Firestorm #4

Arctic seal hunters get a surprise from the Nuclear Man. The Hyena appears in Midtown Manhattan, thwarting a robbery made by gangster 'Spit' Shine and his men. Ronnie returns home in the wee hours of the morning, leading to an argument with his father. Doreen introduces Ronnie to her older sister, Summer. Professor Stein, seeking an explanation for his blackouts, hires a private investigator to follow him. At Bradley High School, Ronnie sees the warehouse next door being robbed and summons Firestorm.

Firestorm826's Panel-by-Panel Story Summary (Spoiler Alert)

Prince Charles Island, just north of the Arctic Circle at longitude 76º west, shortly after the end of our previous issue…

For over a thousand years, the harp seals of the Arctic have been coming to this isle, and isles like it, to breed and rest…For the past dozen years, they’ve also - - unwittingly - - been coming here…to die!

“That’s right, Pierre, really whack ‘em - - hard!” a seal hunter named Hank calls to one of his cohorts, “We’ve got the makin’s of a good half-dozen sealskin coats out here tonight - - and I ain’t aimin’ to miss even one!”

The snowy plains are littered with bleeding, dead, and dying harp seals as the hunters strike. Heading home high above, Firestorm sees the commotion and starts to descend to investigate.

“Feisty little buggers ain’t they?” Hank asks, “There’s some folk who’d wanna make all this illegal - - ain’t that a laugh? What we got here is pure free enterprise! People want sealskin coats, the skin’s gotta come from somewhere - - and somebody’s gotta do the getting’, an’ it might as well be me!” He raises his gaffe, preparing to strike a helpless baby seal at his feet. “Now hold still, ya dumb pup, an I’ll just whup ya with my - - fish?”

Dumbfounded, Hank looks at his hand where he once held a club with a piercing blade affixed to the end but now somehow holds a fish. He turns around, looking back and forth at his partners. “If this is somebody’s crummy idea of a joke, ya better cut it out,” he yells, warning, “Those bull seals are getting’ their nerve up for a charge!” He points at a ridge nearby where a group of large seals growl and snarl at the hunters.

Several hunters rush over with their rifles at ready. “Don’t worry, Hank, we’ve got ‘em covered!” One hunter sees a strange figure swooping down from the sky near them. “Hey! Who’s that?” he yells, pointing and raising his club.

“Guess you bums haven’t seen too many papers up here, have you?” Ronnie asks, “The name’s Firestorm, jerks - - and though I was just passing through, I think I’ll stick around to teach you guys some real economics. Mainly, the law of supply and demand!” Stein objects, asking, “Ronald, is this digression really necessary?” Ronnie looks over the weapons in the hunters’ hands. “Quiet, Professor, I’m working!” he answers.

ZAAK! In a flash, the hunter’s rifles are transformed by a nuclear restructuring burst into handfuls of…plastic fish! “For instance, you used to have a supply of guns and clubs - - and now all you’ve got is demand!” The hunters gasp as they look at their hands. “He changed our rifles - - into fish Plastic fish!” one cries. Ark! Aaaarrrk! The bull seals charge over the ridge toward the suddenly unarmed hunters. “But the bull seals - - they’re attacking!” another hunter yells. “So many of them, they’ll slash us to ribbons!” calls out a second. “Ha ha ha!” Ronnie laughs, admiring his handiwork. “Let’s get outa here!” Hank orders his men.

Ronnie climbs back into the sky, setting course towards Manhattan. “Why, Ronald, I apologize!” Stein exclaims, “This digression - - was positively exhilarating!” Ronnie smiles as he looks down at the scurrying and scrambling hunters being chased by the bull seals. “Glad you had fun, Professor - - even if you are just a spectator inside my skull!” Ronnie answers, “I figured it was about time I used my atomic restructuring powers for something I wanted to do - - the inside me, Ronnie Raymond!”

