Ronnie and Professor Stein review recent events involving Firehawk, Multiplex, Enforcer, Henry Hewitt, and the death of Ed Raymond. At his Virginia mansion, Henry Hewitt prepares to subject himself to the same procedure he just used on Lorraine Reilly. Enforcer is put on trial and New York City and Tokamak, the Human Reactor, attacks the courthouse. A car tries to run down Ronnie and Doreen outside Bradley High. Ronnie overhears a man in the car mentioning Mob boss 'Shoe' Shine. Firestorm visits Lorraine Reilly in the hospital that is soon attacked by Tokamak.
*** This story arc concludes in Firestorm Annual #1 ***
Firestorm826's Panel-by-Panel Story Summary (Spoiler Alert)
Firestorm sits on a cloud floating over Manhattan, head resting on his hand. “All that’s happened these past few weeks - - too much to be coincidence,” Professor Martin Stein considers, “There must be a reason for it all, Ronald!” Deep in thought, Ronnie Raymond says he is working on it. Stein wonders if that is true or if Ronnie is just using time as an excuse to delay acting. A flock of birds flies by, their path unaffected by the sight of a floating Nuclear Man. Ronnie says that even a dumb jock like him realizes they must have some kind of strategy. But he agrees, there must be some reason for what has happened.
It started with Enforcer, who kidnapped Stein on Multiplex’s orders. Enforcer and Multiplex were able to figure out their secret - - that the two of them fuse together to become Firestorm. Ronnie is perplexed as to why Enforcer and Multiplex did not reveal their secret, even after Enforcer was jailed. He wonders how his Dad’s death figures into all this. “I still can’t believe he was killed by some crazy terrorist,” Ronnie tells Stein, “It happened too soon after our fight with Multiplex. There has to be a connection…but what is it?”
Stein suggests that Ed Raymond’s tragic murder had nothing to do with Ronnie. Ed made enemies as a journalist, and Stein figures one of those enemies finally struck him down. Ronnie becomes overcome with emotion and wipes a tear from his eye. He is convinced his Dad died for a reason, and that reason has something to do with Firestorm! “What about tonight? What about Firehawk?” he asks. She came out of nowhere, with similar yet different nuclear powers and tried to kill them. It took great effort but they beat her, only to get a gigantic shock in discovering that Firehawk was the daughter of New York’s junior Senator, Lorraine Reilly!
Lorraine and Firestorm had almost become a romantic item, but as Firehawk he nearly killed her after she attacked him. Rescuing her from the debris in St. Patrick’s Cathedral after their battle, Firestorm rushed Lorraine, wrapped in a blanket and barely clinging to life, to a nearby hospital emergency room. Doctors and nurses moved in quickly to treat her as Firestorm looked on. Ronnie felt so helpless, coming as close to prayer as he ever had in his life. The thought of losing Lorraine, so soon after losing his father, was overpowering. “I guess I was prepared for just about anything,” Ronnie recalls, “except what actually happened.”
The hospital staff looks at their patient, trying to piece together what they see and what they were told. This woman had just been in some type of battle, but there is not a mark anywhere on her! Lorraine awakens, asking where she is. Sitting upright, she looks and says, “Firestorm…is that you?” “In the flesh,” he answers, surprised that she can’t remember anything. Lorraine can recall getting into her car and then being hit by something. Looking at herself, she is surprised to see that her clothes are missing! The doctors suspect traumatic amnesia. They will run tests and look for internal injuries, but their first impression is that Lorraine is physically unharmed. “Am I in trouble or something?” Lorraine asks, “Will somebody tell me what’s going on?”
Firestorm sits upright on the cloud. Stein recalls that they had no information to offer to Lorraine, since they really didn’t know much themselves. Ronnie is tired, in need of sleep, and figures Doreen is probably worried sick that he hasn’t come home yet. Ronnie rolls off the cloud and flies downward. Doreen’s folks were kind enough to offer Ronnie a place to stay, and the least he can do is use it. Stein asks about Multiplex, Senator Reilly’s disappearance, and the rumors about the Hewitt Corporation. “Ronald, you can’t put all of this on hold!” he exclaims. “Can’t I, Professor,” Ronnie replies, “Watch me.”
