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Baxter Building

{{Short description|Fictional building in the Marvel Universe}}

{{about|the Marvel Comics building|the building in Maine|Baxter Building (Portland, Maine)}}

{{Infobox fictional location

| name = Baxter Building

| creator = Stan Lee
Jack Kirby

| image = Baxterbuilding.jpeg

| image_size =

| caption = The original Baxter Building as depicted in Fantastic Four Annual #1 (1963). Art by Jack Kirby.

| blank_label = Publisher

| blank_data = Marvel Comics

| first = Original version:
Fantastic Four #3
(March 1961){{cite web | url=https://www.cbr.com/fantastic-four-headquarters-complete-guide/ | title=Fantastic Four's Headquarters: A Complete Guide | date=23 September 2018 }}
Current version:
Fantastic Four vol. 3 #38
(February 2001)

| blank_label1 =

| blank_data1 =

| type = Building

| people =

| races =

| located_in = New York City, U.S.

| locations =

}}

The Baxter Building is a fictional 35-story office building appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the building first appeared in Fantastic Four #3 (March 1962). The construction is depicted in Manhattan, and its five upper floors house the Fantastic Four's headquarters.{{cite book

|author=Jeffrey Kahan |author2=Stanley Stewart

|title = Caped crusaders 101: composition through comic books

|publisher = MacFarlane |year = 2006

|isbn = 0-7864-2532-6

|page=47

|quote="Reed and his cohorts use his fortunes to turn his company's headquarters, the Baxter Building, into an intelligence tower, from which his people monitor conflicts around the world and intervene when their services are needed"

}}{{cite book

|author=Gina Misiroglu

|title = The Superhero Book

|url = https://archive.org/details/superherobookult0000unse

|url-access = registration

|publisher = Visible Ink Press

|year = 2004

|isbn = 1-57859-154-6

|page=[https://archive.org/details/superherobookult0000unse/page/567 567]

|quote="The Baxter Building, a gleaming skyscraper in the heart of Manhattan, serves as the Fantastic Four's home and base of operations."

}}{{cite book

|author=Scott Bukatman

|title = Matters of gravity: special effects and supermen in the 20th century

|url = https://archive.org/details/mattersofgravity0000buka

|url-access = registration

|publisher = Duke University Press

|year = 2003

|isbn = 0-8223-3119-5

|page=[https://archive.org/details/mattersofgravity0000buka/page/57 57]

|quote="The Fantastic Four even had their own skyscraper -the Skidmore, Owings and Merrill-style Baxter Building (all of these headquarters were revealed in panoptic cutaway views detailing the location of hangars, living quarters, training areas, and missile launchers). "

}}{{Cite web |last=Leroy |first=Kath |date=September 17, 2020 |title=Fantastic Four: 10 Facts Fans Should Know About The Baxter Building |url=https://www.cbr.com/fantastic-four-little-known-facts-about-baxter-building-stan-lee-jack-kirby/ |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=CBR |language=en}}

Publication history

The Baxter Building first appeared in Fantastic Four #3 (March 1962) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.{{cite book | last = Sanderson | first = Peter | title = The Marvel Comics Guide to New York City | publisher = Pocket Books | year = 2007 | location = New York City | pages = 42–48 | isbn = 978-1-4165-3141-8}} The Baxter Building was the first comic-book superhero lair to be well known to the general public in the fictional world.{{cite book

|author=Simcha Weinstein

|title = Up, Up, and Oy Vey: How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped The Comic Book Superhero

|publisher = Barricade Books

|year = 2009

|isbn = 978-1-56980-400-1

|page= 73

|quote="Unlike previous superheroes, the Fantastic Four did not rely on double identities and disguises. In their alternate world they were celebrities headquartered in the Baxter building on New York's Fifth Avenue."

