Moloids (Marvel)

Latest revision as of 14:31, 5 November 2022

Moloids attack the Thing in Marvel Adventures Super Heroes v2 #23.

The Moloids are a species that feature in Marvel Comics.

History

Matt Murdock vs. Moloids in Daredevil v3 #9.

The Moloids were a race of yellow skinned humanoids that lived deep beneath the surface of the planet Earth in an underground region known as Subterranea. Their origins were traced to the ancient Deviant empire that once ruled the Earth until the Great Cataclysm that sunk their capital of Lemuria. In the aftermath, the Deviants fled into Subterranea and conducted genetic experiments on their surviving human slaves to breed servants for them. These experiments led to the creation of the Subterranean species that rebelled against their masters. Afterwards, the Deviants sought to create a more docile and weaker slave race leading to the birth of the Moloids. The Moloids were dispatched to attack the Subterranean Gortokians but were defeated despite outnumbering their foes. This led to the Deviants abandoning many of their underground cities to escape the Gortokian army with the Moloids becoming abandoned and lacking direction as they required a strong leader to guide them. (Avengers Annual v1 #20) Another account held that the Moloids were created by unknown parties to serve as a living virus against the Apocalypse Beast with Monster Island designed as a giant syringe to inject them into the creatures flesh. (Fantastic Four & Iron Man: Big in Japan v1 #4) In the early 20th century, a tribe of Moloids was discovered by the Inhuman Phaeder who came to use them as tireless workers with these operating in caverns beneath Wundagore Mountain. During the 1930's, Phaeder approached Herbert Wyndam after imparting with his with knowledge of genetics and showed him the cavern of Moloids that he showed to be invaluable workers that could build his Citadel of Science. (Silver Surfer Annual v1 #1)

After naming himself the Mole Man, Elder discovered the Moloids and various other beings that resided deep below the Earth's surface where he became their ruler. (Fantastic Four v1 #1) Accounts of the Mole Men's activities leading up to the modern age of heroes is mostly unrecorded. However, at some point the High Evolutionary built an entire city which he used to experiment on the Moloids to try and boost their evolution. (Fantastic Four v1 #575)

During the Modern Age, the Moloids where, for the most part, used as pawns to battle the Mole Man's various foes. The first time they were used in a revenge scheme against the Mole Man's first and most constant foes the Fantastic Four who battled the Mole Man on their first adventure. (Fantastic Four v1 #1) During this revenge scheme, the Mole Man next attempted to trigger a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union, intending to rule what remained of Earth's population with ray devices, the Mole Men were utilized to lure the Fantastic Four into a trap but the Mole Man's schemes were ultimately thwarted. (Fantastic Four v1 #22) A short time later, the Moloids were used to take the Invisible Girl hostage by drawing a whole New York city block to Subterranea, but was foiled again by the combined forces of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. (Fantastic Four v1 #31) The Moloids were also used when the Mole Man and ex-communist scientist Red Ghost attempted to use an atomic gyroscope to speed up the Earth's rotation, but this plot was foiled by the Avengers. (Avengers v1 #12) During the battle with the Avengers, four Moloids named Ootie, Umbu, Yonkashi, and Dennis fled to the surface. There they were hunted and persecuted, and one night Ootie sacrificed his life so the others could escape a pair of teenagers with a shotgun. After burying their friend, Umbu, Yonkashi, and Dennis decided to stay on the surface and try to enjoy the lifestyle. While they were able to find a television, other things such as food were hard to come by. While looking through a diner window, they were chased off by the janitor, but he was stopped by a woman named Annie. The three Moloids decided to follow Annie in disguise by climbing up on each other and wearing a trench coat and hat. Annie, an uneducated hick, mistook the three Moloids for a Canadian and took them out to a local roadhouse. There Annie's jealous lover Elmore Leadfoot tried to attack them but the three Moloids dropped their disguise and fled; their subsequent fate is unknown. (Avengers Classic v1 #12)

The Moloids came to be afflicted with a deadly disease that came from toxic waste from the surface polluting the rocks into their underground homes. This caused the death of hundreds with the Mole Man looking for a cure for them as they found temporary alleviation by using a apparatus to break down pure ore that could be entered into their systems. (Fantastic Four: Unplugged v1 #4)

In Deviant Lemuria, a new ruler by the name of Brother Brutus came to power where he sought to consolidate his peoples empire. This saw him breeding a new strain of Mutates that were dispatched to reclaim Subterranea along with the hidden caches of Deviant technology scattered in the underground realm. This saw them coming into conflict with the domains of the various underground kingdoms ruled by the Mole Man, Tyrannus and Grotesk. As a result, the Moloids came under attack from the savage Mutates and were forced to retreat with their master. A number escaped to the surface where they emerged in New York City where it appeared to the Avengers that this was an invasion by the Moloids. It was only later that the superhero team learnt that the Moloids were tasked with drawing the attention of the Avengers so that the Mole Man and his compatriots could enlist their aid against the Deviant hordes. (Avengers Annual v1 #20)

A group of Moloids found the abandoned City of the High Evolutionary that contained an ascension engine with its effects evolving them into a more intelligent and human form. These Moloids established themselves in the city where their offspring were shown to be highly intelligent. (Fantastic Four v1 #575)

An aggressive tribe of Morlock began waging a conflict underground with the kingdom of the Mole Man. To combat these marauders, the Moloids bred a larger beast of Subterranean to aid them in battle. One of the Morlocks began killing people from the surface leading to offices from the NYPD, Wolverine and Spider-Man entering the Morlock Tunnel to stop the bloodshed. After an initial confrontation with the Moloids, the Mole Man emerged and revealed the true perpetrator of the crimes. (Wolverine v2 #157)

