Mole Man
The Mole Man is a male comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Harvey Rupert Elder
In 1956, he had begun to hear legends regarding a land located in the center of the Earth and began travelling around the world to find it. To aid these efforts, he attempted to join the New York City's Explorer's Club that was owned by Stanley Hathaway. Unknown to him though, the organization served as a front for a group of adventurers known as the Monster Hunters. (Marvel Universe v1 #4)
During his forays into the subrealms, he came upon a colony of Deviants and provided them medical aid. This earned the affection of one of their kind who was a woman named Kyzerra Os who became pregnant with Elder's son. He then decided to abandon her and their child in order to rule his underground empire. (Red She-Hulk v1 #64)
Mole Man
Afterwards, Subterranea fell into disarray when the Deviants crowned a new ruler after Kro's abdication from the throne. This figure was Brother Brutus who decided to unite the Deviant empire and bred a horde of new Mutates which he sent to conquer Subterranea and bring it back into his people's reign once again. This saw many of the Subterranean warlords being targeted that included the Mole Man but also Tyrannus and Grotesk. In an effort to survive, the three rulers allied with one another and took their followers on a retreat from their enemy. This saw them approaching the Avengers for aid with the heroes being attacked by Brutus's Mutate army. (Avengers Annual v1 #20)
By this point, he came to be displeased at the growing number of Moloids that were leaving for the Forever City and experiencing increased intelligence from the Ascension Engine. He was then approached by an alternate universe version of Reed Richards who was a member of the Interdimensional Council of Reeds who offered his aid. (FF v1 #3) The Reed convinced Elder to help in staging an ambush of the Future Foundation by working alongside two of the races of Old Atlantis in claiming a thermal vent by their city. (FF v1 #4)
From the underground Mandarin City, he began developing Mandarin ring-based weaponry with the intention of detonating them beneath key cities around the world. (Iron Man v5 #27) Their base of operations came under attack from Iron Man who had crafted a Master Ring that was able to disrupt and shut down the different Mandarin rings. This led to the other ring wielders being apprehended with Mole Man being the only one not caught but Elder decided to abandon his whilst he made his escape. Thus, all the Mandarin rings were captured whilst the Mole Man returned to his underground kingdom. (Iron Man v5 #28)
Elders position as ruler of Monster Isle later came to be challenged by a newcomer in the form of Googam. At this time, the Human Torch and the Thing had come to the island on a mission where they stumbled upon its inhabitants. To secure his own position, the Mole Man proposed that which ever faction defeated the two heroes would become the new rule of the island. However, to their surprise, Victor von Doom had arrived who defeated them and thus unwittingly became Monster Isle's new leader. he then commanded that both Mole Man and Googam were banished deep into the earth. (Marvel 2-In-One v1 #2)
Overview
Personality and attributes
For a brief time, he came to wield one of the rings of the Mandarin and was known as Mandarin Six. (Iron Man v5 #25)
In his old life, he faced nothing but ridicule from other human beings such as being rejected by women, told by his employers that he scared their other staff and insulted about his looks. This ended up fuelling his resentment of mankind and to seek out a new world where he found even the utter loneliness of his journey to be better than the cruelty of his fellow man. (Fantastic Four v1 #1)
As monarch of the underground empire, he stated that he only had one goal which was to defend all the life-forms within his realm. (Fantastic Four: ¡Isla de la Muerte! v1 #1)
From the Deviant Kyzerra Os, he came to have a son who took the name of the Mole Monster who possessed a more monstrous form than his father. Upon reaching adulthood, his parentage allowed him to establish his own kingdom with him coming to an understanding with his father over ruling their own subterranean territory. (Red She-Hulk v1 #64)
Powers and abilities
He claimed to had learnt to sense things in the dark and likened himself to a mole and had developed other senses as well. Elder was able to sense the coming of a blow before it struck him. The Mole Man had also said that he had a radar sense similar to a bat which was a warning system allowing him to evade whatever strike that was aiming for him. He claimed that normal humans were slow when compared to him and he was easily able to outfight such foes. (Fantastic Four v1 #1)
One incarnation of his stave was capable of emitting modified zero point energy allowing him to intensify the centre of gravity of his target. Thus, the more they struggled then the heavier the pressure they felt on them which left his foes unable to move as a result. The stave's effects could be counteracted by a forcefield that prevented it from using its effects on people. (Fantastic Four: ¡Isla de la Muerte! v1 #1)
From his travels, he came to find the centre of the Earth itself and founded himself an underground empire. Its tunnels were connected to every major city in the world. (Fantastic Four v1 #1) A vast number of life forms inhabited the subterranean kingdom that included microscopic life. The ecosystem was said to be the most delicate on the planet with damage to the chain affecting the entire kingdom. (Fantastic Four: ¡Isla de la Muerte! v1 #1)
Among the creatures that followed the Mole Man included:
- Moloids :
- El Chupacabras : bipedal beasts capable of flight and great strength where they were the evolutionary descendants of the el Comecogollos and the Moca Vampire both of whom were not extinct. Chupacabras avoided all interaction with humans but every ten years they migrated to San Juan in order to breed to recuperate their lost numbers. Facing extinction at human overpopulation, the Mole Man took them in and looked to help them reclaim their breeding grounds. (Fantastic Four: ¡Isla de la Muerte! v1 #1)
- Giganto : Considered to be the most powerful of the Mole Man's monsters. The hide of the creature was strong enough to dig its way through countless tones of hard rock. (Fantastic Four v1 #1)
Notes
- The Mole Man was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where he made his first appearance in Fantastic Four v1 #1 (November, 1961).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Fantastic Four, the Mole Man appeared in the setting of the 1967 animated television series where he was voiced by actor Jack DeLeon.
- In Fantastic Four, the Mole Man made a single appearance in the 1978 animated television series in the episode "The Mole Man" where he was voiced by actor Ted Cassidy.
- In Fantastic Four, the Mole Man appeared in the 1990s animated television series in the episode "Mole Man" where he was voiced by actor Gregg Berger.
- In Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes, the Mole Man appeared in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Paul Dobson.
Films
Video games
- In Fantastic Four, Mole Man appeared in the setting of the video game adaptation of the live-action film where he was voiced by actor Barry Dennen
- In Marvel Heroes, the Mole Man appeared as a boss antagonist in the MMORPG video game where he was voiced by actor Roger Rose.
Appearances
- Fantastic Four v1: (1961)
- Avengers Annual v1:
- Marvel Universe v1:
- FF v1:
- Iron Man v5:
- Red She-Hulk v1:
- Captain America: Sam Wilson v1:
- Marvel 2-In-One v1:
- Contagion v1:
- Fantastic Four v6:
External Links
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