}}

The Baxter Building is destroyed in Fantastic Four #278 (May 1985), written and drawn by John Byrne. Explaining why he chose to destroy the iconic structure, Byrne said, "The FF's HQ building had long been established as 35 stories in height. Quite impressive in 1962, but not so much in 1980, when I came to the book. It didn't seem like I could just start referring to the building as taller than all those previous stories had made it, so I decided on something a wee bit more dramatic."{{cite journal|last= Powers|first= Tom|date= February 2010|title= John Byrne's Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Family Magazine!|journal= Back Issue!|issue= 38|page= 19|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing}}

Fictional description

Located at 42nd Street and Madison Avenue in New York City,{{cite web |last=Irving |first=Christopher |date=March 1, 2009 |title=A Land of Geeks and Goblins |url=http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/55001/ |access-date=July 14, 2010 |work=New York}} it had been built in 1949 by the Leland Baxter Paper Company. Originally designed as a high-rise industrial site to accommodate pulp recycling machinery to serve the mid-Manhattan area, each floor height is {{convert|24|ft|m}}. The top five floors of the 35-story building were purchased outright by the Fantastic Four.{{cite book |pages=76–79 |last=Martin |first=David E.|title=Marvel Super Heroes: The Fantastic Four Compendium |year=1987|publisher=TSR, Inc.}}

The building's steel frame construction utilized the first application of "K bracing" in the world and is one of the strongest structures of its kind. The Baxter Building is located a few city blocks from the United Nations Building. Reed Richards has applied for many land-use zone variations to allow massive reconstruction of the top five floors for the installation of a heavily silenced silo, with a muffled rocket.

The design of the headquarters of the Fantastic Four is along strictly utilitarian lines, except for apartments and public areas. All aspects of the design are constantly being improved, including security. For example, windows are {{convert|2|ft|m|abbr=on}} thick composites of various glasses and plastics which are mirrored on the outside. Solid, armored, exterior walls are also mirror-clad and are indistinguishable from transparent sections.

The top five sections of the Baxter Building are completely airtight; all doors are airlocks. Complete environmental support (including atmosphere) is provided by the area between elevators 2, 3, and 4 on all floors. The building's steel-alloy framework is rigid enough to be stood on one corner and not collapse (It was suggested that the Baxter Building did not collapse under its own weight due to the use of tactile telekinesis by Gladiator of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. Reed stated that even with the reinforced structure, it should not be possible otherwise.).

The buffer-zone is the interface between the top five floors and the lower levels. It provides a rapid-disconnect between upper and lower segments of building. It contains an array of large oil-rams to dampen any oscillations between the five upper levels and the base of the building. The buffer-zone contains some support equipment for the upper levels, but mostly it is the "mechanical floor", which provides heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and elevator support equipment for the lower 30 stories.

=Ownership=

A running gag for years in the title was that the landlord, Walter Collins, was initially eager to rent out to a superhero team for the publicity and prestige, but he soon regretted his decision, as the building became a constant target for numerous attacks by supervillains starting with Fantastic Four #6 in which Doctor Doom launched the entire building into outer space. The attacks made things difficult not only for the Four, but for the other tenants in the lower floors as well. Eventually, Reed Richards decided to invoke a clause of the rental agreement and bought the entire building to avoid eviction.

=Iterations=

Eventually, the building was destroyed by Doctor Doom's adopted son Kristoff Vernard, who shot it into space and exploded it in a bid to murder the Fantastic Four.Fantastic Four #278 (May 1985) It was replaced by Four Freedoms Plaza, built upon the same site.Fantastic Four #289 (April 1986) After the Fantastic Four and other costumed heroes were presumed dead in the wake of their battle with Onslaught,Onslaught: Marvel Universe (October 1996) Four Freedoms Plaza was stripped clean of all the FF's equipment by Vernard and Reed Richards' father Nathaniel, who sent it into the Negative Zone to keep it out of the hands of the United States military.Tales of the Marvel Universe #1 (February 1997)

Upon their return, the Fantastic Four could not move back into Four Freedoms Plaza, as it had been destroyed by the Thunderbolts,Thunderbolts #10 (January 1998) shortly after the revelation that they were actually the Avengers' longtime foes, the Masters of Evil. Thus, the Fantastic Four moved into a retrofitted warehouse along the Hudson River which they named Pier 4.Fantastic Four vol. 3 #2 (February 1998) The warehouse was destroyed during a battle with Diablo,Fantastic Four vol. 3 #35-36 (November–December 2000) after which the team received a new Baxter Building, courtesy of Reed's former professor Noah Baxter. This Baxter Building was constructed in Earth's orbit and teleported into the vacant lot formerly occupied by the original Baxter Building and Four Freedoms Plaza.Fantastic Four vol. 3 #39 (March 2001) The current Baxter Building's ground floor is used as a Fantastic Four gift shop and museum open to the public.