Interlude: In the sub-sub basement laboratory under Henry Hewitt’s Georgetown mansion, outside of Washington, D.C., Hewitt’s number-two-in-charge, Maxwell, announces that “Phase One is complete, Mr. Hewitt. It’s time you got into the protective suit.” A duploid of Multiplex works at a control panel, reporting that reactor power is climbing. An irritated Hewitt orders Maxwell to help him off his couch. Pointing at Multiplex, he warns that Maxwell will die if this plan does not work.
Henry Hewitt is the founder of Hewitt Corporation, and is a man whose eccentricities have made him a modern day Howard Hughes. He is weakened and frail of body but is mentally sharp and focused. He lies on an examination table, encased in a large, roundish robotic metal armor suit. Workers surround and attend to him, including Multiplex. Hewitt warns them not to stand around gaping at him, directing them to get started. “Mr. Hewitt, we don’t know what effect exposure to the experimental reactor will have on you,” Multiplex reports, “Look what it did to Lorraine Reilly. It might kill you!” He tells Hewitt there is still time to call off the plan. Hewitt snips at him, “Are you finished, Multiplex? If you are, stop wasting my time with your mealy-mouthed excuses…and begin!”
Nuclear control and energy rods extend up from the floor, surrounding Hewitt. Energy levels rise as Multiplex works the system controls. He believes Hewitt to be insane, but does not dare defy him! “Why did I ever get involved with Hewitt and the 2000 Committee? Why?” Multiplex asks himself. Proceeding, Multiplex lowers the control rods, allowing pure nuclear energy to beam into Hewitt’s body. Orange light glows around him, and Hewitt yells as the radiation sweeps into him. As his workers look on in horror, Hewitt’s agonized screams echo through the room. Mica grabs Multiplex, asking “What are you doing? He’s screaming in there - - he’s in terrible pain! Maxwell, do something - - stop him!” Maxwell answers that there is nothing they can do and that Mr. Hewitt knew what he was getting into. “All we can do now is watch!” Maxwell yells out.
Multiplex monitors the reaction, announcing “Radiation exposure - - at maximum! And it’s happening again, just as it did with the Reilly girl! We’re losing control - - losing control!” ZZRAKK! Orange and pink bursts of energy cascade around Hewitt’s form. He yells in pain as his metal-sealed body is thrown upwards on the powerful radioactive torrent! Mica begs Multiplex to stop, Hewitt is dying! Multiplex frantically works control switches and buttons. Multiplex was Martin Stein’s assistant when the reactor was designed, and he believes that Stein must have made changes to the system to stabilize its operation after he quit. “If only we’d managed to keep Stein once we had captured him - - he could’ve corrected our design!” Multiplex yells. Reaching to activate the emergency damper, Multiplex warns everyone to brace themselves.
TRAWHOOOM! The room shudders and shakes as the emergency damper takes control. Multiplex, Maxwell, and Mica steady themselves and look towards their leader. “It’s…It’s stopped! The reactor’s shut down,” Multiplex observes, “But - - what about Mr. Hewitt?” They look cautiously towards the nuclear pile. Wide-eyed, Maxwell exclaims, “Good Lord…look!” End of interlude.
Morning, at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Manhattan, and a group of jaded reporters and photographers sit swapping stories. One laments over the nature of courthouse duty: boring. Nothing ever happens. “I’m telling you, trials nowadays are so dull, even the judges have a hard time peeling their eyes open,” one tells his cohorts.
In a nearby courtroom, one of those boring trials is taking place. The judge listens as the prosecutor presents evidence before the court in a preliminary hearing. The prosecutor details the government’s contention that the defendant, Leroy Merkyn, did conspire with a person or persons unknown to develop illegal weapons in a hidden complex on an island in the East River. He introduces Prosecution Exhibit A, a fiber-plastic armored suit that was found on the island and known to have been used by the defendant. The prosecutor holds up the armored mask of Enforcer!
