The Savage Land is one of the most dangerous places on the main Earth of Marvel Comics. It is a lost world full of extinct animals and strange monsters in which few people can survive. Ultimate Spider-Man #13 reveals that there is a Savage Land in the Ultimate Universe. However, it is notably different from the Earth-616 version in one important respect.
Written by Jonathan Hickman, with art by Marco Checchetto, Ultimate Spider-Man #13 finds Peter Parker in dire straits. The closing pages of the previous issue revealed that he and Harry Osborn had been abducted by Kraven the Hunter. The master tracker determined that they were the same vigilantes who had been hounding the Kingpin. However, he had delayed reporting their capture to the leader of the Sinister Six, as he had his own plans for the heroes.
Ultimate Spider-Man #13 reveals Mole Man rules Savage Land
Consulting with Mole Man, Kraven explained his intention to hunt the heroes for sport. To that end, he asked Mole Man for permission to hold the hunt in his underground domain. Mole Man was reluctant to agree, in part because he feared the retribution of the Kingpin. However, he also warned Kraven that the underground land he ruled was “a savage one.”
The panels that followed confirmed that Mole Man’s realm in Ultimate Spider-Man is a vast jungle full of prehistoric creatures. A jungle just happens to be located deep within the Earth’s crust. This is different from the Savage Land of Earth-616, which is located in a hidden tropical valley in Antarctica.
The idea of placing Mole Man in charge of the Savage Land is a brilliant one, conceptually. The classic pulp trope of the lost world is just as often located underground as in remote, unexplored locations above ground. Indeed, DC Comics‘ Skartaris, which is comparable to Marvel’s Savage Land, is said to be located within the Earth. It’s also a neat way of streamlining the Ultimate Universe, as the monsters of the Savage Land are not too far removed from those controlled by Mole Man.
Ultimate Spider-Man #13 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
