The World Below

Defending Project Earth-Dig from the Monster Ape, Captain America and his foe end up falling down the massive pit dug into the Earth’s core. On the surface, Sharon Carter hopes that Captain America will survive the fall, but Nick Fury doesn’t hold much hope. This deeply upsets Sharon who still cares for Steve Rogers, even after their recent break-up.[1]

When Fury and Sharon race to the Earth-Dig site, they find the Falcon who has come looking for his partner. Falcon also refuses to accept the fact that Cap has fallen to his doom and vows to continue searching for him. As everyone tries to figure out what to do next, Nick Fury wonders what the Monster Ape is and why it attacked their project. What Fury doesn’t know is that the Monster Ape is actually Doctor Eric Garbo, an embittered SHIELD scientist who created a serum to transform himself into this creature.

Meanwhile, Captain America and the Monster Ape continue to fall deeper and deeper into the Earth. Suddenly, they are caught in a tractor-beam that gently lowers them the rest of the way. There, Cap discovers that the person who saved them is none other than the Mole Man, who lives below the Earth with his minions, the Moloids. However, the Mole Man is not interested in a battle as he has given up his aspirations to conquer the surface world and only seeks peace. As the Mole Man speaks with Captain America, the Monster Ape recalls the stories he heard about the Mole Man. Like Garbo himself, the Mole Man was shunned by people based on his appearance and he eventually decided to leave society to live on his own. After being shipwrecked on an island, the man who would later be known as the Mole Man found a cavern that led him deep underground where he formed his kingdom.[2] Given their similar backgrounds, Garbo begins plotting to use this to his advantage against Captain America, who still thinks him as nothing more than a mindless monster.

While Garbo schemes, Captain America explains to the Mole Man that Earth-Dig was a project intending to bury radioactive waste deep below the Earth. Ordering his Moloids to subdue the Monster Ape, the Mole Man then reveals that he doesn’t believe Captain America and orders him captured as well. Fighting off the Moloids, Cap assures the subterranean ruler that he will ensure that the project gets scrapped because the surface world does not want to trigger a war with the Mole Man. The Mole Man decides to let Captain America go free and prepares to use his elevato-beam to bring the hero back to the surface. However, Garbo escapes from his cell by reverting to human form and then convinces the Mole Man that Captain America is nothing more than a spy. This prompts the Mole Man to stop trying to return Cap to the surface.

At that moment, the Falcon has sought out the aid of Tony Stark in order to rescue Captain America. The brilliant inventor quickly constructs a jetpack that will allow Falcon to safely descend into the Earth-Dig hole, but warns the hero that there is only enough fuel for a one-way trip and he’ll have to find his own way back to the surface after completing his mission. When Falcon later uses the jetpack to reach the bottom of the pit, he finds Captain America under attack by the Moloids and the Monster Ape. When the Mole Man arrives in a massive tank, he boats how he will not only destroy the Earth-Dig projected, but SHIELD as well, this makes Garbo fear for the life of Julia — a SHIELD agent that he had fallen in love with. When the Mole Man fires his cannon, the Monster Ape leaps in the way. The fatal shot causes Garbo to revert back to human form and, before dying, explains to the Mole Man how he tried to trick him into starting a war with the surface world. Realizing that Captain America was always true to his word, the Mole Man then uses his technology to return both Cap and Falcon to the surface.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Falcon, Mole Man, SHIELD (Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Sharon Carter), Monster Ape, Moloids, Tony Stark

Continuity Notes

1. Steve broke up with Sharon when she broke her promise not to work dangerous missions to SHIELD. See Captain America #124.

2. In this recollection, the Monster Ape states that a prolonged period underground led to the Mole Man becoming nearly blind. This contradicts Fantastic Four #1, which states the Mole Man’s poor eyesight came from observing the blinding Valley of the Diamonds. The reason for this varied account is pointed out in the narration which states that the legends about the Mole Man’s origins vary. The Mole Man is not mentioned by his real name here. He is later identified as Harvey Elder in Marvel Universe #4.