Superman and the Mole-Men story
Reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane arrive in the small town of Silsby to witness the drilling of the world's deepest oil well. The drill, however, has penetrated the underground home of a race of small, bald humanoids who, out of curiosity, climb to the surface at night. They glow in the dark, which scares the local townfolk, who form a mob intent on killing the strange visitors. Only Superman can intervene to prevent a tragedy.
8 total · 7 major · 1 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| fear of strangers | major | The townspeople were reflexively fearful of the mole men visitors and tried to kill them. |
| Hollow Earth | major | Oil prospectors discovered the Earth was hollow and populated by a race of mole men. |
| mass hysteria | major | The townspeople became hysterical over the presence of mole men, formed a lynch mob and tried to string the beings up without ever trying to understand them. |
| mole people | major | The townspeople became hysterical over the appearance of mole men. |
| subterranean civilization | major | Oil prospectors discover a race of mole men living deep inside the Earth. |
| super strength | major | Superman was faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. |
| xenophobia in society | major | The townspeople became hysterical over the presence of radioactive mole men, formed a lynch mob and tried to string the beings up without ever trying to understand them. |
| the dangers of radioactivity | minor | The mole men were thought to have been radioactive and spread radiation to whatever they touched. |