Synopsis / Summary / Plot
The WWII villain Hyena sits in a wheelchair in an old Victorian mansion in the Downtown area of modern Los Angeles surrounded by Freeways. He takes delivery of a mysterious box and he laughs, something he hasn't done since 1947.
In an automobile junkyard the WWII android Human Torch calls out to his old enemy Hyena saying he's here as requested. And he's assaulted by 4 men with Hyena symbols on their shirts. He doesn't flame on but he easily defeats them and retrieves a note from Hyena telling him to come to the Gingerbread House at a precise time the next day. But before that Jim Hammond drives to the Avengers West Coast Compound for help.
However when he gets there he is surprised to find only his fellow Reserve members there:- Doctor Pym, Machine Man, Mockingbird, Quicksilver, Tigra and Wasp. Hank Pym and Jan Van Dyne explain that the regular team are out in space with the East Coast Avengers in Operation: Galactic Storm (in #80-82 and issues of Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, Quasar, Thor and Wonder Man).
The AWCers were attacked in California in #80 and went to New York for a grand meeting with the East Coasters in Av#345 where Dr Pym and Wasp joined them. Most of the team went to space but Spider-Woman and US Agent were left with Pym, Wasp, Mockingbird and some others to guard prisoners in Project Pegasus in #81 and a cameo in #80. We learn now that Machine Man, Quicksilver and Tigra were called in to man the West Coast HQ.
Tigra came over from Australia (last seen there in Marvel Comics Presents #162-164). Since he helped out in the Terminus Factor crossover annuals Machine Man has only appeared in Deathlok (1991) #2-5 vs a rogue Doombot called Mechadoom. Quicksilver is really only here to tender his resignation as an Avenger because he's joined X-Factor (see XF#71-76). Spider-Woman has gone to spend some time with her daughter while in a backup tale in CA#400 US Agent has gone with Falcon to rescue D-Man from Flag-Smasher.
Torch understands why he wasn't called in because he lost his fire/flight power (in Namor the Sub-Mariner #12 by giving a total blood transfusion to save the life of Spitfire). Apparently Henry Pym has been trying to reverse the problem.
But now he tells them about today's Hyena events (without telling them exactly why he wants to meet the villain). Machine Man's database doesn't contain info on such an ancient villain so Jim Hammond fills him (and us) in. He fought US Nazi Hyena during WWII (Invaders Annual #1) and again in 1947 as a hijacker (HT Comics #30). HT has 2nd thoughts about dragging the team into his personal affairs but they all insist on helping him.
Next day Hank Pym drives Torch to his rendezvous but traffic is heavy so Hammond gets out and finishes the journey on foot. He finds Hyena in the house in his wheelchair with the machine that arrived in the box. Apparently he's agreed to meet the villain because Hyena promised to help him find the body of his old sidekick Toro (who died in Sub-Mariner #14 and who Jim quit the team to search for in our #65).
Henry Mortonson says that scientists in his employ have studied Torch's problem. His android body was never designed to burst into flame, it was an accidental side-effect. The scientists believe his body gradually built up a defence against flaming on and the blood transfusion triggered it. But the device Hyena holds has been designed to help HT overcome that defence amongst other things.
It will allow Hammond to interface with all online computers in LA. That amount of computer power should enable him to break the block (why?). It will also give him access to official files where he will find the location of Toro's body if anyone knows it. In return Hyena wants info he can use for gain.
Jim agrees to the terms and puts on a headband connected to the machine. Hyena switches it on and things start to happen.
On Hollywood Freeway a trailer opens to disgorge a horde of starving hyenas which cause havoc among the slow-moving traffic. Where the Harbor Freeway becomes the Pasadena Freeway a monster truck starts driving over other cars crushing them. And a light plane crashes onto Santa Monica Freeway. All the vehicles appear to be driverless. And all the Freeways are now completely stalled.
Machine-Man, Quicksilver, Tigra and Wasp are overhead in a quinjet with Mockingbird flying alongside on her sky-cycle. Dr Pym is in a mobile control van trying to access Hyena's prison records.
Machine Man flies out of the jet carrying Pietro Maximoff and Tigra. He drops Tigra off with the hyenas. She establishes dominance with a loud tiger roar, except for the dominant male which she has to attack with her claws. Then she uses 1 hyena to bash the others and soon has them running off the side of the Freeway. (It sounds like the fall will kill them.)
Mockingbird has landed near the monster truck and Wasp is with her. As Bobbi Barton uses her battlestave to lever free people trapped in cars, insect-sized Jan Van Dyne squeezes through a slightly-open window into the truck. She manages to turn off the ignition just before it reaches a trapped little old lady.
Meanwhile Pietro races round the burning plane causing an updraft which puts the fire out. Then Machine Man pushes the plane off the Freeway. And Pym has got the prison records which tells him what Hyena is doing. But we're left in suspense.
Henry Mortonson is urging Jim Hammond to become the Human Torch. But Jim removes the headband and says that's just what he's been using his willpower to *avoid*. And he picks up the machine and smashes it. He knew that whatever Hyena wanted was exactly the thing *not* to do. But Hyena says he isn't beaten yet and pushes a button on his wheelchair ...
... and nothing happens. Except his 4 goons rush in and start beating on Torch again. However the other Avengers smash their way in and make short work of the 4. Quicksilver says he's disconnected the explosives in the basement.
Now it's time for Hyena to explain his plan. The big bomb would have destroyed this building and many blocks around. And the blocked Freeways would ensure that the casualty effect would be magnified. Mortonson didn't care about living because he was in the late stages of an incurable cancer, which was why he was released from prison. Torch flaming on was supposed to have triggered the explosion. Even if Hammond survived he would know he was responsible for all those deaths. And now frustrated Hyena gratefully collapses in death.
But he wakes up in a hospital bed surround by the Reserve Avengers. A doctor tells him that his deliberate avoidance of laughter, or even smiling, since his arrest in 1947 must have caused his cancer. Because his recent high spirits have sent it into remission. He can look forward to many more years in prison.