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| "House of M" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Cover ofHouse of M 1 (Aug 2005), art by Esad Ribic | |||
| Publisher | Marvel Comics | ||
| Publication date | June – November2005 | ||
| Genre | |||
| |||
| Main character(s) | Avengers Scarlet Witch New Avengers X-Men | ||
| Creative team | |||
| Writer | Brian Michael Bendis | ||
| Penciller | Olivier Coipel | ||
| Inker(s) | Tim Townsend Rick Magyar Scott Hanna John Dell | ||
| Letterer | Chris Eliopoulos | ||
| Colorist(s) | Frank D'Armata Paul Mounts | ||
| Editor(s) | Tom Brevoort Stephanie Moore Molly Lazer Andy Schmidt Aubrey Sitterson | ||
| Hardcover | ISBN 0-7851-2466-7 | ||
| Omnibus edition | ISBN 978-1302948221 | ||
"House of M" is a 2005 comic book storyline published byMarvel Comics, consisting of an eight-issuecomic booklimited series with a number ofcrossover tie-in books written byBrian Michael Bendis and illustrated byOlivier Coipel. Its first issue appeared in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events ofExcalibur (vol.3) and theAvengers Disassembled storyline. TheScarlet Witch, her twin brotherQuicksilver, and their father (at the time)Magneto play major roles in the series. Like theAge of Apocalypse (1995–1996) storyline,House of M replaced theEarth-616 as the main reality for a brief time until Scarlet Witch reverted it to normal. The events of the storyline were later indicated to have occurred on Earth-58163.
Marvel became known for its "event cycles" starting in the 2000s. It all kicked off withHouse of M, written byBrian Michael Bendis and drawn byOlivier Coipel. The series marketed as acrossover between Marvel’s two titles at the timeNew Avengers andAstonishing X-Men.[1] 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.[2] The final issue,House of M #8, ranked third in sales for the November 2005 period with sales of 135,462.[3] In addition to the main eight-issue limited series,House of M was preceded by a story inExcalibur #13–14, and had several tie-ins to ongoing series, includingUncanny X-Men,New X-Men: Academy X,The Incredible Hulk andWolverine, and several miniseries:Fantastic Four: House of M,Iron-Man: House of M,Mutopia X: House of M, andSpider-Man: House of M.
Bendis, the lead writer for theHouse of M event, stated that the series would "shake the world and break theInternet wide open."[4] Before the event, Bendis also mentioned in several interviews that the event would have a lasting effect on theMarvel Universe, but remained tight-lipped as to how.
The crossover was followed by a one-shot calledHouse of M: Decimation – The Day After, a series calledSon of M that depicts Quicksilver dealing with his loss of powers, andGeneration M, which devoted each issue to a different mutant dealing with the loss of their powers. Characters who appeared includeChamber,Jubilee, andBlob. Characters who lost their powers includedDanielle Moonstar, Magneto, andTag. The storyline also led to the reboot ofExcalibur intoNew Excalibur, a shift in the creative teams of several comics, and the debut of severalspin-off series, includingX-Men: Deadly Genesis,X-Men: The 198,Sentinel Squad O*N*E,Ms. Marvel, and a newX-Factor series.
Theepilogue to theHouse of M andDecimation story-lines, served to answer the mystery of the cloud of energy hovering in orbit around theEarth afterHouse of M #8, was revealed in the pages ofNew Avengers #16–20.
The events ofHouse of M temporarily replaced the mainreality of theMarvel Universe,Earth-616, untilWanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, restored her life at the end of the storyline. While the storyline’s events still exist, they now take place on Earth-58163.[5]
House of M is set six months[6] after theAvengers Disassembled storyline[7][8] in which Wanda, overwhelmed by grief andmental instability following the loss of her children, suffers a breakdown. This leads her to unintentionally unleash chaos, killing several Avengers, ending the team[8] and slowly losing control of her reality-warping abilities.[6]
House of M begins with Wanda living on the ruined island ofGenosha under the care ofMagneto andCharles Xavier. Xavier warns Magneto that he can no longer contain Wanda’s unstable reality-warping powers and that a permanent solution is needed. He subsequently summons theAvengers, theX-Men, and other heroes toAvengers Tower to decide her fate. A debate ensues:Emma Frost argues that killing Wanda is the only solution, while Captain America urges the exploration of alternatives. Other members of the X-Men contend that public knowledge of an insane reality-altering mutant would severely damage "human-mutant relations", During the meeting, it is revealed that Xavier had previously enlistedDoctor Strange to help Wanda, but neither was strong enough to combat her powers. The rest of the group decides that they must talk to Wanda in person before making their decision.