Sitting with his attorney, Leroy Merkyn scoffs at the suit. He whispers to his attorney that the suit in evidence is a back-up. The original was heavily damaged during his battle with Firestorm, and he claims to his attorney that the prosecution can’t prove he used the one in the courtroom. “Merkyn, your fingerprints - - they’re all over the suit,” his counsel replies, “maybe we should plea-bargain!” Merkyn tells him to forget it, viewing the whole preliminary hearing as a joke. “I know things, Shyster - - things that’d make your jaw drop, and I’ve got friends,” Merkyn says, “They’ll get me out of this, you’ll see.” The unimpressed defense attorney tells Merkyn that he’s seen too many gangster movies.
The prosecution concludes its statement, and asks that the judge return an indictment against Leroy Merkyn on charges of conspiracy. The judge asks the defense for its plea on the charges. Merkyn’s attorney stands, and advises the judge that the defense denies all charges and moves for the case to be dismissed. The motion is quickly denied by the judge, and the defense enters a not guilty plea. The judge sets a trial date for six weeks from today and he reaches for his gavel to put the court in recess.
Outside the courtroom, the group of reporters and photographers perceive something is wrong in the normally boring setting. A loud BAWHOOM echoes nearby, and the force of whatever made the noise is causing the whole building to shake. Small pieces of debris fall from the ceiling as the building shakes as if an earthquake tremor is spreading through it. Another BAWHOOM rings out and sections of the wall and ceiling cave in! The courtroom descends into chaos and panic. Screams mix with the roar of the collapsing masonry. People flee, but one man among them moves with a purpose. Leroy Merkyn dashes for the armored suit that was Prosecution Exhibit A and reaches for it. “Yeah, I knew something like this’d happen!” he thinks, “Gotta grab the suit - - get outta here!”
The prosecuting attorney sees Merkyn and orders him to stop. As the courtroom collapses, Merkyn punches the attorney and knocks him to the floor. A section of wall opens to the street. Merkyn, armored suit and helmet in hand, waves as he runs through the hole. “Over here, boss - - it’s me, Merkyn,” he yells, “I’m coming out!”
Outside, the sidewalk thunders. In the midst of the vibrating chaos, one figure stands unmoving, orchestrating the destruction like some mad conductor. A humanoid form in a silver robotic suit stands, aiming bursts of energy emanating from his hand to destroy the courthouse. Merkyn sees the humanoid and calls “Here, boss - - looking for me?” The humanoid pauses in his destruction. A voice from within the suit is heard from a speaker to the outside world. “Why, yes, Merkyn…I have been looking for you,” the voice tells the fleeing defendant. Merkyn is relieved that his boss came to set him free. “Not exactly. I’ve come to destroy you, Merkyn - - for failing me. And you mustn’t call me ‘boss.’ I have a new sobriquet now.” Standing over Merkyn, inside the silver robotic suit is…Henry Hewitt!
VAMMM! An energy beam blasts into Merkyn’s chest and he falls in agony, twisting and spinning wildly. Hewitt yells “I call myself - - Tokamak, the Human Reactor!” Tokamak explains that his name is the Russian name for a fusion plasma reactor. Rings of energy swirl from Tokamak and wrap tightly around the panic-stricken Merkyn. He begs for mercy. The rings are crushing him and he can barely breathe. Tokamak bends over Merkyn’s crumpling form. He tells Merkyn that the rings are plasma energy in the form of magnetic fields, of the kind used to control a fusion reactor. Tokamak generates them by focusing the energies he now contains. Merkyn’s body spins wildly, becoming ever smaller and smaller as the rings encircle and compress him. “Whatever is trapped within their field has its atomic structure altered,” Tokamak tells the dying Merkyn, “or, in your case, compressed to nothingness!” With a tiny pop of pink energy, the voice of Merkyn goes silent and all traces of him vanish! Tokamak picks up the green armor left behind. Tokamak launches skyward on rocket jets affixed to his boots. He dismisses Merkyn as a useless liability, but takes notice that his Enforcer armor might still prove effective - - in other hands.
