th anniversary of Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, X-Men: The 198
X-Men: The 198
X-Men: The 198 is a comic book limited series that was published by Marvel Comics and set in the Marvel Universe shortly after the House of M and Decimation events...
, Sentinel Squad O*N*E, Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
, and a new X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
series.
The epilogue
Epilogue
An epilogue, epilog or afterword is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work...
to the House of M and Decimation storylines, which served to answer to the mystery of the strange "energy-cloud" hovering in orbit around the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
at the conclusion of House of M #8, was revealed in the pages of New Avengers #16-20.
World
In this world, Magneto was attacked by Sentinels over ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in 1979 (taking advantage of Marvel's sliding timescale
Floating timeline
A Floating timeline is a device used in fiction, particularly in comics and animation, to explain why characters age little or not at all over a period of time - despite real-world markers like notable events, people and technology appearing in the works and correlating with the real world.A...
policy, there are no heroes active in the 1970s). At the end of the attack, Magneto revealed an alleged international anti-mutant conspiracy involving Richard M. Nixon. The main result of this was that Magneto was granted sovereignty of the island of Genosha
Genosha
Genosha is a fictional country that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as "Earth 616" in the Marvel Universe. The fictional nation served as an allegory for slavery and later for South...
as the leader of the world's mutants. Another result was that the protection of mutant life was judged to be the first worry of all laws (as a result, stem cell research on mutant embryos is illegal, but stem cell research on altered human embryos is permitted). Because of this, the world is a racist society, with mutants controlling governments, businesses, and culture; and humans (or "sapiens") are looked down on as inferior (essentially a reversal of the status quo in the mainstream Marvel Universe, where mutants are looked down on and despised instead).
Some exceptions apply to "sapiens" who live with privileges like Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel in Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
continuity, but Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)
Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.- Publication history :...
in the World of M) and Peter Parker (Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
). However, while Danvers is widely known to be a "sapien," Spider-Man is believed by the House of M world at large to be a mutant.
Given that the House of M reality was created by the Scarlet Witch and Charles Xavier combining their powers to give the assembled New Avengers and X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
their heart's desires, it appears that Magneto's heart's desire was threefold. Primarily, he wanted the entire world to acknowledge that his paranoid fantasies about baseline humans wanting to exterminate mutants were true (hence the Sentinel attack over New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1979, which concluded with the release of evidence that the world's human leaders were involved in a genocidal anti-mutant conspiracy). Secondly, he wanted to be acknowledged as a heroic figure and the rightful leader of all mutantkind (hence the disappearance of Charles Xavier and the timing of Magneto's rise to dominance before other superheroes had appeared on the scene to challenge him). And thirdly, a massive speeding-up of the natural evolution of homo sapiens into homo superior; until, by the modern era, they accounted for almost 50% of the global population, providing him with a power base sufficient to take over the governments of the world and use them to oppress baseline humans.
It is unclear whether the Scarlet Witch's magic altered the entire Marvel Universe, or merely the structure and history of Earth, a fact further complicated by the events of Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....
. The Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....
Hank Pym stated that there was no way the Skrull army could win against such a vast number of mutants, at least possibly implying the Skrull army was left intact by Wanda's reality warp. Also, Xavier's supposed death in this reality, yet with no body, combined with his own off-planet actions, further confuse the issue. However, there is a Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
ambassador called Genis-Vell
Genis-Vell
Genis-Vell, also known as Legacy, Captain Marvel, and Photon, is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. He is depicted as the son of Mar-Vell of the extraterrestrial Kree Empire, who was the first character to be known as Captain Marvel in the Marvel Universe...
that appears within this illusory reality, and the Kree are shown to be peacefully collaborating with Earth, signifying that such was the Scarlet Witch's power that she was indeed capable of rewriting all of reality, the entire universe.
