Warning: Spoilers for X-Corp #1
X-Corp is officially open for business this week in cutthroat world of international finance and industry. This may not be the arena longtime fans are accustomed to seeing their favorite mutant heroes battle it out in, but that doesn’t mean the series won’t be full of spectacular surprises. Tini Howard’s and Alberto Foche’s X-Corp #1 is off to a good start in that regard.
In the past, mutants—the X-Men in particular—have been relegated to conventional, even boring, home bases (emphasis on the “home”), but made up for it with incredible vehicles, like the iconic Blackbird. Xavier’s school for Gifted Youngsters, Genosha, Asteroid M, The Hellfire Club, the sewers beneath New York City, these have all either had mundane, domestic, isolated or improvised qualities in keeping with the then status quo mutant policy of “anonymity means safety”. Even the island of Krakoa lacks a certain directness and uniformity of purpose, which makes sense for what it is: a home and habitat for all mutants. X-Corp headquarters, on the other hand, goes for the gusto.
At first glance, the X-Corp headquarters looks like something out of the hitherto unheard of solar energy power source, and a propulsion system unlike any other on Earth.
The only other possible rival to X-Corp HQ would be the S.W.O.R.D. orbiting station known as “The Peak”, which made an equally memorable entrance at the end of the X of Swords crossover event. However, X-Corp’s flying/teleporting island resort headquarters has more of the fun unbridled panache of classic James Bond films. It seamlessly incorporates form and function with a futurist style and attitude that better represents the “We’re in charge now” ethos of “Reign of X”. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, and the HQ has still more than good looks and fancy thrusters going for it. As Monet St. Croix its, the base has some additional classified capabilities that would require a full bridge crew to utilize. A smart guess would be complex defense and stealth systems. But fans will have to pick up the rest of the series to learn more. The creative team behind X-Corp wisely decided not to reveal all of the new HQ’s secrets in the first issue, just enough to tantalize readers.
It’s big, it’s grand, it’s unapologetically impressive and practical, and it makes the Avengers look quaint in comparison. The “wow factor” and ensuing publicity from the X-Corp headquarters impromptu rollout was always part of the plan and it shows. It’s more than just cool and powerful, it’s a statement to the world of Marvel Comics that the X-Men are capable of anything.
