Hidden Hearts

Preparing to launch an attack on the surface world the Mole Man and his minions have set up a vibrational device that will destroy anything that it is directed at. The Mole Man is planning to unleash it upon the fault lines that exist along the eastern seaboard of the United States. After his proclamation to his subjects, the Mole Man retreats to a statue that he has placed for his recently departed lover Kala, who had apparently have left him again for Tyrannus. This recent rejection causes the Mole Man to recollect his tormented life on the surface that led to his self-exile and discovery of Subterranea and subsequent transformation into the Mole Man, leading a legion of Moloids and other Subterranean creatures. For a brief moment the Mole Man wonders if he could be accepted by the surface world but decides against that and pushed forward with his plan.

Meanwhile at Pier 4, the brand-new home of the Fantastic Four, the Thing tries to relax but becomes the butt of another one of Johnny's practical jokes. Before they can get into some rough housing they are stopped by Sue who scolds them for causing a ruckus. Reed suddenly calls them to his lab where he is conducting an experiment to explore a new section of the Microverse using Pym Particles to shrink an object into that dimension to examine the changes it undergoes through transit. To this end he has Johnny heat up a metal block before shrinking it down in size. Reed tries the experiment again this time with Sue's invisibility force field but can find no explanation as to the loss of mass in these experiments.

Before he can experiment further Manhattan is rocked by an earthquake. Rushing outside the Fantastic Four help a group of people in an building get to safety. There they are informed by the NYPD that the Mole Man has appeared before the United Nations. When they go to check out this sighting they find it valid. The Mole Man warns Reed that he triggered the earthquake as a show of power before making his demands to the UN. When the Thing threatens to get violent the Mole Man summons some of his creatures to come to the surface and attack. While the group keeps the monsters at bay, Reed uses his Pym Particle Projector to shrink the beasts down in size. The sudden change in size of his creatures comes to a shock and the Mole Man admits defeat. When his creatures crawl all over him as protection, the Mole Man realizes that his beasts are like family. Feeling content once more the Mole Man retreats back to his sanctuary beneath the Earth's surface.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Mole Man, Moloids, Giganto, Tricephalous

Continuity Notes

• Monster Island is depicted as existing in the Bermuda Triangle of the Atlantic Ocean. It was located in the South Pacific in Fantastic Four #296 and other stories. This is the third time it's been stated as existing in the Bermuda Triangle, the first was in Fantastic Four #347-349.

• The Mole Man mentions his former lover Kala the subterranean ruler of the Netherworld. She has had an on-again-off-again relationship with the Mole Man over the years starting in Fantastic Four #127-128 when she manipulated him alongside Tyrannus. The two reconciled into a relationship in Marvel Treasury Edition #25. She was last seen in Fantastic Four Unlimited #4 and depicted as still being loyal to the Mole Man.

• The Mole Man recaps his origins which were originally told in Fantastic Four #1. His journey to Subterranea is later expanded in Marvel Universe #4-7.

• Although shrunken down in size in this story, both Giganto and Tricephalous are restored to their normal sizes when they are seen next in JLA/Avengers #1.