In the world of Marvel Comics, hidden lairs and bases of operations are not as common or utilized as say the world of DC Comics. The world tends to know and understand where the locations of their heroes are the majority of the time (unless it is at the individual hero’s homes).
However, there are ten powerful and unique locations around the world that serve as hidden lairs or bases of operations over the course of the Marvel Comics world. This goes from team bases to hidden nations and beyond. Here are the ten best hidden secret lairs in the Marvel Comics Universe.
10 Atlantis
One portion of the world of Marvel Comics that remains well hidden from the majority of the world is Atlantis, the underwater kingdom of the sometime hero, sometime anti-hero and villain, and overall arrogant leader Namor The Sub-Mariner. One of Marvel’s oldest heroes, he appeared at the same time as Captain America and the original Human Torch.
Namor is nothing else if not protective of his Kingdom and has used great force to keep the surface world from encroaching on his kingdom and his people, making Atlantis a well-hidden lair.
9 Hellfire Club
The Hellfire Club is one of Marvel’s most well-hidden secrets to the public, but to anyone who has had to take on the organization, it is well known. Home to the Hellfire Club, a group of powerful people with leaders such as Emma Frost or Sebastian Show. Serving as a secret society for the wealthy and elite, they are often in contention with the X-Men.
The group first made their appearance in the Dark Phoenix Saga, and have endured since then. Their headquarters is typically a mansion with locations in London, Hong Kong, Paris, and New York City, amongst others.
8 Avengers Mansion
The hidden location of the Avengers was originally a mansion as well, not well hidden but serving for years as the place the growing and rotating team of heroes would gather until it was destroyed one too many times. That location was Avengers Mansion.
Avengers Mansion was often taken care of and attended to by Edwin Jarvis, and served as the team’s location for years before the construction of and completion of the team’s Tower within New York City itself.
7 Baxter Building
Another location that has become more well known as the heroes of the Marvel Universe have gained popularity is the Baxter Building, home of the first family of superheroes in the Marvel Universe, the Fantastic Four. Led by Reed Richards, Sue Storm his wife, her brother Johnny Storm and longtime friend and ally Ben Grimm, the team’s location is deep within New York City.
What makes it unique is that it is a technological haven, with Reed Richards having built tech that opens portals to other dimensions and universes.
6 Temple Of Atlas
One of the more unique hidden lairs of the Marvel Universe is unique in that it started off as a location of evil, but was transformed into a force for good later on. That location is the Temple of Atlas, once used by the villainous Yellow Claw to plan attacks.
Years later it was revealed the attacks were to prove Jimmy Woo a worthy successor to Yellow Claw’s mantle. Woo accepted this so that he could transform the Temple of Atlas into a force for good.
5 Sanctum Sanctorum
The most well-hidden secret lair in plain sight has to be the home of Doctor Stephen Strange, the man who took on the mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth 616. This Stephen Strange holds his home in the heart of New York City, disguised as an ordinary brownstone home.
In reality, this is his Sanctum Sanctorum. Doctor Strange houses his collection of rare artifacts, portals to other dimensions, and much more magical occurrences as he battles forces in multiple dimensions and realities.
4 K’un Lun
One of the best-hidden locations of the Marvel Universe has to be the mystical city of K’un L’un. The home of Danny Rand, aka the Iron Fist, for the years he spent training to become the hero he is today, this realm is a place of mysticism and enlightenment, where the most powerful warriors are trained.
A place where one learns to harness the power of chi, the city is known for moving locations and dimensions, making it nearly impossible to find just by simply looking.
3 Xavier Institute
One of the most interesting locations and hidden lairs in the Marvel Universe is the Xavier School For Gifted Youngsters, otherwise known as the Xavier Institute and X-Mansion by the students and teachers of the school. The school resides as a place to learn and control one’s emerging mutant powers.
However, there is a secondary purpose of the school, where mutants who join the X-Men can train and leave to fight missions around the world. The X-Mansion has been destroyed many times, and moves often, even residing in Central Park at one point.
2 Avengers Tower
The second best-hidden lair of the Marvel Universe has become more well known as time has gone on, but it still remains one of the best places for the heroes of the Avengers. That location is known by many as Avengers Tower, once also known as Stark Tower in some iterations of the location’s history in the multiverse.
A place of technological wonder, the base of operations resides in New York City and has a clear skyline view whenever trouble arises for the team, plus plenty of space for the Quinjet to launch.
1 SHIELD Helicarrier
The most well-hidden location of the Marvel Universe is none other than the SHIELD Helicarrier, home of the spy organization SHIELD. The base of operations is unique in that it is constantly moving, with its location always unknown due to it’s moving around all the time.
The Helicarrier is known for its powerful arsenal of weaponry, its state of the art spy tech, and the ability to deploy heroes and agents alike throughout the world on a whim, making this location truly valuable to the Marvel Universe.