Stein looks down at a herd of reindeer below. “Where to now, Ronald? Home to Manhattan?” he asks. “You bet. Physicist Martin Stein may have hitched a ride with the Air Force to get up here - - but teenager Ronnie Raymond has got to take the hard way home - - inside me!” Ronnie answers.

And, as the amazing composite hero heads homeward from the Arctic Circle, carrying with him the personas of scientist and schoolboy - - we’ll jump ahead to the island of Manhattan, where we find a Midtown office building in the process - - of being robbed:

“Say, Mr. Shine, I don’t get it” a thug calls to his leader, “This here’s a travel agency, right?” Busily stuffing his briefcase, gangster ‘Spit’ Shine nods at him, asking, “Yeah, so?” Another thug runs over with a handful of papers and hands them to Shine. “So howcum we’re heisting a travel agency and not a bank?” he asks, adding, “And howcum we’re stealing airplane tickets and not money?”

Shine snatches the tickets and quickly pushes them into his briefcase. “Because I’m a genius, you imbecile!” Shine sneers, “We can sell these blank tickets to a Mob front and they’ll sell the tickets to some sucker tour groups for a discount price! The tourists’ll be stuck with worthless tickets - - and we’ll be sitting on a fast five hundred grand!”

Shine heads for the door and the getaway car waiting outside. “That’s great, Mr. Shine! You’re even smarter than your Old Man - - and he’s head of all the rackets on the East Coast!” Shine’s cohorts run out behind him. “I’ll bet he’ll be really proud of - - YUPP!” one starts to say but stops abruptly. He yanks on Shine’s coat, pointing overhead behind them. “Hey, Mr. Shine,” he gulps. “Don’t look now - - but we’ve got company!” The shadow of a large beast falls across the sidewalk past Shine from some creature up above them. Shine turns and looks. “Who the…” he blurts, wide-eyed in shock.

“Haha! Hahaha! Heeha! Call me the Hyena, little man,” the beast cries out. It leaps from the roof top above the travel agency door. “I noticed you boys were having trouble carrying all that loot, and I thought I’d just give you a hand!” it cackles as it lands amongst them, threatening, “So drop the bag, creeps - - or die! Hah-hah! Hahaha!”

The thugs cower nervously. “He - - he sounds serious! An’ lookit the size of ‘im! He’s even bigger than Fat Eddie!” one exclaims. “Say, Mr. Shine, maybe we should just do like he says, huh?” another nervously asks. Shine shoves the thugs between himself and the Hyena. “No way! My father would never let me live it down!” he barks, ordering, “Slash that furry freak, and I’ll pay you each another two thou!”

The smell of money inspires Shine’s men. “Mister…now you’re playin’ music!” one says as he draws out his switchblade. “Let’s make this quick - - I don’t wanna miss ‘Starsky and Hutch,” adds another as he pulls out his pistol. “Better say yer prayers, Laughing-Boy, you’re dead meat!” warns a third.

Snik! Snik! The Hyena raises its paws and with the flick of its wrists, razor-sharp claws extend from its fingertips. “Hyenas thrive on dead meat, little man,” it growls, “That’s because we’re scavengers…but even a scavenger has claws!” A thug slashes at the Hyena with his switchblade. The beast easily dodges! “It’s not even the money I want, you know - - I just want to destroy you! Haha!” it laughs.

The Hyena snatches the pistol-wielding arm of an adjacent thug as he viciously slashes the switchblade holder. RRRIIP! His powerful claws rake into them. “Because you’re criminals - - foul little criminals - - and as a real hyena hates the predator lion, I hate the predator crook!” the Hyena hisses, asking, “But you don’t believe that, do you?” THUD! Another thief goes down under a powerful blow.

“Who cares freak? My boys’ve got you pinned!” Shine yells, shaking his fist at the beast, “Claw or no claws, you’re through!” SLASH! The Hyena slices its way through another of Shine’s men. “Through?” it questions, yelling, “Wrong!” Shine looks on in horror as his men get mowed down by the beast’s fury. “My God!” he gasps.

