Crisis — At the Earth’s Core!

Tony Stark is testing out a new Earth boring device that relies on atomic power as an energy source. Fearing for the safety of his staff, Tony orders Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan to evacuate the Stark Industries facility so he can work alone. With the building empties out, Tony changes into Iron Man for added protection. Outside, local residents and Stark Industry staffers alike question if it is safe for Stark to conduct these experiments. As Iron Man begins drilling he can feel the vibrations through the walls.

While outside, a nearby house suddenly sinks into the ground, and moments later a nearby highrise suffers the same fate. Hearing the noise, Iron Man looks outside and wonders if his drilling device is responsible. This sentiment is mirrored by the people outside who fear that Stark has created a menace.

Word on the situation travels quickly and when a gang of crooks hears about it, they decide to try and break into Stark Industries in order to steal the device. Their leader, who is not above accepting employment from bad actors in Asia figure that this will be their ticket to the big time. Although they manage to get past the security, the saboteurs fare poorly against Iron Man. They are sent packing just as the entire Stark Industry facility begins to violently shake. Suddenly, the entire plant ends up sinking into the grown below. When the building finally stops sinking into the Earth, Iron Man goes outside to see where he’s wound up.

He is surprised to find himself in a deep underground cavern and begins contemplating who could have brought him here. He gets his answer when the Mole Man and his Moloids find him. The Mole Man orders the destruction of Iron Man and his mindless minions fire a missile at the Golden Avenger. While the weapon is too weak to harm him, Iron Man soon finds himself buried alive by a cave-in caused by the blast.

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, Mole Man, Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts, Moloids

Topical References

• The crooks who try robbing Stark Industries state that their employers are from “behind the Bamboo Curtain”. This is a slightly-racist term to refer to the communist Chinese during the Cold War. It is a variation of the term “Iron Curtain” used to refer to Russia. This should be considered a topical reference since this is a dated term.

Wanted: Captain America!

From a secret hideout in an abandoned subway tunnel, a criminal named the Planner prepares his gang for a bank robbery. The Planner has come up with a scheme to steal Captain America’s shield. Armed with his wrist-mounted proton beam and a replica of Captain America’s costume, the Planner and his men successfully rob a local bank. They do this to frame Captain America and convince the public and the authorities that the Star-Spangled Hero has gone rogue.

Once the Planner and his men return to their hideout, they ask why they are trying to lure out Captain America and steal his shield. The Planner reveals that he heard that Captain America’s shield has been loaded with Starktech provided by Iron Man himself.[1] As expected, Captain America, using the Avengers butler Jarvis, asks the authorities to give him time to prove his innocence. As Steve Rogers, Captain America presents himself to the authorities as a representative of his alter-ego. He is allowed access to city maps and begins trying to figure out where the crook posing as him went after robbing the bank.

When the Planner and his men later rob a jewelry store, it allows Steve to pin-point exactly where they are coming from. Returning to Avengers Mansion to change into Captain America, Rogers infiltrates the Planner’s secret hideout and takes out his men. When the Planner flees into a nearby power plant, Captain America follows. After tossing his shield at a nearby generator to create a distraction, Cap climbs under the catwalk the Planner is standing on and ambushes him from below. The Planner is easily taken out and as Captain America hauls him off to the police, he tells the Planner that took all the Starktech out of his shield a while ago and the only thing that powers his shield now is his right arm.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Edwin Jarvis

Continuity Notes

1. Tony Stark did try to upgrade Captain America’s shield in Avengers #6. However, as revealed in Tales of Suspense #62, Captain America later removed these gadgets because they threw off his aim whenever he threw his shield.

Topical References

• Lots of outdated technology in this story: security cameras that take still photos, black-and-white television, reporters recording vox pop segments using a microphone attached to a tape recorder. Not to mention that the revolutionary technology said to be in Captain America’s shield are transistors, which have since become the most common component in every piece of electronics.