Genesis
Meanwhile, Xavier arranges a meeting of the Avengers, the X-Men and several lone heroes to Avengers Towers to decide the fate of Wanda Maximoff. Emma Frost
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
concludes that killing Wanda is the only way to end her destructive magic. Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, however, argues that the group should seek alternate methods of dealing with Wanda including suppression of her powers and her insanity. The X-Men argue that if word gets out that a mutant with the ability to change reality went insane, it would "send human-mutant relations back to the stone-age." As the conversation progresses, it is revealed that Professor X asked Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
to help Wanda, but unfortunately neither was strong enough to combat her magic. Wolverine speaks up, saying that there is no other way—Wanda must be killed. The rest of the group, however, decides that they must talk to Wanda in person before making their decision.
Back in Genosha, a distraught Quicksilver rushes to Magneto and reveals that he was just in New York where he heard that the X-Men and Avengers are planning on killing Wanda. Magneto angrily replies that he does not know what to do. Quicksilver falls to the floor sobbing and Magneto glances over at his sleeping daughter.
Xavier takes the two groups to Genosha, only to discover that Wanda is missing. Suddenly, the members of the group start to disappear one by one. Spider-Man is soon the only one left and becomes engulfed by a white light.
New world
When the light departs, we see that the world has changed: Spider-Man is a celebrity actor/athlete married to Gwen StacyGwen Stacy
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy appears as a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 ....
; Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
and Emma Frost are married; Doctor Strange is a psychologist; Carol Danvers is now Captain Marvel, America's most beloved superhero; Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
is a criminal; and Steve Rogers
Steve Rogers
Steve, Steven, or Stephen Rogers may refer to:*Steve Rogers , the best known alter-ego of Marvel Comics character Captain America*Steve Rogers , English actor and screenwriter...
is an aged veteran. As we follow vignettes of their lives, it becomes readily apparent that none of them remember the change. However, Wolverine recalls all of his lost memories and knows this new world is a lie. He finds the world has changed into one where homo superior are the dominant species instead of homo sapiens. Mutants rule humans—and Magneto and his "House of M" rules mutants.
Wolverine seeks help from his fellow X-Men and Avengers. Unable to find Professor X, Wolverine goes looking for Spider-Man and Tony Stark
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
. He is confronted by his "teammates" in the Red Guard, elite mutant soldiers of S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
Wolverine escapes and finds the Human Resistance Movement led by Luke Cage
Luke Cage
Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1...
. Cage has gathered other non-mutant crimefighters to protect humans from the House of M's abuses of power. Wolverine is shocked to see one of the members is Clint Barton (Hawkeye
Hawkeye (comics)
Hawkeye , also known as Goliath and Ronin, is a fictional character that appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck. Hawkeye joined the Avengers in Avengers Vol. 1 #16 Hawkeye...
), a hero who had died in the real world.
Wolverine explains why he knows this world was created by the Scarlet Witch. He theorizes Magneto used her to create a world where everyone's deepest wish was granted. Magneto got the mutant supremacy he always wanted. Spider-Man got a life free of guilt. Wolverine got back all the memories he has lost over the years. Cage reveals that a little girl named Layla Miller
Layla Miller
Layla Rose Miller, also known as Butterfly, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in House of M #4, and was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Oliver Coipel...
told him almost exactly the same thing days ago. The heroes begin visiting the Avengers and X-Men in their new lives as Layla awakens their true memories.
Wake-up call
Wolverine and the Human Resistance awaken many heroes to the truth, including Cyclops, Spider-Man, ShadowcatKitty Pryde
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
, Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
, Mystique
Mystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...
, Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler (comics)
Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, Toad
Toad (comics)
Toad is a Marvel Comics supervillain, an enemy of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men #4 ....
, and Spider-Woman
Veranke
Veranke is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics who serves as the queen of the Skrull empire in the Marvel Universe. She plays a significant role in the events of Secret Invasion as she leads her empire to invade and conquer Earth....
. Hawkeye becomes distraught over learning of his death and briefly leaves the group. The rest travel to Genosha for a final confrontation with Magneto.
Cloak and Dagger (comics)
Cloak and Dagger are a fictional comic book superhero duo in the . They were created by writer William "Bill" Mantlo and designed by artist Edward Hannigan.-Publication history:...
, Emma Frost, Doctor Strange, and Layla search for Xavier. They find a gravestone with Xavier's name, but Cloak discovers no body buried beneath it.
