| Stark Tower | |
|---|---|
 The Main Tower of the Stark Tower Complex when Sentry's Watchtower was still attached. | |
| First appearance | New Avengers #3 (February 2005) |
| In-universe information | |
| Other name | Avengers Tower |
| Type | Building |
| Locations | Manhattan,New York City |
| Characters | Mighty Avengers Dark Avengers New Avengers Avengers Iron Man |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
TheStark Tower Complex is a high-rise building complex appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Located inMidtown Manhattan, New York City, USA, the fictional complex is named after its owner Tony Stark, who is the alter ego of thesuperheroIron Man. The structure is composed of a 93-story Main Tower flanked by a 35-story South Building and 55-story North Building. Located at the top of the Main Tower was the Watchtower of the superheroThe Sentry, but it has been replaced byHeimdall's observatory.
The Main Tower is informally known asAvengers Tower, as it serves as the headquarters of the superhero team, theAvengers, similar to theAvengers Mansion. Currently, the main Stark Tower is located inBroadway, occupying the space where the4 Times Square building is in the real world.
The Stark Tower, eventually changed to Avengers Tower, has been shown in various films set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe, beginning withThe Avengers (2012).
The Stark Tower Complex was built as a world-class financial and business facility to complement the Midtown Manhattan business district. The building was completed as a gleaming beacon ofmodern architecture after four years of excavation and construction. It is located in the vicinity of Manhattan'sColumbus Circle approximately 10 blocks north of theBaxter Building, headquarters of the superhero team theFantastic Four.
While initially intending to use the top three floors of the Main Tower as his state-of-the-art bachelor pad, Stark gives them over to the Avengers as their base of operations after their former base,Avengers Mansion, is destroyed.[1] Longtime Mansion caretakerEdwin Jarvis is asked to resume his duties in the new location. Later, when theSentry joins the Avengers, his long-hidden Watchtower appears, integrating itself atop the Main Tower and the building's existing architecture.[2] Serving as both Sentry's headquarters and as the private residences of Robert Reynolds and his wife Lindy, the 20-story watchtower is operated and maintained by CLOC (Centrally Located Organic Computer), a near-sentient computer of Sentry's own design. The lower levels of the Main Tower, along with both the South and North Buildings, are largely occupied with Stark's subsidiaries and non-profit organizations.
After the passing of theSuperhuman Registration Act (SRA), Iron Man is tapped to head the task force charged with enforcing the Act. Subsequently, Stark Tower becomes the base of operations of the task force. The controversy surrounding the SRA breaks the Avengers team apart, forcing Tony Stark to form a new team, theMighty Avengers. They continue to occupy the Main Tower's higher levels. When the Tower becomes the headquarters of the SRA task force, it is assigned a squad ofCape-Killer guards with the call sign "Force Unit 9".[3][4]
InWorld War Hulk, a violent battle between theHulk and Iron Man nearly destroys Stark Tower.[5] The tower is rebuilt by Stark under hisS.H.I.E.L.D. organization, making it S.H.I.E.L.D. property.
Stark Tower becomes the setting for a multi-issue conflict between humans and a murderousSkrull hunting them for sport. DuringSecret Invasion, many non-powered New York citizens, includingDaily Bugle reporterBen Urich, end up at Stark Tower. Urich retakes control of the security shutters and the Skrull is tricked into throwing itself out a high window, dying on impact.[6]
WhenNorman Osborn takes over S.H.I.E.L.D. and renames itH.A.M.M.E.R., he also takes ownership of the tower.[7] After Osborn is removed from power following theSiege of Asgard, the tower is returned to Stark. Following Sentry's death, his watchtower disappears from the rooftop and is replaced byHeimdall's observatory as sign of solidarity between Earth andAsgard.[8]
InFear Itself, theThing becomes Angir, the Breaker of Souls, after acquiring an Asgardian hammer and destroys the Tower.[9] A new tower is later built on the site of the original.[10]
When the Avengers fall under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s authority, S.H.I.E.L.D. takes over the Stark Tower and makes it their Golgotha station.[11]
During theSecret Wars storyline, Stark Tower is destroyed by the Children of Tomorrow during the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610.[12]
Following an eight-monthellipsis, Tony Stark, who is suffering financial difficulties at the time, is forced to sell the rebuilt Stark Tower to a Chinese company called Qeng Enterprises.[13] Stark and the Avengers relocate to another Stark Tower near Time Square.[14][15]
George Marston ofNewsarama included the Avengers Tower in their "Best Superhero Headquarters And Hideouts Of All Time" list.[16]Comic Book Resources ranked the Avengers Tower 1st in their "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics" list,[17] and ranked the Stark Tower 6th in their "Avengers 10 Best Headquarters" list.[18]
An alternate version of the Stark Tower appears inMarvel Adventures: The Avengers. It serves as the Avengers' base. The roster who live in it areCaptain America,Iron Man, theHulk,Spider-Man,Giant Girl,Wolverine, andStorm.
An alternate version of the Stark Tower appears in theUltimate Universe as the corporate headquarters of Stark/Stane, one of the largest companies of thetechnocratic North American Union, a power bloc that includes the former United States territories after its central government was dissolved in 1969. It served as an office ofHoward Stark andObadiah Stane as both jointly were responsible for running the corporation as business partners, with Stark heading research and development and operating as Iron Man while Stane served as its public face.[19]
After Stane is killed during an assault on an international event inLatveria and Howard Stark disappears inside the city, theMaker's Council takes advantage of the resulting power vacuum and Tony Stark's rebellion against their rule over Earth, conducting afalse flag attack on the Tower by making use of a Stark/Stane satellite, framing Tony and hisallies as terrorists.[20]
Stark Tower, later renamed Avengers Tower, appears in theMarvel Cinematic Universe.
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