Police cars arrive in response to calls about someone destroying the Federal Courthouse. The officers see Tokamak lifting off as they screech to a stop. Two officers exit their patrol car. One draws his service revolver. “All that metal he’s wearing,” the officer says as he aims, “let’s see if it can stop a steel-jacketed .38 slug!” KBAM! He fires at Tokamak, but the bullet doesn’t even leave a mark. “Idiots,” Tokamak utters, and plasma energy shoots from his hand. In an instant, the two officers and their patrol car are destroyed.
Tokamak flies upwards, the flaming patrol car projecting a plume of smoke visible behind him. For the first time in his life, he feels exhilarated! His heart pounds with excitement amid new sensations of strength and power. “All these years of weakness - - of a sickly body, poisoned by disease - - that life is gone, forgotten!” Tokamak exclaims, “And I’ll never go back to what was…Never!”
Climbing higher in the sky, Tokamak approaches a sleek aircraft that is hovering above him. He radios to his command craft to open the lower hatch. “Merkyn is dead. I’m coming aboard,” Tokamak instructs, still clutching the late Enforcer’s suit of armor.
Inside the craft, Multiplex and Mica stand near the lower entry hatch and observe as Tokamak flies in. Multiplex asks, “Mr. Hewitt…How did it go?” Tokamak lands and tells them he feels fantastic. He announces again that Merkyn is dead and hands the Enforcer armor to Mica. She is surprised as she reaches for it. “I trust you, Mica,” Tokamak explains as Multiplex looks on, “You’re the only one I can trust.” Tokamak walks away as Multiplex asks to examine his leader and test him for after-effects of the nuclear exposure. “I told you, Multiplex, I feel fine! Now let me be. I have to report to the 2000 Committee.” Multiplex watches Tokamak leave the entry hatch area, and notices that Tokamak’s face was flushed and fevered. The command craft rotates to a vertical position and launches skyward on an orange flame of rocket power. Multiplex worries, “I don’t like the look of this. Not one bit.”
Meanwhile, some miles north, at the other end of Manhattan, in a secluded corner of the Bradley High School parking lot, a single colorful figure drops from the sky…and after a bizarre nuclear transformation, becomes two, not quite so colorful. “Thanks for dropping me at class, Professor,” Ronnie says, “Summer school is a drag - - but missing it is even worse.” Stein replies that stopping here was the least he could do after waking Ronnie early just to bore him with Stein’s fears. Ronnie has been just as worried about what been happening. He suggests that they talk again after class, inquiring where the Professor will be. Stein mentions his old co-worker Harry Carew has invited Stein to his apartment on East 60th Street to talk. “Take care, Professor,” Ronnie says as he heads to class, “Get some rest.”
Later, after the summer school session is over for the day, several students gather to talk. Ronnie walks alone towards them, thinking that Stein is as broken up about his Dad’s murder as he is. Ronnie has to keep telling himself that it is true - - Dad’s dead - - then he forgets and finds himself thinking about his Dad.
Cliff Carmichael calls out to Ronnie, asking him to wait up. Cliff invites Ronnie asks if Ronnie is loose for dinner, inviting him over for his Mom’s terrific meatloaf. Ronnie politely declines, reminding Cliff that he is staying with the Day family until things settle down. Cliff apologizes for all the hassles he gave Ronnie, who is surprised at his former nemesis’ change of heart. The two walk together away from the group of classmates. Cliff reveals something he has never told anyone. Cliff was adopted, and doesn’t even know who or where his real parents are. When Ronnie’s Dad died, Cliff knew how Ronnie felt and it made him think. The two wave as they part company. Ronnie is surprised at what Cliff told him, thinking that it’s weird how you can see someone practically every day and then find out you didn’t really know them at all.