Battle with big consequences
The battle between the House of M and the heroes continues with great ferocity. While the chaos ensues, the Scarlet Witch disappears from the battlefield only to be discovered by Doctor Strange in a tower with her children. The two begin to talk as Doctor Strange attempts to discover the origin of the madness that is happening. Wanda reveals the answer to him in a flashback from when Quicksilver confronted Magneto about the fate of Wanda. It turns out that Quicksilver himself was the one responsible for the creation of the alternate world, suggesting to Wanda to make everyone happy in an almost-perfect world. After this revelation, Emma Frost tells Doctor Strange to ask about the fate of Charles Xavier. Before she can answer, Wanda is struck in the back by an arrow.The attacker is Hawkeye, who begins to break down emotionally to Wanda about his death in the real timeline. After a heated exchange, Hawkeye is killed for the second time as one of the Scarlet Witch's antagonized sons uses his mutant powers to "erase" the Avenger. Meanwhile in the memorial garden, Magneto confronts Emma Frost and Layla Miller, who reveal the truth to Magneto about all that has happened. He then unleashes his wrath on everyone, especially his son Quicksilver. He nearly kills Quicksilver by pummeling him to a bloody pulp with large pieces of steel. Suddenly the Scarlet Witch appears, stopping Magneto and returning her brother to healthy form. She begins to lash out, saying "We're freaks, Mutants... You chose this over us and you ruined us... Daddy!" She then utters "No more mutants." Everything turns to white once again.
No more mutants
In a blinding flash, the world seemingly returns to normal.The Avengers come together to try to make sense of what happened that night, only to be confronted by a distraught Doctor Strange who states that the House of M really took place and its effects are slowly being felt on a wider scale. They later get an alert from the ruins of Avengers Mansion. Investigating, they find Hawkeye's uniform pinned to a wall with his arrows. It suggests Hawkeye has returned to life.
At the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, most of the students lose their mutant abilities. Emma Frost scans the whole world with Cerebro
Cerebro
In the Marvel Comics universe, Cerebro is a device that the X-Men use to detect humans, specifically mutants. It was created by Xavier and Magneto, and was later enhanced by Dr. Hank McCoy...
for mutant activity. She learns the number of mutants in the world has dropped from millions to a few hundred. Meanwhile, Wolverine awakes remembering everything about his past. The X-Men fly to Genosha looking for Magneto and his children. They find Magneto is also powerless, and does not know where Wanda or Quicksilver have gone.
The heroes can only guess about what has caused the majority of the mutant population to lose their powers. With Xavier still missing, and with the Scarlet Witch probably depowered (as she could not be detected by the Cerebro scanner or by Doctor Strange, though she later appears to be living a normal life), the mutant population can only hold on to Hank Pym's words that all these powers could not simply vanish... They are contained somewhere, and that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The question remains, as Pym said, "What will be the reaction?"
As if to punctuate this statement, a colossal red ribbon of energy begins to orbit Earth.
Decimation
The House of M has created some serious consequences in the Marvel Universe. The greatest so far is the reduction of the mutant population from millions to hundreds. Only two current members of the X-Men (PolarisPolaris (comics)
Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49...
and Professor X) suffered this fate, as well as former X-Man Chamber; although their main villain, Magneto, has also lost his abilities, as have two members of the Avengers: Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Magneto and Xavier have since been repowered, whilst Polaris and Quicksilver (and others) have either gained new powers (sometimes almost exactly like their old powers) or regained lost powers via other means (such as through Quicksilver himself and Chamber), within a span of well under two years. Other reasonably popular mutants have also been repowered by technology, such as Wind Dancer
Wind Dancer
Sofia Mantega, also known as Renascence and formerly known as Wind Dancer, is a fictional character, a former mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. One of the student body in the Xavier Institute, she is a member of the New Mutants squad therein. Her first appearance was in...
and Jubilee.
Other consequences include:
- The temporary disappearance of Charles Xavier (he returned in X-Men: Deadly Genesis without his powers), Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver. Quicksilver's disappearance is explained in the Son of M limited series.