“YIIEE!” screams the last of Shine’s men as the Hyena viciously strikes. “I won’t be through ‘till I’ve caught you, Shine!” the Hyena yells as Shine chokes on his own voice in fear. “I followed you here tonight for a reason,” it explains ominously, “To ruin you in the eyes of your father, the King of the Mob in New York! If I can’t get ‘Shoe’ Shine directly, I’ll get the next best thing - - his precious little son, ‘Spit!’”

Shine bolts for his car, tightly clutching the briefcase. “Get away from me! You’re crazy!” he cries out in terror. “Think so?” the Hyena asks, dropping the limp figure of one of Shine’s men to the sidewalk. Shine dives into the car. The Hyena lunges at him. “Yeeow! Harry, drive! Drive!” Shine cries out in panic to his driver. THAK! The Hyena lands at the edge of Shine’s car door, snatching the briefcase out of his hand just as the driver hits the gas. SCREEECH! Rubber squeals as the car speeds past.

“Maybe I am crazy, ‘Spit’!” the Hyena giggles, “But then again, I’m the one with the loot, aren’t I? And you’re the fool who’ll have to explain this fiasco to his father! It should be a scream, ‘Spit’, a real scream!”

Head back, body shaking with mirth, the Hyena cackles with deep enjoyment, oblivious to the sound of approaching sirens - - until, abruptly - - the laughter stops!

“Hahaha….ha?” the Hyena pauses in its celebration, cautiously eyeing the police. “That’s part of the Shine gang!” an officer exclaims as he sees the henchmen lying on the sidewalk. “Man, what a catch!” his partner blurts. He turns to the Hyena and approaches. “You must be one of those new super-heroes we’ve been getting in New York lately - - like that Firestorm fella who helped Superman last week!” He smiles at the Hyena and reaches out a hand. “Good work, friend!” he nods appreciatively, “I’d like to shake your…”

Suddenly, the policeman halts in mid-sentence, aware of a strange burning light in the costumed figure’s eyes:

Softly, almost inaudibly, the Hyena growls, dark eyes shifting from uniform…to patrol cars…to badge…”Rrrrr! Rrrrrr! Grrrrr!” it rumbles. What those grey eyes see, we can only imagine, but the growling gradually deepens - - and then explodes in a road of unadulterated rage!”

“AAAARRRR!” the Hyena shrieks, pouncing onto the two shocked officers. “Hank! Harry! Look out! The guy’s gone psycho - - yuhhhn!” an officer tries to warn his partners as the Hyena savages into him, laughing maniacally. “Th-That laugh - - worse than the Joker!” an officer stammers, reaching for his sidearm, “What do you want? What on Earth do you…”

There’s no sanity in the Hyena’s laugh now, no reason or rationality…a casual spring and the steel-clawed scavenger is in motion - - no longer remotely human in appearance - - but rather, fully a savage beast!

For a time, the Hyena’s laughter remains in the air like an echo, long after its source is gone…Then the laughter fades, and a new sound drones through the night: The wail of an ambulance, summoned by an anonymous onlooker from the surrounding office buildings…One thing is certain: This is a night some men will remember for the rest of their lives…

3:13 a.m., at the Washington Heights home of Ronnie Raymond…Like a falling star, a flaming figure drops from the ebon sky - - performs a transformation that, by now, is all too familiar, a transformation not unlike the splitting of an atom - - and instantly, where one man stood, there are two.

“I…must be losing my mind! This isn’t the Arctic!” Stein says, looking around in confusion. “How did I get here? What about…the project…?” he says in bewilderment. He rubs his forehead, trying to remember. “You better grab a taxi back to Westchester, Professor Stein,” Ronnie suggests, “Get some sleep…It’ll all come back tomorrow.” Stein stumbles off into the night.

