House of M #2

House of M: Masters of Evil was published at the end of Dark Reign, and has the Hood organising a large group of super-criminals as he did during that period. These crooks were all non-mutants. At first they created the Sapien Rights League as a front. Then they took over a small country Santo Rico and declared it a non-mutant haven. Eventually some of them came to believe in their cause, and died defending the country from Magneto's forces. They inspired the Sapien resistance. House of M: Avengers was actually published 1st of the 3. Hell's Kitchen became a ghetto called Sapien Town (an analogue of Mutant Town in District X). Super-powered Luke Cage set up a gang of other sapien super-characters there, which other people call the Avengers. After defeating/absorbing other super-gangs Cage was in a position to challenge Kingpin, who now allies with the mutant police. Just before HoM actually started, the Avengers took down Kingpin and defeated the police. Magneto appointed Sam Wilson (Falcon) to take charge of the local police to defuse the situation. Which leads to the scene in this issue where Wilson grills Cage about what happened to Kingpin. Another set of tie-ins that makes sense as being set in the remembered past is Incredible Hulk (2000) #83-86. Hulk and AIM, led by Monica Rappaccini, freed Australia from rule by Exodus. Hulk and the female Scorpion, Rappaccini's daughter, stopped AIM turning Australians into cyborgs. Hulk, still allied with Rappaccini in more ways than one, made Australia a haven for refugees from Magneto's rule.

The action in HoM only takes 1 or 2 days, but some of the tie-ins are set in the past of this changed reality. But as Wolverine's memories, and later events in the series, show this past never happened. The past events only exist in people's memories. The deepest piece of history is described in Captain America (2005) #10 which explains how come he's an old man in HoM. We find that in this reality Cap and Bucky survived WWII, and Steve married Peggy Carter. Steve resigned as Cap during the McCarthy anti-mutant hearings. Bucky worked for SHIELD and was killed in action. The reason Steve is a retired *Air Force* Captain is that he became an astronaut and was 1st man on the Moon. The story comes right up to date and ends with a scene from HoM#5 where the heroes are contemplating recruiting Steve to their cause. A lot of the back-story is told in 3 tie-in mini-series that were published in the years following HoM, unlike other tie-ins which were published alongside the main story. Civil War: House of M was published 1½ years after Civil War and has nothing to do with that. Instead it describes the war between humans and mutants. Prof X sided with Magneto and was killed by SHIELD agent Bucky Barnes. Magneto killed Bucky in revenge. Atlantis, Attilan and Wakanda supported Magneto politically. SHIELD agent Carol Danvers (with secret Kree powers) helped mutants win, and became popular heroine Captain Marvel.

In Fantastic Four: HoM #2 it will be shown that only 3 went up in Reed Richards' rocket (excluding Johnny Storm, who will appear in the Iron Man: HoM mini-series). Reed and Sue died. But Ben Grimm did become a rocky monster, press-ganged into Dr Doom's Fearsome Four as the It. Of course reality also had to be rearranged so that Franklin was born before this. Peter Parker doesn't appear here, but the Spider-Man: HoM limited series will show him happily married to his 1st love Gwen Stacy, openly operating as Spider-Man, acclaimed because he pretends to be a mutant. Luke Cage's gang probably include Black Cat and Misty Knight. Other appearances make me think the guy in the hoodie is Iron Fist. Plus Cloak lurking in the background. Hank Pym's story will continue in the Iron Man: HoM limited series. In this reality Ororo shares the rule of most of Africa with Black Panther, as seen in Black Panther (2005) #7. As I mentioned last issue Hank Pym and Jessica Drew are really Skrulls.

This should only be in the Captain America Library, but I've also put it in Iron Man Library for completeness. Some of last issue's characters don't appear here:- Prof X is dead in this reality. His grave will be seen in Genosha in #5, and his fate will be told in the HoM: Civil War limited series. The ruling house Magneto, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch won't put in an appearance until later. Iron Man and Spider-Man have their own mini-series. She-Hulk will also make a delayed appearance. The X-Men were never formed.