The Fortress Of Solitude
Doc's Remote Arctic Laboratory
"No one knew its whereabouts. To this retreat Doc went at frequent intervals for periods of intense study to which he devoted himself. At such times he vanished as completely as though he had dropped from the earth. No one could get in touch with him. It was these periodic disappearances, as much as anything else, which had given Doc repute as a man of mystery."
(from Doc Savage, "The Pirate Of The Pacific", by Kenneth Robeson) 
Doc Savage had devoted his life to aiding mankind and increasing his own knowledge so that he might help the human race. To achieve this he had trained himself to never stop studying. Almost every waking moment was given to it. At times it required concentration so intense that total solitude was required- no interruptions.  He sought out remote places in the world for a facility to both serve as a study retreat and a place to house his many unusual scientific experiments. He chose a remote island in the vast arctic wastelands.

Construction began in 1931 shortly after the "Crime College" was completed. Doc and Renny transitioned their construction activities directly from the College to the Fortress. Most of the same construction personnel were used. Materials and men were airlifted in huge cargo planes. The dome shape was chosen because it was the fastest way to enclose a large volume. The nearly impenetrable glass-like carbon compound used for the skin, allowed for large sections to be fabricated and shipped by air to the remote location. Then, it was a relatively simple operation to weld the sections together during the brief arctic summer. 

Doc Savage believed that the site he had chosen for the amazing facility was in such remote desolation that it would never be found. But in 1938, in the adventure of "The Fortress Of Solitude", a handful of Soviet prison escapees led by John Sunlight saw the top of the Strange Blue Dome standing above the grey rocks of the small icy island. The group was at that time marooned on a hijacked icebreaking ship, slowly starving. The evil creature that was John Sunlight forbid any of his people to go near the dome. In fact, these poor souls were his people, for he dominated them with the terrible thing that was his mind. His lieutenant Civan and the two giantesses, Titania and Giantia and the others in the group were left to watch from above a nearby snow drift as John Sunlight made repeated attempts to force his way into the dome. 
An Eskimo named Aput appeared and offered food for the starving group. When John Sunlight asked what the blue dome was, the eskimo replyed that he saw no dome! This scared John Sunlight. Going insane meant he could not dominate other men, and he needed many such men if he were to achieve his goals . For their hospitality, Aput and his people were imprisoned and allowed no food. John Sunlight wanted to be sure this was not a trick. After several days, the Eskimos stayed fat...so he watched them at night too. 

Aput and his tribesmen are in fact the keepers of the dome. Doc Savage long ago befriended them. In return for seeing after the place and his experiments inside, Doc provides them food and other necessities.

Several nights later, Aput stoles away from the camp. He did not know that John Sunlight is following. As Aput neared the dome a door mysteriously opened. He entered. When Aput exited carrying food, John Sunlight clubbed him sensless. After some experimentation Sunlight discovered the secret to opening the dome. The white rabbit-skin robe Aput wore was lined with a material that actuated the door when it was held close to the dome.

Doc Savage did not know it yet, but his worst nightmare was about to come true! John Sunlight entered the Blue Dome and for two weeks he was not heard from. To Civan, Titania, Giantia and the others in the group he had vanished. 


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Fortress Of Solitude artwork created by and used with permission from Bob Jenson of Spokane, WA.