When Banner was split from the Hulk, the Green Goliath simply wanted to be left alone and journeyed underground where he came upon a tribe of Moloids who accepted him in their village. Though he resided with them, he kept his distance but helped in hunting beasts and bringing food for the tribe. This was until their peaceful existence was interrupted by Amanda von Doom who was sent by the U.S. government to get the Hulk's aid against the now insane Bruce Banner. (Incredible Hulk v3 #1)

From the uber-depths, the aggressive Molans led by Ra'ktar emerged into Subterranea where they toppled the rule of the Mole Man. This caused the Moloids to flee to the surface of New York City with them looking for a new leader to protect them. (Avenging Spider-Man v1 #2)

By this time, the Human Torch was found to be still alive and re-joined his comrades in reforming the Fantastic Four which operated within the Future Foundation. Before going on a mission through time and space, Reed Richards appointed Ant-Man, She-Hulk, Medusa, and the Torch's pop-star girlfriend Darla Deering as their replacements during the four minutes they were gone. However, something went wrong and the Fantastic Four did not return as planned and were presumed lost, leaving their replacements to operate in their place. This was not met with a positive reception, especially when the Mole Man—who found the original Four's replacements an insult to their legacy—launched an attack on New York. Even though they were caught off guard, this new incarnation of the Fantastic Four was able to defeat the Mole Man and send him fleeing. (FF v2 #2) The Mole Man later contacted the Moloids within the Future Foundation and although they hated him they agreed to provide him with a "Starheart" device. (FF v2 #3) The Mole Man later attacked the Jean Grey School for mutants, prompting Wolverine—the school's headmaster—to mobilize his X-Men to deal with the battle, although the reason for the Mole Man's attack and the outcome of the battle are unknown, the Mole Man likely lost. (Wolverine and the X-Men Annual v1 #1)

Following a conflict with the X-Men, Mister Sinister sought to establish a new base of operations which he made underground. Essex cloned an entire species from his genetic material that were clones of him and with them he found a Moloid cavern in Subterranea where he killed the inhabitants in order to establish the underground city of Sinister London. Despite purging the cavern, there were a number of encounters with Moloids that Sinister ruthlessly exterminated. (Uncanny X-Men v2 #14) When the Intelligencia captured Kid Kaiju, the Moloids who respected Elsa Bloodstone aided her in saving him from the team of supervillains. (Monsters Unleashed v3 #5) A Moloid was attacked and killed by an underground hybrid dinosaur tribe who wanted to eat meat leading to a hostility between the two sides with Venom seeking to bring about a peaceful conclusion. (Venom v1 #155)

A community of Moloids resides for centuries beneath the land that came to be occupied by the Native Americans of the Keewazi tribe. Their underground hone was disturbed by a Roxxon mining operation leading to attack the surface dwellers but the two sides settled their differences. This saw the Moloids being adopted by the Keewazi with this coming to the intention of the Mole Man. He was angered at his subjects leaving his domain and demanded their return. However, the Keewazi refused as the Moloids were considered fellow tribesman. The Mole Man then threatened to return and use force to bring his former subjects back to his kingdom leading to Wyatt Wingfoot calling the Fantastic Four for aid. The Human Torch and his soul mate Sky responded where they helped defeat the Mole Man. The Mole Man then decided to leave that community of Moloids rather than have news of his defeat revealed to the world. (Fantastic Four v6 #20)

Overview

It was said that they were an offshoot of humanity but one that limited intelligence. (Silver Surfer Annual v1 #1) For sustenance, it was said that they derived nutrition from the mineral ore that existed deep underground. (Fantastic Four: Unplugged v1 #4) It was said that they were fiercely protective of their young. (Avenging Spider-Man v1 #2) Moloids were said never to be alone and attacked in numbers. (Venom v1 #155) It was also said that they were nightmarishly difficult to wipe out entirely. (Uncanny X-Men v2 #14)

A race of larger rock-skinned Subterraneans were grown by the Moloids to help them battle from attacks from the surface. These beasts were simple minded but powerful allowing them to fight enemies in a physical confrontation. (Wolverine v2 #157)

Certain tribes of Moloids were known to believe in beings known as the Rock Gods. (Incredible Hulk v3 #1)

Members

• Val-Or : a male primitive Moloid who was a Mutant telepath. (X-Factor Annual v1 #3)
• Mik :
• Korr :
• Turg :
• Tong :

Notes

• The Moloids were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where they made their first appearance in Fantastic Four v1 #22 (January, 1964).

Alternate Versions

• In Wolverine v3 #67 (2008), an alternate version of the Moloids were shown to inhabit the world of Old Man Logan that was designated as Earth-807128. They lived on an Earth that was dominated by supervillains who were organised by the Red Skull where they killed numerous heroes. The Moloids inhabited the wastelands of the planet with it said that they were supposedly the immune system of the world.
• In Extraordinary X-Men v1 #9 (2016), an alternate future set in A.D. 3549 called Omega World which was a reality where Apocalypse ruled the remnants of the world. By this future, various races were pitted against one another with only the fittest could survive. The Mole Men were among the races that managed to survive into this era.

In other media

Television

• In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, 'mole people' were mentioned in the animated series episode "Yellowjacket" where a throng of them were spilling onto Madison Square Garden.

Video games

• In Marvel Heroes, various classes of Moloids appeared as antagonists in the setting of the MMORPG video game.

Appearances

• Fantastic Four v1: (1964)
• Avengers Annual v1:
• Fantastic Four: Unplugged v1:
• Wolverine v3:
• Incredible Hulk v3:
• Daredevil:
• Avenging Spider-Man v1:
• FF v2:
• Fantastic Four v6:

External Links

• Marvel Database Entry

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