- Wolverine's total recall of his past, which caused a serious change in his status. Multiple governments and agencies for which he has worked or which have manipulated him consider him to be one of the most dangerous threats to them.
- Though not explicitly expressed in the House of M series, as of New Avengers #26, Clint BartonHawkeye (comics)Hawkeye , also known as Goliath and Ronin, is a fictional character that appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #57 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck. Hawkeye joined the Avengers in Avengers Vol. 1 #16 Hawkeye...
has been revived in the Marvel Universe. - The Collective, a new villain that destroyed the Canadian superhero team Alpha FlightAlpha FlightAlpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
, was created as a result of the Decimation event. The Collective was apparently formed from all of the mutant energies displaced by Wanda's actions. - The Shadow KingShadow KingThe Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...
was able to return to this reality with Shadow-XShadow-XShadow-X is a Marvel Comics supervillain group that only appeared in New Excalibur. All of their costumes are the colors of black and red....
when Wanda shifted reality. - OnslaughtOnslaught (comics)Onslaught is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Man #15 , and was co-created by writers Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid, and artist Andy Kubert....
was reborn. - Jim Jaspers was brought back to life and fused with The FuryFury (Marvel Comics)The Fury is a fictional character created by writer Alan Moore and illustrator Alan Davis as an antagonist for the Marvel Comics hero Captain Britain...
. - The disappearance of MegganMegganMeggan Puceanu is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the . She first appeared in Mighty World of Marvel #7, , and was created by Alan Moore and Alan Davis....
and return of Captain BritainCaptain BritainCaptain Britain , briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, he first appeared in Captain Britain Weekly, #1...
to the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as a result of preventing the destruction of all realities from the strain of the House of M rewriting the Earth-616 reality; later Meggan was reportedly taken prisoner by a demon named Plokta. Finally she managed to free herself, reuniting with Captain Britain. - Due to the vast depowerment of mutants, America won the super powers war without lifting a finger.
- The Skrulls gained a massive advantage in their infiltration and sabotage. With so many millions of mutants killed, lost, or powerless, one of the three primary threats VerankeVerankeVeranke is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics who serves as the queen of the Skrull empire in the Marvel Universe. She plays a significant role in the events of Secret Invasion as she leads her empire to invade and conquer Earth....
stated was neutralized. - With all the mutant energy released, Vulcan, the third Summers brother, was revived from a long slumber.
- Illyana RasputinMagik (comics)Magik is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men. She is the younger sister of the Russian X-Man Colossus.-Publication history:...
was reborn as Darkchylde.
Worlds Tour
The ExilesExiles (Marvel Comics)
The Exiles are a group of fictional characters that feature in three Marvel Comics series, Exiles, New Exiles, and Exiles vol. 2. The Exiles consists of characters from different dimensions, or realities, which have been removed from time and space in order to correct problems in various alternate...
begin their Worlds Tour in Exiles #69 to chase down Proteus
Proteus (comics)
Kevin MacTaggert, best known as Proteus and also called Mutant X, is a Marvel Comics character, associated with the X-Men.Kevin was the mutant son of Scottish genetic researcher Moira MacTaggert and politician Joseph MacTaggert...
who has been reborn in this new world. It was their first stop of six.
Secret Invasion
In a May 5, 2008, interview, Brian Michael Bendis indicated that the events of House of M play into the Secret Invasion. The activities of the Skrulls during House of M were covered in New Avengers #45, in which it was revealed that the Skrull agents were able to retain their memories after Wanda altered reality, her powers seemingly unable to detect their true natures and desires, and had attempted to instigate the destruction of the mutants over the alteration. The Skrull queen, still disguised as Jessica DrewSpider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...
, considered the resulting "Decimation" to be a boon to the Skrulls plans as they could now divert the part of their forces intended to deal with Earth's mutant population to other areas.