“I don’t hope,” Ronnie thinks as he walks into his house. “Weird how the Professor never remembers anything that happens when we’re Firestorm,” he ponders, “He says it’s because he was unconscious when we first fused together. Me, I don’t know. I wish I could talk to him about it, though - - but how do you tell a guy he’s half a super-hero? He’d think I’m nuts. He might even be right! Anyway, I - - ULP!”

Ronnie’s Dad suddenly appears, confronting him in the living room. “Uh - - Dad!” Ronnie blurts in shock, “Uh - - Guess you’re wondering why I’m home so late, huh?” Ed Raymond pokes an angry finger at Ronnie. “I got a call from Coach Thompson that you’d run off during the game earlier tonight - - and now you show up, five hours late, still in your uniform!” he yells. “I don’t want an excuse, Ronald,” he continues fuming, “No excuse could be good enough! Young man, you’re grounded until further notice, understand!”

Ronnie lashes back, yelling, “You bet it’s understood! You can work all night at your dumb newspaper - - never come home - - miss dinner - - and never tell me why - - but when I do something wrong, it’s different! Did you ever apologize to me? Not once! Not once! If that’s your idea of fair…”

Ronnie bolts past his father, running up the stairs. “Aw, what’s the use? You never listen, anyway,” he yells, “I’m going to bed, ground me if you want - - I just don’t care!”

Ed tries to get his son to stop. “Ronnie, I…Son, wait….” he calls out. But Ronnie doesn’t look back. He runs down the hall and slams his bedroom door. Ed slumps into his easy chair, overwhelmed, hanging his head in his hands. “Lord in Heaven, what’s wrong with me?” he thinks, “That’s my boy, dear Elaine’s son…a child I love more than life itself…and how do I treat him? Like a criminal!”

He thinks back to the difficult life he and his son have lived. “It’s this fear, this sick horrible fear I’ve lived with for the past fifteen years…It killed Elaine, and now it’s turning me into a cold-hearted monster!” he worries, “If only I could tell Ronald the truth - - why we’ve had to move from city to city over the years, never having a real home…But I don’t dare! The danger’s too great!” Ed feels deep emotion welling up. “I lost a wife because of what I did, years ago…I couldn’t survive losing a son…” he worries.

Ronnie lies in his bed, softly crying in the dark. “Dad, Dad…Why can’t I ever be what you want me to be?” he thinks, “Every time I turn around, I’ve done something to disappoint you. I just wish, once, we could be happy…Just once…I’d like to make you smile…”

Morning of the next day, at Bradley High, and for a sleepy Ronnie Raymond, still stung by the previous night’s harsh words - - there’s an unexpected, though suitably pleasant, surprise:

“Fan-tas-tic! Professor Stein’s brains must be rubbing off after all!” Ronnie thinks, happily looking at his exam paper, “I thought for sure I’d flunk yesterday’s Chem test - - but instead I cleaned up - - with a fat B+!” Ronnie walks along the hallway, holding the paper up with a smile. “I haven’t seen one of those since they stopped grading Phys Ed!” Ronnie grins.

“Hey, Raymond! I hear the teach took pity on you, mothball mind,” Cliff sneers, “If you want to see a real grade, gaze and be awed…A+! Don’t feel bad, chump - - at least you finished the test, right? And that’s more than you did at last night’s game!”

Ronnie glares at him. “Carmichael, you creep! I’ve had it with you!” Ronnie yells, grabbing a fistful of Cliff’s shirt. “You’ve been riding me ever since I came here!” he growls, waving his fist in front of Cliff’s face, “You want blood? I’ll give you blood, Carmichael - - Yours!”