“Boo,” Doreen startles Ronnie’s thoughts. He turns to face her and smiles. “Remember me?” she asks. Ronnie suddenly remembers that he was supposed to ride the bus to school with Doreen, and playfully asks her to kick him for forgetting. Doreen says he had already left by the time she woke up this morning. She tells Ronnie that she’s worried about him. He has seemed different since his Dad’s death. The two walk up the steps into the school. Ronnie tells her “Can we drop this? Principal Hapgood acted kind of strange at Dad’s funeral. I want to ask him why.”
Doreen and Ronnie arrive at the Principal’s office to find his secretary, Miss Ricker, flustered and tossing papers around. She tells him Hapgood is not in today, upset that the Principal left her files in a mess and took a day off without telling her. “I thought only you kids were irresponsible,” she gripes. Doreen and Ronnie walk back outside. Doreen observes that Miss Ricker was in a bad mood. “So what’s new?” Ronnie asks, “Miss Ricker always looks like she just brushed her teeth with lemon juice.” Ronnie thinks it strange that Principal Hapgood called him to his office last week for a talk without mentioning why, and then took an unusual, unplanned day off. Behind Ronnie and Doreen, a large black sedan has been idling near the school sidewalk. Suddenly, it speeds right at them!
Ronnie sees the car coming just in time. He grabs Doreen and pulls her out of the car’s path. It veers onto to the sidewalk to run them down, crashing into two garbage cans as it roars past them! The car screeches to a stop and two men jump out. “Ronnie – those men tried to run us down!” Doreen shouts. Ronnie helps her to her feet as the two men run towards them! “Little creep - - you’re dead meat!” one yells at Ronnie! He tells Doreen to run, and the two sprint away. Turning a corner, they quickly find a hiding place near the school’s loading dock. Hugging Doreen close to him in a darkened corner, Ronnie can hear the two men looking for them. After a few minutes, the pursuers give up. “You lost them, moron,” Ronnie can hear one say, “Boss Shine is gonna eat you alive!”
Twenty breathless minutes later, Doreen and Ronnie have made it safely to the Day family home. Doreen pours them some cool water, asking Ronnie who the men were that chased them like something out of a bad TV show. “They mentioned a name - - their boss - - somebody called Shine!” Ronnie tells her. Overhearing that name, Bert Day approaches. He has been busy preparing for the night shift tonight at the police station. He tells Ronnie that “Shoe” Shine is a killer, and is the head of the biggest non-syndicate mob in the East. Resting his hand on Ronnie’s shoulder, Bert asks what his houseguest has to do with the Shine Family. Ronnie explains that information is all a mystery to him, and tells Bert that two guys tried to run them down. Bert warns that Shine is crazy, and inquires, “If you’ve done something to get on his bad side, tell me now. I’ll get you help.” Ronnie says it must be some mistake as he’s never even heard of the Shine people. Bert urges caution, warning that some mistakes can kill people. He tells the two of to stay near the house until he can learn more at work. “Ronnie, I want your promise - - no going out,” Bert orders. Ronnie agrees, thinking an apology to Professor Stein that they will now have to wait until tomorrow to see each other. Doreen says goodnight to her Dad, and she and Ronnie head for the living room to watch TV.
Doreen snuggles up next to Ronnie. “So…Here we are. Mom’s taking a class at Manhattan College, and Dad’s off at work,” Doreen coos, “and it’s just the two of us with Tom Selleck. Makes you think, doesn’t it?” Ronnie mumbles an agreement. She mentions all that has happened lately, and how it has made her feel closer to him. “I love you,” she tells Ronnie, “There…I said it. Now you can laugh.” She rests her hand on Ronnie’s shoulder. “Laugh? Are you nuts? Don’t you know?” he replies, “I love you, too…” Their cozy moment is suddenly interrupted by a special bulletin breaking in over the TV!
A newscaster breathlessly starts to give details as images of Tokamak on the rampage are seen on the screen. “Live from our Mini-Cam outside Manhattan General Hospital - - this video of a strange armored being calling himself Tokamak!” the newscaster blurts out, “Just moments ago, Tokamak appeared over East 51st Street - - where police units, responding to the scene, attempted to take him into custody. Tokamak has been identified as a suspect in the destruction, earlier today, of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Manhattan.” The newscaster begins to describe Tokamak using incredible power to resist the police. Ronnie jumps up and runs for the door. “Manhattan General - - that’s where Lorraine is a patient!” he exclaims. Doreen, standing with arms raised in surprise, watches him run out the door. She thinks for a moment, then asks herself, “…Lorraine?”