House of M: Avengers
The House of M: Avengers five-issue limited series debuted in November 2007, written by Christos GageChristos Gage
Christos N. "Chris" Gage is an American comic book writer and screenwriter.-Early life:Gage is the son of author and journalist Nicholas Gage. He was born in New York, and grew up in Athens, Greece, and then North Grafton, Massachusetts...
and drawn by Mike Perkins
Mike Perkins
Mike Perkins is a British comic book artist known for both his inking work and full art duties on comic books such as Captain America, Ruse and Stephen King's The Stand.-Career:Mike Perkins began drawing at a very early age...
. The series spans from 1979 to the present day and acts as a prequel to the original House of M miniseries, showing the formation of Luke Cage's Human Resistance Movement.
Civil War: House of M
This mini-series depicts how Magneto took over the world and made mutants the dominant race, as well as confirming that Xavier is indeed dead in this reality. It also features House of M versions of Bolivar TraskBolivar Trask
Bolivar Trask is a fictional character and a military scientist in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #14 . He is the creator of the Sentinels.-Fictional character biography:...
, Bucky
Bucky
Bucky is the name of several fictional characters, masked superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a sidekick character in Captain America Comics #1 , published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics...
, Burner
Burner (comics)
Burner , also known as Crucible is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe whose first appearance was in Captain America Annual #4.-Publication history:...
, Dragoness
Dragoness (comics)
Dragoness is a fictional mutant villain character in the Marvel Comics Universe, created for their on-going series New Mutants and X-Force. Dragoness was created by Louise Simonson and Rob Liefeld.-Fictional character biography:...
, Gateway
Gateway (comics)
Gateway is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe, an Australian mutant with the ability to teleport objects and people from one location to another. He is considered an unofficial member of the X-Men...
, Graydon Creed
Graydon Creed
Graydon Creed is a fictional character created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brandon Peterson. The character is an enemy of the X-Men and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #299 .- Fictional character biography :...
, Lifter
Lifter (comics)
Lifter is a fictional mutant supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby in Captain America Annual #4 .-Publication history:...
, Mimic
Mimic (comics)
Mimic is a Marvel Comics fictional character who was briefly a member of the X-Men in the 1960s. He was then the first character to be added to the team after the original line-up and the first X-Man who was not a mutant....
, Nuke, Randall Darby, Slither
Slither (comics)
Slither is a fictional character, a snake-like mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Captain America Annual #4 and was created by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
, the Soviet Super-Soldiers
Soviet Super-Soldiers
The Soviet Super-Soldiers are a fictional super team in the Marvel Comics universe.-History:The Soviet Super-Soldiers were a superteam that was brought together by the Soviet government of Russia to be the counterpart of American teams like the Avengers and Fantastic Four. Professor Phobos founded...
(Crimson Dynamo
Crimson Dynamo
The Crimson Dynamo is the name of several fictional characters in the Marvel Comics Universe, most of whom have been supervillains. The various Crimson Dynamos have been powered armor-wearing Russian or Soviet agents who have clashed with the superhero Iron Man over the course of his heroic career...
, Darkstar
Darkstar (comics)
Darkstar is a fictional character, a mutant superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe. She has been a member of various super-teams in her career, including X-Corporation and Champions of Los Angeles.-Fictional character biography:...
, Red Guardian
Red Guardian
The Red Guardian is the name of several comic book superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The Red Guardian is an identity that was created as the Soviet equivalent of Captain America; since the fall of the Soviet Union, the name is no longer officially used, though at least two people have...
, Titanium Man
Titanium Man
The Titanium Man is the name of two or more fictional characters, supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The original Titanium Man first appeared in Tales of Suspense #69 . He was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck.-Titanium Man I:Boris Bullski was born in Makeyevka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union...
, Ursa Major
Ursa Major (comics)
Ursa Major is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics universe, and a former member of the Soviet Super-Soldiers...
, Vanguard), Vashti Cleito-Son, and Warlord Krang
Krang (comics)
Warlord Krang is a fictional character, in the Marvel Comics universe. He was a high-ranking member of the Atlantean military.-Fictional character biography:...
.
House of M: Masters of Evil
Set right after Civil War: House of M, this miniseries depicts how the HoodHood (comics)
The Hood is a fictional character, a supervillain, and a crime boss in the . Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character first appeared in The Hood #1 .-Publication history:...
assembles a gang of the deadliest "sapien" super-criminals: Madame Masque
Madame Masque
Madame Masque is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. She is an occasional love interest, and sometimes enemy of Iron Man within the Marvel Universe...