Cliff looks smug but recoils a bit from Ronnie’s fist. “Big man! If you’re so tough, why’d you run out on the team?” Cliff asks accusingly. Several other students gather and start to chime in. “He - - Cliff’s right!” one agrees. “You lose your nerve, Raymond?” another asks. “G’wan, pal, explain!” Cliff prompts, “Maybe you just get your kicks beating up innocent kids wearing glasses - - Oof!” Ronnie shoves Cliff and turns to walk off. “Jerk,” Cliff thinks. “Nuts! I can’t win!” Ronnie blurts as he stomps down the hall, “You put me down - - but I come off looking bad! Go stuff a fruit, Carmichael!”

He heads for his locker. “Jerk,” he thinks, “How can I tell them I had to run off because Professor Stein was in trouble in the Arctic - - and I sensed it down here?” He pulls out his lunch bag. “Man, I’d sound stupid or crazy - - and Carmichael would have a field day!” He walks outside to the courtyard and sits next to a tree. “Might as well have lunch alone,” he thinks, “The mood my class is in, I’d probably be lynched if I showed up in the cafeteria! What a mess!” Ronnie puts down his sandwich and reaches for an apple. He sighs, thinking, “I’ll bet even Doreen is mad at…” He looks up, blurting, “Huh? Doreen!”

Ronnie jumps to his feet as Doreen and another young lady approach. Doreen looks a bit perturbed with him. “Hey, listen, I’m really sorry about snubbing you yesterday,” he explains, “My mind was a zillion miles away - - and I’ll tell you about it sometime. But not now, okay? I’d just explode!”

Doreen smiles at him and Ronnie feels relieved. “You know, I just can’t stay mad at you, Ronnie - - even if that if the strangest apology I’ve ever heard.” Doreen gestures to her companion. “Sis, this is the guy I told you about - - Ronnie Raymond,” Doreen says, turning to him, “Ronnie, meet my sis - - Summer!”

Summer smiles at him and reaches out to shake hands. “Hey, Ron. Get it? Summer Day! My folks tell me I was born on the hottest day in August,” she explains, “and my Mom always had a thing for practical jokes.” Ronnie laughs. “Uh…It’s cute. Real cute. Do you hate it?” he asks. Summer nods, answering, “A lot.” Ronnie grins, replying, “Doreen, your sis is okay.”

Doreen glances down at Ronnie’s half-finished lunch. “Mind if we join you? Summer has an appointment with Principal Hapgood for an assistant teacher’s post - - but it isn’t ‘till after one,” Doreen asks. “Be my guest,” Ronnie nods, asking, “Either of you want an apple?” The sisters decline the offer. “No? Suits me,” Ronnie says, asking, “How do you get to be an assistant teach, Summer? Did you go to college for a Master’s Degree, or…”

Summer’s expression abruptly hardens. “That’s my business, Ronald,” she replies curtly, “I’d like to keep it that way, if it’s all right with you!” Doreen looks warily at her sister, explaining, “Summer’s a very private person, Ronnie. Don’t pry - - please?” Ronnie looks confused by the sudden change in Summer’s demeanor. “Huh? No - - I mean, yeah - - sure, I won’t,” he stammers. “Weird! One second Summer’s friendly and warm and the next - - instant winter!” Ronnie worries, “What did I say, anyway?”

That’s an enigma whose resolution will have to wait for another time. At the moment, other members of our cast have more immediate concerns…One of those concerns has brought Professor Martin Stein to an office building in the Midtown area - - where’ he’s about to set forces in motion that will have a disastrous effect on the existence of a certain Nuclear Man!

Stein steps off the elevator and follows the hallway to the offices of Investigations International. A few minutes later, he is seated with the staff there. “Grab a seat, Professor. The name’s McGarrin…Liam McGarrin,” a private investigator explains, “I want you to know right off - - my agency doesn’t handle divorce work.” He takes a puff on his cigarette, leaning on his desk next to his secretary. “Professor Stein wants a man followed, Liam,” she reveals. “So tell me something new. Beat it, Betsy,” he scoffs at her, “I think the Prof wants this private.”