Before a final decision can be reached,Quicksilver returns to Genosha. He reveals to Wanda that, while in New York City, he overheard the X-Men and Avengers' plan to kill her. To protect her, he convinces her that rewriting reality is the only way to save herself.[6] Wanda then transforms reality into a new one wheremutants are theruling class, while humans (referred to as "sapiens") are treated assecond-class citizens, withS.H.I.E.L.D. enforcing this hierarchy by violently suppressing humanrebellion.[7] At the top of this mutant society is Magneto, the ruler of Genosha, andpatriarch of the "House of M" (the House of Magnus), with Wanda, Pietro, and their extended family living as global royalty.[7]
In the altered reality, several heroes live under new identities and circumstances. Among them,Peter Parker/Spider-Man is a beloved celebrity who is married toGwen Stacy;Cyclops is married to Emma Frost; and Doctor Strange works as a psychologist.Carol Danvers operates publicly as the celebrated superheroCaptain Marvel despite being known as a human, or "sapien". Conversely, Spider-Man is publicly believed to be a mutant. Other changes includeGambit living as a criminal and Captain America serving as an aged veteran. Most of these characters have no memory of their original lives.
Wolverine awakens on theHelicarrier as the only person who retains memories of the original world. He discovers the new reality and theorises that Magneto used Wanda to create a world where everyone's deepest wish was granted (Magneto obtained the mutant supremacy he had always wanted). Wolverine begins seeking allies and searches for the X-Men and the Avengers. Unable to find Xavier, he looks for Spider-Man and Iron Man but is confronted by the Red Guard, elite mutant soldiers of S.H.I.E.L.D. Escaping them, he joins the Human Resistance Movement, led byLuke Cage, which includes non-mutant heroes such as Hawkeye, who had been killed in the original timeline. Cage informs him that a young girl namedLayla Miller—who has the power to restore lost memories—had already predicted Wolverine's arrival and theories. Together, they use her abilities to awaken the true memories of other heroes, forming a resistance.
They travel to Genosha to confront the House of M. During the battle, Wanda vanishes from the battlefield. Doctor Strange finds her in a secluded tower with her resurrected children. As Strange questions her, aflashback reveals that Quicksilver, not Magneto, was responsible for convincing her to create this new reality to make everyone happy in an almost-perfect world. Immediately after this revelation, Frost tells Strange to ask about the fate of Xavier. Before she can answer, Wanda is shot in the back with an arrow by Hawkeye, who angrily confronts her over his death in the original timeline. After a brief exchange, Hawkeye is killed for a second time by one of Wanda's sons, using his powers to "erase" him.
Meanwhile, Magneto confronts Frost and Layla, who reveal the full truth to him. Enraged, he then attacks those around him, especially his son Quicksilver, whom he kills by beating him with metaldebris. Wanda suddenly appears, resurrects her brother, and begins to lash out, blaming Magneto and mutantkind for her pain. She then utters, "No more mutants", and reality snaps back to its original form. In the process, nearly all mutants worldwide are de-powered, leaving only a handful with their abilities. Wanda then disappears.
In the aftermath, the cause of the global de-powering remains unknown to the heroes. Xavier is still missing, and neitherCerebro nor Doctor Strange can locate Wanda.Hank Pym warns that all these powers could not simply vanish but are contained somewhere, and that because every action has an equal and opposite reaction, the question remains as to what the reaction to these events will be. Acolossal red ribbon of energy begins to orbit Earth.
The universe ofHouse of M is designated as Earth-58163 in the Marvel Comicsmultiverse.[citation needed]
The following isMarvel's recommendedreading order for the "House of M" storyline and itstie-ins, including issues from other series that connect to the main story.[9] For comics covering the aftermath of the storyline, as well as other later series that tie into "House of M" (see below).
The "House of M" storyline resulted in the reduction of the mutant population from millions to hundreds. Only two current members of the X-Men (Polaris and Professor X) suffered this fate, as well as the former X-ManChamber. Several minor allies and enemies were depowered, includingCallisto andBlob. Their main adversary Magneto also lost his abilities, and two members of the Avengers, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Magneto and Xavier have since been repowered, whereas Polaris and Quicksilver have either gained new powers (somewhat like their old powers) or regained lost powers by other means, within a span of two years. Other mutants have been repowered by technology, such asWind Dancer and Jubilee.[volume & issue needed]
TheExiles begin their Worlds Tour inExiles #69 to chase downProteus, who has been reborn in this new world. It was their first stop of six.
In a May 5, 2008, interview, Brian Michael Bendis indicated that the events of "House of M" play into the "Secret Invasion" storyline. The activities of the Skrulls duringHouse of M were covered inNew Avengers #45,[11] in which it was revealed that the Skrull agents were able to retain their memories after Wanda alters 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 asJessica Drew, 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.