, Absorbing Man
Absorbing Man
The Absorbing Man is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #114 The Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first...
, Batroc the Leaper
Batroc the Leaper
Batroc the Leaper is a fictional villain from Marvel Comics. His first appearance was in Tales of Suspense #75, 1966...
, Blizzard
Blizzard (Donnie Gill)
Blizzard is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Blizzard.-Fictional character biography:...
II, Chemistro
Chemistro
Three people have taken the moniker of the supervillain Chemistro in the fictional Marvel Comics universe.-Curtis Carr:The first Chemistro, Curtis Carr, was born in Kansas City, Kansas. While working as a chemist and research scientist for Mainstream Motors, he created an "alchemy gun" capable of...
III, Cobra
Cobra (comics)
The Cobra is the alias of two fictional comic-book supervillains that appear in the Marvel Comics universe.-Klaus Voorhees:Klaus Voorhees, the original Cobra, was also known as The Human Cobra and is currently known as the original King Cobra...
, Constrictor
Constrictor (comics)
Constrictor is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. The character is primarily a supervillain, but is often portrayed as a redeeming anti-hero. Constrictor first appeared in Incredible Hulk vol.1 #212 and was created by Len Wein and Sal Buscema.-Publication history:Constrictor...
, Crossbones
Crossbones (comics)
Crossbones is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by writer Mark Gruenwald and artist Kieron Dwyer in Captain America #359-360 . Crossbones usually appears as a henchman of the Red Skull...
, Nitro
Nitro (comics)
Nitro is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Captain Marvel #34 and was created by Jim Starlin....
, Sandman
Sandman (Marvel Comics)
Sandman is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A shapeshifter endowed through an accident with the ability to turn himself into sand, he eventually reformed, and became an ally of Spider-Man...
, Titania
Titania (Marvel Comics)
Titania is a supervillainess in the Marvel Comics universe, notable for being Marvel's strongest human female with the possible exception of the She-Hulk, and the wife of the Absorbing Man. She was created by then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, in the successful company-wide crossover known as...
, Wizard
Wizard (Marvel Comics)
The Wizard , also known as the Wingless Wizard, is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe...
, and the Wrecking Crew
Wrecking Crew (comics)
The Wrecking Crew is a team of four fictional supervillains — Bulldozer, Piledriver, Thunderball, and the Wrecker — that appears in Marvel Comics. While not featured on the cover, the Wrecking Crew's first appearance is in Defenders vol. 1, #17 in November 1974.-Fictional biography:The Wrecking...
(Bulldozer
Bulldozer (comics)
Bulldozer is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Universe. He is a member of the Wrecking Crew. The character was created by Len Wein and Sal Buscema and first appeared in Defenders #17 ....
, Piledriver
Piledriver (comics)
Piledriver is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a member of the Wrecker's Wrecking Crew...
, Thunderball
Thunderball (comics)
Thunderball is a Marvel Comics supervillain and a frequent enemy of Thor and a somewhat reluctant ally of the Wrecker and the Wrecking Crew. The character was created by Len Wein and Sal Buscema and first appeared in Defenders #17 .-Fictional character biography:Dr. Eliot Franklin was born in...
, and Wrecker
Wrecker (comics)
The Wrecker is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Wrecker was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appears in The Mighty Thor #148 The Wrecker (Dirk Garthwaite) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics....
).
Comic tie-ins
As a universe-wide event, House of M stretches beyond its main series with the storyline interacting with the following comics:- Black PantherBlack Panther (comics)The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
#7 - Cable & DeadpoolCable & DeadpoolCable & Deadpool was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics beginning in 2004. The title characters, Cable and Deadpool, shared the focus of the book. The series was launched following the cancellation of the characters' previous ongoing solo series. The book's mix of humor, action, and...
