Dr. Fredric Rinehart has been credited with developing the first Secret Headquarters in 1932, in the city of Los Angeles. His breakthrough in concealment technology met with suspicion from the local authorities, because of which the project, then known as "SHQ", was shelved. It was suspected that SHQ technology could be used to generateunrest in the city. The original purpose of these hidden facilities is unclear to this day. Some believe, as the government-backed authorities did, that the Secret Headquarters were used as housing facilities for the growing espionage network in Southern California.

It wasn't until the early 1940's that the SHQ project resurfaced. The new development team, headed again by Dr. Rinehart, began to re-tool the dated facilities. They found that large portions of the SHQ were in need of serious repair, due to a lack of sufficiently sophisticated long-term storage facilities available at the time the program was shut down. It is estimated that up to 80% of the SHQ was engineered in hidden laboratories, primarily by hand, with the use of rather archaic rudimentary equipment. Construction continued smoothly, when in a strange, and then classified turn of events, Reinhart's endeavors were once again halted. This closure was due to the Doctor's recruitment by the US Armed Forces during World War II. A top secret mission for the United States military pulled him away from what would, in the end, become his greatest achievement. He was mortally wounded July 27th, 1944. We now know that the classified assignment known as: Operation Cobra took place between July 25th and July 30th of that same year. No connection is known to exist between Operation Cobra and SHQ.

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Despite its originator's demise, the Secret Headquarters project proved to be of some value to the various counter intelligence agencies in the Los Angeles area, and because of this, work on the SHQ continued. A new research team consisting of a number of these local "shadows" was chosen. Originally members of the House of Cards and the Jackal 4, the outfit continued development on the SHQ venture. All efforts finally came to a head with the completion of the main SHQ facility, which was located at 3817 W. Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles. Disguised as various retail shops, the facility went unnoticed for many years, ultimately closing its doors once more in late 1984.

"Secret Headquarters, never heard of it" was said to have been muttered by one of two questionable individuals that fateful day in June. These two had visions of the SHQ becoming a haven for comic book influenced mischief, and inquired about the leasing of the once hidden facility. After a month of refinishing walls, floors, windows and ceilings, the Secret Headquarters was opened to the general public for the first time ever.

Specializing in comic book culture, Secret Headquarters features the choicest graphic novels, trade paperbacks and monthly titles.

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