Professor Martin Stein pedals away on a stationary bike at the apartment of his friend and former co-worker, Harry Carew. Stein asks Carew if all this exercise is necessary. The two have been working out all day, and Stein is exhausted. Carew, a fitness fanatic, likes what he sees and tells Stein that exercising cleans the poisons out of the body. “After this, we’ll take a little jog around Central Park,” Carew suggests, “and really get the juices flowing.” He says that Stein is a physical wreck wants him to get into shape and find another job so as to put him back on his feet once and for all. Carew’s apartment door suddenly bursts open, and Ronnie runs in out of breath.
“Kid, haven’t you heard of doorbells?” Carew asks Ronnie. With a quick apology to Carew, Ronnie explains that there is an emergency in Professor Stein’s family and the two must speak privately. He leads Stein out the door to the hallway. Stein whispers that he’s been waiting for Ronnie all day and almost died from Carew’s fitness regimen. In the hall, Ronnie explains that he wanted to transform them into Firestorm, but he knew that Stein was with Carew and didn’t want to risk Carew seeing him disappear. Stein urges Ronnie not to hesitate. “What are you waiting for?” he says, “Whatever the reason, get us out of here!”
Seconds later, Firestorm flies into the sky above Harry Carew’s apartment building. Stein inquires what the problem is that has necessitated their transformation. Ronnie explains that there is trouble at Lorraine’s hospital and he must go see if she is okay. Stein frets that Carew will think he sneaked off. Back in the apartment hallway, Carew leans out to summon Stein back to their workout. He looks up and down the hall, and sees no sign of Stein or Ronnie. “I knew it,” he mutters, “The guy’s just got no stamina.”
Across town, Lorraine Reilly lies in her hospital bed. A flame-headed Nuclear Man suddenly walks right through the wall and into her room, announcing “Hi. Am I too late for visiting hours?” The nurse caring for Lorraine looks a little surprised at Firestorm walking through the wall, but she has other priorities at the moment. She tells Firestorm that he must leave, advising that the hospital is evacuating the patients because a madman is loose outside!
Lorraine tells the nurse it is ok, she knows Firestorm. She jumps up from her hospital bed. “There’s something I’ve got to give you…” Lorraine says as she pulls Firestorm into an embrace and plants a kiss on his surprised lips. Stein looks on for a moment, then remarks, “Very nice, Ronald…Now if you haven’t forgotten why we came here…? Ronald?”
Ronnie finally regains his composure, and tells Lorraine, “Uh, I hate to break this up, Lorraine - - Boy, do I hate to break this up - - but before I go after that guy out there, I need to know if you’ve remembered anything about the past few weeks.” Lorraine has been trying, and she recalls something about Henry Hewitt, whom her father calls “the last of the robber-barons.” Outside, a loud WHOOM shakes the hospital. Ronnie looks in the direction of the sounds. “Hewitt, huh? That’s my cue. The police couldn’t stop that craz-o, I guess…so now it’s up to me.”
Outside, Tokamak hovers in the sky just above the hospital, launching plasma rings into the side of the building. FZAAAAMMM! Sections of the hospital wall collapse and people flee away from the entrance. Tokamak radios to his command craft that he has broken through the police SWAT teams trying to shield the hospital and he expects to reach his target within sixty seconds. Aboard the command craft, Mica acknowledges his report and notifies Tokamak that she is keeping an eye on Senator Reilly to make sure he does nothing rash. She and Multiplex stand next to Senator Reilly. Mica is now clad in Enforcer’s armor suit. Senator Reilly looks down through a viewport at Tokamak and the chaos he is causing. “Are you all insane?” he asks, “That’s my daughter Hewitt is after, down there! I can’t allow…” Mica puts her hand on his shoulder. She asks what choice he thinks he has and pushes him to sit down. “You surrendered your choices when you let Hewitt blackmail you into casting a vote for the ‘Hewitt Industries Bill,’” she reminds him, adding, “Your darling Lorraine will be fine - - if she doesn’t resist.” Reilly wonders what Mica could mean. She tells him that Hewitt gave Lorraine her Firehawk powers, exhorting that “She belongs to him now - - just as you do.”