The five-issue limited seriesHouse of M: Avengers debuted in November 2007, written byChristos Gage and drawn byMike Perkins.[12] The series spans from 1979 to the present day and acts as a prequel to the originalHouse of M miniseries, showing the formation of Luke Cage's Human Resistance Movement.[13]
The 2008 miniseriesCivil War: House of M depicts how Magneto took over the world and made mutants the dominant race, as well as confirming that Xavier is dead in this reality. It also featuresHouse of M versions ofBolivar Trask,Bucky Barnes,Burner,Dragoness,Gateway,Graydon Creed,Lifter,Mimic,Nuke,Randall Darby,Slither, theSoviet Super-Soldiers (Crimson Dynamo,Darkstar,Red Guardian,Titanium Man,Ursa Major,Vanguard), Vashti Cleito-Son, andWarlord Krang.
Set right afterCivil War: House of M, this miniseries depictsthe Hood assembling a gang of the deadliest "sapiens" super-criminals:Madame Masque,Absorbing Man,Batroc the Leaper,Blizzard,Chemistro,Cobra,Constrictor,Crossbones,Nitro,Sandman,Titania,Wizard, and theWrecking Crew (Bulldozer,Piledriver,Thunderball, andWrecker).
In the run-up to the 2014 "Spider-Verse" storyline, theSuperior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus's mind in Spider-Man's body) found himself temporarily trapped in the year 2099 with his attempts to return home via a dimensional portal resulting in him witnessing various alternate worlds where other Spider-Men had been killed bya dimension-hopping adversary, including a dead Spider-Man in what appeared to be the world of the House of M.[14]
Thetrade paperbacks collect many of the issues involved with theHouse of M storyline. Arranged in order, the spines of the books form theHouse of M logo. Each storyline/paperback contains a mostly standalone side story and can be read individually without any continuity problems. Only theHouse of M miniseries itself deals with the main storyline.
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of M | House of M #1–8 | February 2006 | 0-7851-1721-0 |
| House of M: Excalibur – Prelude | Excalibur #11–14 | July 2005 | 0-7851-1812-8 |
| House of M: Fantastic Four / Iron Man | Fantastic Four: House of M #1–3;Iron Man: House of M #1–3 | February 2006 | 978-0785119234 |
| House of M: The Incredible Hulk | The Incredible Hulk #84–86 | February 2006 | 0-7851-1834-9 |
| House of M: Uncanny X-Men | Uncanny X-Men #462–465; first half ofSecrets of the House of M | February 2006 | 978-0785116639 |
| House of M: Mutopia X | Mutopia X #1–5 | February 2006 | 978-0785118114 |
| House of M: New X-Men | New X-Men: Academy X #16–19; second half ofSecrets of the House of M | February 2006 | 978-0785119418 |
| House of M: Spider-Man | Spider-Man: House of M #1–5 | February 2006 | 978-0785117537 |
| House of M: World of M, Featuring Wolverine | Wolverine #33–35;Captain America #10;Black Panther #7;Pulse #10 | February 2006 | 978-0785119227 |
| House of M: Avengers | House of M: Avengers #1–5 | June 2008 | 978-0785127505 |
| House of M: Civil War | Civil War: House of M #1–5 | April 2009 | 978-0785133803 |
| House of M: Masters of Evil | House of M: Masters of Evil #1–4 | February 2010 | 978-0785141662 |
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of M, Vol 1 | House of M #1–8;The Pulse Special Edition;Secrets of the House of M | January 2008 | 978-0785124665 |
| 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 | 978-0785138815 |
| 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 | January 2010 | 978-0785138822 |
| 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 | April 2010 | 978-0785138839 |
| House of M Omnibus | House of M #1-8,Spider-Man: House of M #1-5,Fantastic Four: House of M #1-3,Iron Man: House of M #1-3,New Thunderbolts #11,Black Panther #7,Uncanny X-Men #462-465,Wolverine #33-35,Captain America #10,Pulse #10,Cable & Deadpool #17,Incredible Hulk #83-87,New X-Men #16-19,Exiles #69-71,Mutopia X #1-5,Decimation: House of M - The Day After,Giant-Size Ms. Marvel #1,Secrets of the House of M,Pulse: House of M Special,House of M #1 Director's Cut,House of M Sketchbook, and material fromHulk: Broken Worlds Book One | November 22, 2022 | 978-1302948221 |
| Title | Material Collected | Publication Date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of M: Warzones! | House of M (vol. 2) #1-4 andHouse of M (vol. 1) #1 | January 13, 2016 | 978-0785198727 |
TheMarvel Cinematic Universe miniseriesWandaVision is inspired by theHouse of M storyline.Wanda Maximoff creates an alternate reality afterVision's death, although she only affects one town,Westview, instead of the whole world.[16][17] Her children also appear in bothWandaVision andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