#17 - Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
#10 - ExcaliburExcalibur (comics)Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
#13-14 - ExilesExiles (Marvel Comics)The Exiles are a group of fictional characters that feature in three Marvel Comics series, Exiles, New Exiles, and Exiles vol. 2. The Exiles consists of characters from different dimensions, or realities, which have been removed from time and space in order to correct problems in various alternate...
#69-71 - Giant Size Ms. MarvelMs. MarvelMs. Marvel is the name of a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and designed by artist Gene Colan, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 and as Ms. Marvel—a...
#1 - House of M #1-8
- House of M: AvengersAvengers (comics)The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
#1-5 - House of M: Fantastic FourFantastic FourThe Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
#1-3
- House of M: Iron ManIron ManIron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
#1-3 - House of M: Masters of EvilMasters of EvilThe Masters of Evil is a name for a number of fictional supervillain teams that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in The Avengers #6 , with the lineup continually changing over the years....
#1-4 - House of M: Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
#1-5 - House of M: Civil WarCivil War (comics)Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
#1-5 - House of M Sketchbook
- Incredible Hulk #83-86
- Mutopia XDistrict XDistrict X, also known as Mutant Town or the Middle East Side, is a fictional location in Marvel Comics. It is a neighborhood in New York City, first seen during Grant Morrison's run on the series New X-Men in New X-Men #127, which was primarily populated by mutants...
#1-4 (of 5) - New Thunderbolts #11
- New Avengers #45
- New X-MenNew X-MenNew X-Men was a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics within the X-Men franchise. After the end of Grant Morrison's run on X-Men , titled New X-Men, the title was used for a new series, New X-Men: Academy X, serving as a continuation of the second volume of New Mutants...
: Academy X #16-19 - Secrets of the House of M
- The PulseThe Pulse (comics)The Pulse is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics, written by Brian Michael Bendis, about the people who work on "The Pulse", a weekly section in the fictional Daily Bugle newspaper, focusing on superheroes....
: House of M Special Edition - The Pulse #10
- "Punnyville" (a short piece from Hulk: Broken Worlds #1)
- Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#462-465 - WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
#33-35
Trade paperbacks
The trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
collect many of the issues involved with the House of M storyline. Arranged in order, the spines of the books form the House of M logo. It should be noted that each storyline/paperback contains a mostly standalone sidestory, and can be read individually without any continuity problems. Only the House of M miniseries itself deals with the main storyline.
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of M: Excalibur - Prelude | Excalibur #11-14 | August 2005 | |
| House of M | House of M #1-8; The Pulse: House of M Special | February 2006 | |
| House of M: Incredible Hulk | Incredible Hulk #83-87 | February 2006 | |
| House of M: Fantastic Four / Iron Man | Fantastic Four: House of M #1-3; Iron Man: House of M #1-3 | July 2006 | |
| House of M: Uncanny X-Men | Uncanny X-Men #462-465; first half of Secrets of the House of M | January 2006 | |
| House of M: Mutopia X | Mutopia X #1-5 | February 2006 | |
| House of M: New X-Men | New X-Men: Academy X #16-19; second half of Secrets of the House of M | February 2006 | |
| House of M: Spider-Man | Spider-Man: House of M #1-5 | March 2006 | |
| House of M: World of M, Featuring Wolverine | Wolverine #33-35; Captain America #10; Black Panther #7; Pulse #10 | March 2006 | |
| House of M: Avengers | House of M: Avengers #1-5 | July 2008 | |
| House of M: Civil War | Civil War: House of M #1-5 | May 2009 | |
| House of M: Masters of Evil | House of M: Masters of Evil #1-5 | February 2010 |
Hardcovers
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of M, Vol 1 | House of M #1-8; The Pulse: House of M Special | January 2008 | |
| House of M, Vol 2: Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and X-Men | Spider-Man: House of M #1-5; New Thunderbolts #11; Fantastic Four: House of M #1-3; Black Panther #7; Uncanny X-Men #462-465 | December 2009 | |
| House of M, Vol 3: Wolverine, Iron Man, and Hulk | Wolverine #33-35; Iron Man: House of M #1-3; Incredible Hulk #83-87; Hulk: Broken Worlds #1; Captain America #10; Pulse #10; Cable & Deadpool #17 | February 2010 | |
| House of M, Vol 4: No More Mutants | Mutopia X #1-5; New X-Men #16-19; Exiles #69-71; House of M: The Day After; Giant-Size Ms. Marvel #1 | May 2010 |
What If?