In the aftermath of the collapse of the multiverse, the Fantastic Four have disbanded as the Richards' family have gone on to reconstruct the multiverse,{{Volume needed|c=y|date=April 2016}} leaving the Thing to join the Guardians of the Galaxy,{{Volume needed|c=y|date=April 2016}} while the Torch is working as an ambassador for the Inhumans and a member of the Avengers Unity Squad.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=April 2016}} As a result, the deserted Baxter Building was up for auction, until it was purchased to serve as the temporary headquarters of Parker Industries, much to the initial dismay of the Human Torch.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=April 2016}} However, Peter Parker explained to the Torch that he outbid Alchemax, Hammer Industries, and Roxxon for the ownership of the building simply to keep it out of their hands, and will give the Baxter Building back when the Fantastic Four reunites. Witnessing a large sculpture of the FF in the entrance hall that was created by Alicia Masters, the Torch reflects that he is glad that the building is staying with family.Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 #3 But when Parker Industries was destroyed during Secret Empire,Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 #31 (2017) it was sold out to an anonymous buyer and was shortly the headquarters of The Fantastix.Fantastic Four Vol. 6 #4 (2018) With the creation of a powerful portal through time and space, the building was once again destroyed by the Griever in an attempt to steal the portal.{{issue|date=June 2023}} The building then went missing, having been sent one year into the future by Reed in an act of desperation.{{issue|date=June 2023}}

Reception

= Accolades =

  • In 2019, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked the Baxter Building 9th in their "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics" list.{{Cite web |last=Avina |first=Anthony |date=September 6, 2019 |title=10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics, Ranked |url=https://www.cbr.com/marvel-comics-superhero-hideouts-most-iconic-greatest-ranked/ |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=CBR |language=en}}
  • In 2020, CBR ranked the Baxter Building 7th in their "10 Best Secret Lairs In Marvel Comics" list{{Cite web |last=Avina |first=Anthony |date=April 28, 2020 |title=10 Best Secret Lairs In Marvel Comics, Ranked |url=https://www.cbr.com/best-secret-lairs-marvel-comics-ranked/ |access-date=February 7, 2023 |website=CBR |language=en}} and 10th in their "Avengers 10 Best Headquarters" list.{{Cite web |last=Allan |first=Scoot |date=March 2, 2020 |title=The Avengers 10 Best Headquarters, Ranked |url=https://www.cbr.com/avengers-best-headquarters/ |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=CBR |language=en}}

Other versions

=1602=

An unnamed manor house owned by a Lord Baxter from Earth-311 appears in the Marvel 1602 miniseries Marvel 1602: Fantastick Four. After renting it out from Lord Baxter, Sir Richard Reed equips it with an observatory and chemical laboratory.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=June 2011}}

=Old Man Quill=

The Baxter Building of Earth-21923 appears in Old Man Quill. This version was converted into a missile used to kill Loki, with its remnants being sought after by individuals from other galaxies.Old Man Quill #1-12 (2019)

=Spider-Verse=

The Baxter Building of Earth-802 appears in the Spider-Verse tie-in series Scarlet Spiders. This version serves as a base and clone production facility overseen by Jennix of the Inheritors, who also employs the Human Torch as head of security before Ben Reilly destroys the building.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=August 2015}}

=Ultimate Marvel=

A government organization from Earth-1610 called the Baxter Foundation appears in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. It is a US government think tank that offers exceptionally gifted children government positions in exchange for using their intelligence to serve their country. Additionally, their primary facility is overseen by General "Thunderbolt" Ross, with Willie Lumpkin serving as head of security, while an Oregon facility is referenced.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=June 2011}}

In other media

=Television=

  • The Baxter Building appears in Fantastic Four (1967).{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in the first season of Fantastic Four (1994), with Lavina Forbes (voiced by Joan Lee) serving as its landlady.{{cite web |last=Bonanno |first=Luke |date=July 12, 2005 |title=Fantastic Four: The Complete 1994-95 Animated Television Series DVD Review |url=http://www.ultimatedisney.com/fantasticfour-series.html |access-date=June 29, 2010}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes, with Courtney Bonner-Davis (voiced by Laura Drummond{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}) serving as its landlady. This version is an Art Deco inspired 30-40 story building with an additional tower taller than the original building built on the roof. Additionally, due to various interdimensional threats and supervillain attacks, the majority of the building is vacant, but suffers no financial stress.
  • The Baxter Building appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H..{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}

