Issue(s): Tales Of Suspense #87, Tales Of Suspense #88 (Iron Man stories only)
Cover Date: Mar-Apr 67
Title: "Crisis-- at the Earth's core!" / "Beyond all rescue!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Gene Colan - Penciler
Frank Giacoia - Inker

Review/plot:
In a story way too silly for Gene Colan's 'serious' art...

...Iron Man fights the Mole Man. Stark is working on a subterranean drilling device.

Meanwhile, buildings are disappearing under the ground, and people think Stark is responsible. It is interesting to see how quickly people turn against Stark. The disappearing buildings are actually due to the Mole Man, who wants Stark's drilling device. Iron Man can't beat the Mole Man so he agrees to work for him, but he doesn't tell the Mole Man that the Earth Digger doesn't work properly yet, so when the Mole Man tries to use it, it explodes.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 2

Chronological Placement Considerations: Stark's factory is sunk into the ground by the Mole Man in issue #87, and it won't be restored until the beginning of issue #89, so no appearances of the factory should appear in between. Uncanny X-Men #31 is specifically designed to take place in between these issues for that reason.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Double Feature #4, Marvel Double Feature #5

Even the Subterraneans get big balloon muscles when Gene Colan draws them. In the fight scene they appear to have the same approximate height and build as Iron Man, which is way off-model for them.

The Mole Man's motivation was to acquire it for his war with Tyrranus.