Down below, the hospital crumbles under the constant barrage of plasma rings pounding down from Tokamak. KABLAST! “That’s the last of it - - the building’s gutted!” Tokamak observes, “Now to find the girl!” Down below, Firestorm appears as sections of the hospital fall away. Lorraine is lying next to him, shielding her head and face from the swirling debris. Firestorm aims his hand at Tokamak, yelling “Guess again, bright eyes. Got a present for you - - special delivery!” Using a nuclear transforming burst, Firestorm creates three rocket-powered missiles and launches them at Tokamak!
KZAM! Plasma rings flow from Tokamak’s hand and the missiles explode in tatters before they can get near the armored attacker. “So you’re here, are you?” Tokamak greets his opponent, “Plasma power versus fusion power - - an interesting contest. Sad, that you are destined to lose!” Stein looks closely at Tokamak’s energy attacks. He warns Ronnie that plasma power can generate high-energy magnetic gases, explaining that plasma bottles are what are used to contain fusion reactions in experimental power plants. “He could be deadly dangerous to us!” Stein cautions.
Ronnie listens but is unimpressed by Tokamak. “This tub of tin? Be serious, Professor!” Using a nuclear beam, Ronnie forms loose girders from the hospital debris into a tight steel ring around Tokamak, predicting “Fatso doesn’t stand a…” KAROOM! Tokamak explodes his arms away from him and blasts the steel ring of girders off his armored body! In the maelstrom, panicked people try to get away from the battle and collapsing walls. “Lunacy! It’s lunacy!” one shrieks!
Ronnie apologizes to Stein for his cockiness. Using nuclear bursts, he brings a wall of debris cascading down on Tokamak. “Let’s see him dig his way out of this!” Ronnie says as Tokamak is crushed under the avalanche. Up above in the command craft, Senator Reilly, Mica, and Multiplex look on. “Hewitt’s in trouble, Mica! Buried under that rubble!” Reilly exclaims, “This is your chance…Release me, let me contact the police, and we can…” But Mica interrupts him before he can finish, calmly asking him to look again. Wide-eyed in shock, Reilly gasps “Oh, my God…”
Firestorm uses nuclear bursts to form pavement into giant pincers, but they do not stop Tokamak! “Professor - - where am I going wrong? Hitting this creep with all I’ve got - - changing the pavement into pincers - - but he won’t stay down!” Ronnie cries out. Bellowing “I am Tokamak, the Human Reactor, you child…against power such as mine, you never stood a chance,” he breaks free from the pincers and beams plasma rings at Firestorm! They begin to encircle and envelop his body! “Don’t let them close around you, Ronald!” Stein warns, “We don’t know how they’ll affect our fused molecular structure! Ronald…oh, Lord, Ronald!”
Tokamak’s plasma rings have overpowered Firestorm. He bends and twists helplessly under their compressing power. His arms are pulled tightly to his side, unable to provide a defense. “Help me, Professor…” Ronnie gasps, “They’re crushing me - - can’t breathe…” Firestorm grows smaller and smaller as the rings squeeze and shrink him. He fights…but the pressure is too great…and his fused structure too vulnerable to a squeeze play. He dwindles, ever smaller…
Lorraine cries, overcome with emotion at the horrifying sight. Up above in the command craft, Mica and Multiplex smile and gloat at the sight of a defeated Firestorm. Senator Reilly clutches his fists to his face, unable to react. Firestorm shrinks and shrinks, disappearing in a tiny spark of harmless energy the feer of a joyful and exuberant Tokamak. Those who watch share many emotions…triumph and horror…and wild, unholy glee!
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