Every superhero needs a place to hang their cape, trophies, and gadgets. Or sometimes they use their hideaways to simply relax after a long day of making the world a better place. Of all the perks we average folks have dreamed about which comes with superheroing having a cool lair is definitely one of them. In honor of each of these hideouts, here is the coolest superhero headquarters.
The Batcave (Batman): Let us get the most obvious one out of the way first, beneath historic Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne has built the ultimate superhero headquarters with everything he needs to wage his war on crime. Created by the oft-overlooked Batman creator Bill Finger, it is fitting that a man who dresses as a bat to terrorize criminals has set up his headquarters in a massive cave. The Batcave is truly a dream for any crimefighter, not only does it have tons of garage and closet space for your Bat-themed costumes; but also a forensics lab; a hi-tech computer; training facility and so much more. Naturally being a billionaire means that Batman has plenty of hideouts throughout Gotham; from the Belfry currently used in Detective Comics or the Bat Bunker beneath Wayne Tower which he used heavily during the 1970's when Bruce Wayne resided in a penthouse, but none of them compare to the greatness of the Batcave.
The Baxter Building (Fantastic Four): Every family needs a place to call home, even the First Family of Marvel. A 35 story tower right on Madison Avenue in New York City, the Fantastic Four's headquarters is not hidden away like so many of their colleagues, but is right in the open. This is one of the rare superhero headquarters, which not only serves as a base for their heroic exploits but also a home for their family. The Baxter Building has withstood countless attacks from supervillains and still made a home for the Reed family. The building has also served to add a rotation of supporting characters to the lives of the Fantastic Four bringing the family down to earth such as; glory-seeking landlord Walter Collins and mailman Willie Lumpkin. Whether you need a fireproof kitchen table to eat your dinner or a laboratory which is Doctor Doom proof, the Baxter Building is a fantastic superhero hideaway.
Fortress of Solitude (Superman): When you are the Last Son of Krypton, you often need a place to reflect and get away from it all. Hidden away in the Arctic and locked with a gigantic key (or a normal key which weighs as much as a dwarf star as brilliantly envisioned by Grant Morrison). The Fortress of Solitude is not only a monument to the lost world of Krypton, but also serves as a salute to all things fun in science fiction. Within the crystal walls of the Man of Steel's hideaway is; a fantastical laboratory, a zoo of alien animals, the bottled city of Kandor, and robots to make Superman's day a little easier.
The Watchtower (Justice League): The Justice League has often been referred to as a modern day pantheon of heroes, and their Mount Olympus is a space station orbiting the planet. The first incarnation of this famous headquarters was a satellite which replaced a cave in Happy Harbor, which is no place for the greatest team of heroes ever assembled to meet. This served as the base of operations for the famous Satellite Era Justice League. When Brad Meltzer began his fan favorite run on the Justice League, he made a new incarnation of the Watchtower, which also utilized teleportation technology to connect with and earth-bound Hall of Justice, giving the team a grounded presence. This headquarters proved so iconic that the team in various incarnations outside of the comics utilized some form of the Watchtower as their headquarters.
Sanctum Sanctorum (Doctor Strange): Who would have thought that 117A Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village is one of the most magical places on earth? The home of the Sorcerer Supreme is larger on the inside than the exterior would have you to believe (perhaps due to Time Lord technology) and of course there are; bedrooms, a kitchen, a library, and a laundry room; but the halls and corridors within the house are constantly rearranging themselves to provide a challenge to Doctor Strange and Wong. But it is the third floor which is the most important in the Sanctum Sanctorum as it holds the good Doctor's most prized mystical artifacts such as the Book of Vishanti and the Orb of Agamotto.
Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters (X-Men): High school is always a time when nobody understands you and you wish you can find refuge with others like yourself. Seeking to provide a haven for those persecuted for being mutants, Charles Xavier turned his family home in New York state into a school/superhero training facility. While everything may appear ordinary on the grounds of this peculiar institution, beneath the mansion you will find the Danger Room, Cerebro, and a hangar for the Blackbird. Though Professor Xavier is dead for now and his original school in rubble, Wolverine carries on his legacy with the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.
Avengers Mansion (the Avengers): When the Earth's Mightiest Heroes assembled they knew the team needed a a homebase, fortunately billionaire Tony Stark let them use his family mansion on 5th Avenue for such a purpose (almost like a he has a vested interest in the team). Going the same route as the X-Men, the top floors of the mansion are what one would normally expect of a home like this but beneath the grounds of the mansion you will find everything a superhero could want. This is a necessary luxury as Avengers Mansion at any given time serves as home to; a super-soldier, a Norse god, the king of Wakanda, the children of Magneto, and any number of heavy hitters from the Marvel Universe. Over the decades various Avengers teams have called the mansion home, but iot has still stood as a cornerstone to the superhero community in New York.
Titans Tower (Teen Titans): If the first letter of your team name is also the shape of your headquarters you know you have made it as a super team. Built by Cyborg's father the Titan Tower is one of the key landmarks of the DC Universe. Originally in New York, the tower was eventually moved to California when Cyborg decided to train a new generation of Teen Titans. Those who have called themselves Titans are constantly changing as heroes grow and evolve, but the Titans Tower will surely be a home for the team.