- An issue of What If? revolving around House of M asks, "What If Scarlet Witch Ended the House of M event by saying No More Powers?" In this story, all of the heroes of the world lose their powers with mixed results. ThingThing (comics)The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
is human, Doctor Strange tells Wong that he cannot connect with magic, Wolverine's adamantium skeleton is too heavy, Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk are normal, Cyclops does not have to worry about wearing special glasses, Maria HillMaria HillMaria Hill is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was the former director of the planetary defense/intelligence service S.H.I.E.L.D..-Introduction:...
delivers a report that the superpowered inmates at the Raft have lost their powers, Spider-Man is relieved at the loss of his "responsibility," Iron Man believes there is still work to be done, and most of the X-Men try to resume normal lives. Iron Man speaks to the Illuminati members about this problem. Outside of the news that this event uncovered some Skrulls on Earth, they talk about what to do next. Red SkullRed SkullThe Red Skull is a name shared by several fictional characters, all supervillains from the Marvel Comics universe. All incarnations of the character are enemies of Captain America, other superheroes, and the United States in general....
obtains a cosmic cubeCosmic CubeThe Cosmic Cube, called the Tesseract in the film Captain America: The First Avenger, is the name of a fictional object that appears in the Marvel Universe. The concept was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Tales of Suspense #79 .-Publication history:The first Cosmic Cube...
and uses it to take over New York. After killing the Young AvengersYoung AvengersYoung Avengers is an American comic book series written by Allan Heinberg and published by Marvel Comics. It follows a group of young superheroes, each of whom patterns themselves after a member of the long-established Marvel superhero team the Avengers....
, Reed RichardsMister FantasticMr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
, and a newly fully human Ben Grimm, Red Skull declares his intentions to take over the world. Iron Man (who had been freelancing against the non-superpowered villains) appears along with several other heroes, including Wolverine, War MachineWar MachineWar Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton...
, and Carol Danvers, all of whom are outfitted with special suits of Iron Man-esque armor (Wolverine's includes laser-claws). The X-Men appear, using remaining Shi'arShi'arThe Shi'ar are a fictional species of aliens in the Marvel Comics universe. The Shi'ar Empire also called the Aerie, is a vast collection of alien species, cultures and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empires, and alongside them, is one of the three main alien empires...
technology in an attempt to stop Red Skull. After he defeats them, Spider-Man (who had been watching the news of Red Skull's attack with his newly pregnant wife Mary JaneMary Jane WatsonMary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
) uses his old mechanical web-shooters to steal and crush the cube from Red Skull before leading the collected depowered community into battle against Red Skull and his forces, shouting, "Avengers assemble!" Many years later, a white-haired Tony Stark is shown visiting Spider-Man while he and his daughter, named May, play with his granddaughter, Anna. They remark on the reason that humans would have appeared as heroes, stating that if things get bad enough again, more of "their kind" will emerge. As he says this, Anna is shown leaping from a monkey bars after a butterfly with uncanny grace and agility. - An issue of What If? in the 2009 series revolves around the Spider-Man: House of M mini-series. The first one asks what would have happened had Emma Frost not wiped Gwen's mind and she had accompanied the heroes to Genosha. The second one asks what would have happened if the Scarlet Witch had allowed Gwen and her son with Peter to exist after returning reality back to normal.
External links
- House of M at Marvel.com
- Interview with Bendis on House of M at Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
- Tom Brevoort on House of M at NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
- Tom Brevoort on the House of M tie-ins at Newsarama
- House of M cover gallery
- Bendis talks about House of M Postmortem, Part 1 and Part 2 at Newsarama
- House of M analysis
- House of M detailed issue summaries at UncannyXmen.net
- www.coipelcomics.com A good website about Olivier Coipel and House of M gallery
- House of M review at X-Men Nation