Stein settles into his chair, looking worried. “McGarrin, I’m a scientist, but something’s been happening to me lately that I just can’t explain…The man I want you to shadow, McGarrin - - is me!” Stein explains. McGarrin coughs on his smoke. “What?” he blurts, “Run that by me again, Professor. Is this a joke?” Stein sighs, shaking his head. “No joke, McGarrin. Lord, I wish it were,” he continues, “I have government contracts to build a failsafe nuclear plant, and if something like this ever got out…” McGarrin listens, asking, “Trust me. Go on.”

Stein recounts recent events. “For the past several weeks, I’ve had blackouts. The latest occurred last night. One moment I was in the Arctic at a top secret project - - and the next thing I knew, it was hours later. But I was back here, in New York, with no idea how I came here - - or why! McGarrin, for God’s sake - - help me!” McGarrin eyes him, drawing another puff on his cigarette. “I’ll try, Professor,” he answers, “and that’s a promise!”

For the first time in several days, Professor Stein feels a great weight lifting from his shoulders; but, even as he prepares to leave McGarrin’s office - - several miles away, at Bradley High, something’s about to happen to shatter Martin Stein’s newfound security:

“Summer seems like a nice lady…I just wish I knew why she clammed up all of a sudden,” Ronnie thinks, washing his hands in the school bathroom. “Doreen’s supposed to meet me for dinner tonight,” he thinks, “so maybe I can find out then why she - - Hmm? Somebody must be having a cookout on the school football field! I swear I can almost smell - - smoke!”

Ronnie looks out the bathroom window and sees smoke coming from the building next door. “Holy Hannah!” he cries out in surprise, “That warehouse across the street is on fire - - and being robbed!” Wreeeeeee! Firefighters arrive on a ladder truck and quickly start to set up operations at the front of the warehouse. From his viewpoint, Ronnie can see several thieves sneaking out the back exit carrying heavy bags of loot.

“Those hoods must’ve set the fire to provide a giant smokescreen!” Ronnie observes, figuring, “The cops’ll be so busy trying to help the firemen contain the blaze - - they’ll never see the crooks slipping out the rear! But people could get killed in that fire! And that ticks me off!”

Simultaneously, in Midtown Manhattan, a hundred blocks south… “So, when will you start, McGarrin? Tonight? Tomorrow?” Stein asks as the two men shake hands at the elevator. “Soon, Professor,” McGarrin explains, adding, “Don’t bother watching for me - - I’m a professional.” Stein steps into the elevator, pushes the lobby button, and the door closes. McGarrin swiftly walks to another elevator close to his office. “And the first rule of the professional is - - Don’t let the subject know your plans!” McGarrin thinks, “I had this special express elevator put in for my private use - - to beat clients down to the lobby! Stein’s shadowing is going to start sooner than he thinks!”

On the contrary: It’s not even going to get started - - for, at that instant, as the elevator bearing Martin Stein drops toward street level, the nuclear physicist starts to shimmer with unearthly radiance - - flickers like a fading television picture - - and in the next second - - is gone!

And so… “Great! The lobby attendant tells me the elevator didn’t stop at any other floor,” McGarrin thinks, “No chance of Stein slipping away.” He hides behind a lobby wall with a view of Stein’s elevator. The elevator arrives in the lobby and the doors open. “For the next eight hours, Professor,” McGarrin plans, “I’m sticking to you like - - glue?” McGarrin watches but no one comes out of the elevator. He rushes over and looks inside. McGarrin looks back and forth inside, gasping in disbelief. The elevator is empty!

Instantly, Firestorm appears flying in the air. “And what ticks off Ronnie Raymond - - ticks off Firestorm!” Ronnie seethes, finishing his pre-fusion thought. “Ronald, for Heaven’s sake! What…?” Stein asks in surprise. “No time for explanations, Professor!” Ronnie answers, adding, “Sorry I yanked you away from whatever, but I saw something that just couldn’t wait! Take a back seat, okay? This show’s all mine!”