=Film=

  • The Baxter Building appears in Fantastic Four (2005), represented by the Marine Building, which was selected for its Art Deco appearance.{{cite web |last=Otto |first=Jeff |date=November 23, 2004 |title=Fantastic Four Set Visit |url=http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/568/568114p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041125173833/http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/568/568114p1.html |archive-date=November 25, 2004 |access-date=June 29, 2010 |publisher=IGN FilmForce}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Andrew A. |date=June 12, 2007 |title=A primer on the Silver Surfer |url=http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/24070 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225173508/http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/24070 |archive-date=February 25, 2012 |access-date=June 29, 2010 |publisher=Scripps Howard News Service}} represented once more by the Marine Building. According to screenwriter Don Payne, "The Baxter Building, because [the Fantastic Four] are more successful and making more money, has been refurbished. So it's not as grungy, more high tech."{{cite web |last=Ens |first=Paul |date=May 22, 2007 |title=Fantastic Four Set Visit: The Writer |url=http://www2.comingsoon.net/news/interviewsnews.php?id=20500 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817003614/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/interviewsnews.php?id=20500 |archive-date=August 17, 2011 |access-date=June 29, 2010 |publisher=ComingSoon.net}}
  • The Baxter Building, renamed the Baxter Institute, appears in Fantastic Four (2015) as a government-funded think tank for scientific youngsters founded by Franklin Storm.{{Cite web |last=Dyce |first=Andrew |date=August 10, 2015 |title='Fantastic Four' Easter Eggs & Comic References |url=https://screenrant.com/fantastic-four-2015-marvel-easter-eggs/ |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}

=Video games=

  • The Baxter Building appears in Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • A game world loosely based on the Baxter Building called Baxter Plaza appears in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Spider-Man.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Ultimate Spider-Man.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears as a map in the Fantastic Four (2005) film tie-in game.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in The Incredible Hulk.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Spider-Man: Web of Shadows.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in the background of the Daily Bugle stage in Marvel vs. Capcom 3.{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}
  • The Baxter Building appears as a level in Lego Marvel Super Heroes.{{Cite web |last=Butts |first=Steve |date=October 22, 2013 |title=LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/22/lego-marvel-super-heroes-review |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=IGN |language=en}}
  • The Baxter Building appears in Marvel Snap.{{Cite web |last=Arnold |first=Matt |date=October 22, 2022 |title=Marvel Snap: 10 Best Locations |url=https://www.thegamer.com/marvel-snap-best-locations/ |access-date=January 9, 2023 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}
  • The Baxter Building appears as a landmark in Spider-Man 2.{{Cite web |last1=Heaney |first1=Samuel |last2=Santiago |first2=Eddie D. |date=October 24, 2023 |title=Easter Eggs - Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/marvels-spider-man-2/Easter_Eggs |access-date=October 26, 2023 |website=IGN |language=en}}
  • The Baxter Building appears as a map in Marvel Rivals.{{cite web | last=O’Dwyer | first=Matthew | title=Marvel Rivals Showcases New Midtown Map | website=Game Rant | date=2025-01-09 | url=https://gamerant.com/marvel-rivals-midtown-map-showcase/ | access-date=2025-01-11}}

=Miscellaneous=

  • The Baxter Building appears in New York Skyride.{{cite web |title=Marvel Comics Walking Tour of New York City |url=http://www.skyride.com/doc/high/walking.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009022041/http://skyride.com/doc/high/walking.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2010 |access-date=June 29, 2010 |publisher=New York Skyride}}
  • The Baxter building appears in Universal Islands of Adventure's "Marvel Super Hero Island".{{cite web |title=Marvel Super Hero Island Dining |url=http://www.universalorlando.com/Amusement_Parks/Islands_of_Adventure/Restaurants/marvel_dining.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607064707/http://www.universalorlando.com/Amusement_Parks/Islands_of_Adventure/Restaurants/marvel_dining.aspx |archive-date=7 June 2010 |access-date=June 29, 2010}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Fantastic Four}}

{{Stan Lee}}

{{Jack Kirby}}

Category:Fantastic Four

Category:Fictional buildings and structures originating in comic books

Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1962

Category:Manhattan in fiction

Category:Marvel Comics locations