Seconds later, Firestorm swoops down into the street behind the burning warehouse. The thieves are busy loading their stolen goods into their getaway van. “Hey, look!” one yells, looking up at the approaching Nuclear Man. “Whoozat?” another asks. “Who cares? Let’s get outa here!” another orders.

Nearby, ‘Spit’ Shine sits in his car watching the robbery unfold. “I don’t believe it!” he thinks as he sees Firestorm fly in, “First, the Hyena wrecks one of my capers last night, and now some new costumed creepo fouls up this gig!” He watches as his men scramble to avoid Firestorm and get into the van. “But with all this commotion, I don’t dare carry out my real operation!” he frets, “It’s botched up, and when Mom and Dad hear about this - - they’ll kill me!

Ronnie circles the van, sizing up his opposition inside. “It may not be midnight, and you’re sure not Cinderella,” he calls down to them, “but as far as you bozos are concerned - - it’s pumpkin time!” He aims a restructuring burst at the van, instantly transforming it into a giant pumpkin! “Ronald, really!” Stein chides, “Couldn’t you have used your atomic restructuring powers more appropriately?” Ronnie replies, “No offense, Professor, but this is my big moment, remember? So please - - bug off!”

The top of the pumpkin lifts up as the thieves push it open. “This ain’t a real pumpkin - - it’s wax!” one blurts out as he emerges into the light, asking, “Is that guy kidding - - or is he crazy?” His two partners climb out of the pumpkin. “Forget him! We’ve got a way out - - let’s use it!” one yells. The three men scurry down the side of the pumpkin and try to flee. “Wha-oh! Don’t look now, chums - - but here he comes again!” one cries out as Firestorm makes another pass. “I don’t care how much we’re getting paid for this heist! It ain’t worth it!” one yells to his partners.

“Like the Shadow always says, fellas - - ‘Crime doesn’t pay!’” Ronnie calls down to them. He aims a restructuring burst at the giant pumpkin. “I may have messed up with that lid ‘cause I’m still new at this game,” he explains, “but you’ve got to admit, I’m getting better!”

BZOTT! Instantly, the pumpkin transforms into an iron cage that traps the thieves inside! “He herded us like a bunch of cattle!” a thug whines. “Now what?” another asks, gripping an iron cage bar. “Please, mister, we give up,” the third pleads, “Don’t kill us!”

Ronnie lands and casually strolls up to the cage. “Kill you? Boy, have you jerks got a wrong number!” he answers them, “Guess there’s nothing to do but turn you over to the cops. Maybe they’ll find out who set up this caper - - ‘cause it sure wasn’t you. You don’t have the smarts to rob a piggy bank!”

‘Spit’ Shine looks on nervously as his men are captured. “No! If they’re questioned, they might tell the police something that can lead them to me!” he panics, “I was careful to keep my identity secret - - but if the cops get enough clues, they - - eh?” His thought trails off as he sees something unusual. “Coming up behind Firestorm - - ? I don’t believe it!” Shine gasps in shock.

KPOW! Suddenly a stunning ambush blow strikes Ronnie from behind by surprise, knocking him stunned to the ground! “Hee-haha!” cackles the Hyena maniacally. “Dear Lord, Ronald, that creature who struck you - - what is it?” Stein cries out. Ronnie lifts himself up, turning to look at his attacker. “Whatever - - or whoever he is, he’s got a wallop like a wrecking ball!” Ronnie answers, “And those claws - - another blow from them, and I’ll be coleslaw! Oboy, Professor…we’ve got troubles now!”

The Hyena stands over him, menacingly laughing, flexing its powerful claws. “Who are you, Buster? What do you want?” Ronnie yells at it. “Call me the Hyena, Hothead!” it hisses, “I heard you calling for the cops - - and now I want you dead! Haha! Hahaha!”