Gay Nineties Gamble

Ageing vaudeville actress Sarah Heldburn is lost in thought over the good old days when she is almost run down by a car if it is not for the sudden intervention of the Human Torch and Toro, who save her life. Sarah is turned over to her minder a young woman named Elsie. As they walk away, the Torch recognize who they saved and both he and Toro remark on how she has fallen on hard times.

Elsewhere in the city, at the office of Willie Flower is meeting with his rival Phil Brady who has come seeking to buy Flower's nightclub. Willie refuses telling that he intends on making it a club that specializes on performances and themed after the "Gay 90's" with a mix of modern entertainment as well. Brady does not believe it is a good idea and warns Flower to sell or lose his business, but Willie refuses to give up. In order to drum up publicity, Willie calls on the Human Torch and Toro who agree to help him promote the club and suggest hiring Heldburn and Elsie onto the cast and crew.

However, on the opening night of the Gay Mystique club the performances are halted when masked robbers come in and rob the club and its customers. As the Torch and Toro try to stop the gang, their leader douses the lights and succeeds in escaping. After the robbery Willie is convinced that he is ruined after the cost of setting up the club, but the Torch and Toro vow to help him. When they ask Elsie where Sarah went, she tells them that she suddenly left upset. Going to Heldburn's home, the Torch questions her and she tells him that she believes that the thief is Bradford McClain, another former vaudeville actor who wanted to marry her when she was younger. She explains that she refused, focusing on her career and he eventually vowed that he would do what it takes to make sure her career never brought her happiness.

The Torch orders Toro to try and track down Bradford McClain while he convinces Willie to open his club one more night after convincing his creditors to hold off for one more night. The Torch then drums up publicity with flaming sky writing. That night the house is packed again and when the masked robbers arrive the Torch fights them once more. Their leader douses the Torch with a fire hose and attempts to flee but is felled by Toro who unmasks him, revealing him to be Phil Brady. After Brady is turned over to the authorities, the Torch and Toro reintroduce Sarah to Bradford and the two rekindle their romance and agree to marry, while Elise has attracted the attention of Hollywood talent scouts.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro

The Beast of the Bowery Barge

A beat cop hears the beating of a child aboard the ship owned by Bowerie Bennie and goes knocking on the door. While Bennie orders the office to go away, a young girl named Josie runs out of the boat. When Bowery Bennie tries to chase after her the cop stops him and tracks her down himself. Finding her, the officer is surprised when the girl demands that he leave her alone and runs away. Still troubled, he finds the Sub-Mariner and Namora and they agree to check in on that girl.

Driving their yacht near Bennie's barge they hear him beating on the girl again and rush to the ship. Namor soon finds himself overpowered by Bennie's sons who begin beating on him while Josie flees. Outside she is greeted by Namora who promises to take her some place safe. The thugs are distracted by Josie's departure long enough for Namor to break free and return to the ship and speed away. After insuring that Josie is okay, the Sub-Mariner returns to Bennie's barge while Namora ties it to their yacht and pull it out to sea. When Namor climbs back aboard he is knocked out and taken prisoner. Bennie and his sons realize what's going on an start shooting at Namora, forcing her to flee. Not recognizing the Sub-Mariner, they tie him up with weights and toss him overboard assuming he will drown. He is untied by Namora and the pair open the scuttle valves of the ship causing it to start to sink. Bennie and his sons then abandon ship.

They turn Bennie and his sons over to the authorities but are unable to hold them for any crimes until Josie speaks up and tells them that they robbed a store and shot the store owner. When they worry about what will happen to Josie now that her "family" has been arrested, Bennie explains that the girl is not his daughter. He tells them that he picked the girl up from a life raft 10 years earlier after the S.S. Argus sank. Researching the Argus' passenger manifest they learn that Josie is the daughter of Henry Ward, a millionaire who died in the sinking, leaving Josie a considerable fortune. With her personal nightmare now over, Josie thanks Namor, Namora and the officer who took interest in her plight for all their help.

Recurring Characters

Sub-Mariner, Namora

The Hyena Strikes

One night the Hyena and his gang forces a truck from the Miller Trucking Company to crash and robs it, another in a series of crashes. The following day, owner Lorraine Miller is met by Mr. Lennox who asks her to sell over her company to him since it has been flagging since her father died leaving her in charge. However, Lorraine refuses to sell the company.

Meanwhile, news of the most recent crash is read by the Human Torch and Toro who believe that there is more at play than mere coincidence and decide to pay a visit to the Miller Trucking Company. They pay a visit to Lorraine Miller who agrees to let the two heroes help get to the bottom of the crashes. That night another truck is sent out and once more the Hyena and his men force it to crash. The driver, still alive radios in and warns that the crash wasn't an accident before dying. The Torch and Toro rush to the scene and catch the Hyena and his men looting the truck. However the Hyena gets away and soon after Lorraine arrives with a tow truck and they explain to her what happened. Lorraine questions the Hyena's men who tell them that they learned the shipping route from the Hyena.

Back at her office, Lorraine confronts Mr. Lennox as the only person who could have told the Hyena the route her truck is going on. When she tries to call the authorities, Lennox knocks her out and loads her into a truck to dispose of her. When the Torch and Toro return to talk to Miller after dropping the crooks off they learn that she was talking to Mr. Lennox. Having just saw Lennox leave, the Torch and Toro follow after him.

They arrive near the original crash site and while the Torch saves Lorraine when the truck was pushed over the cliff, Toro rounds up the Hyena and Lennox. With the caper over and the crooks turned over to the authorities the two heroes streak off into the night.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro, Hyena

Continuity Notes

• This story is briefly recapped in Saga of the Original Human Torch #3

• This is the only Golden Age appearance of the Hyena. By the Marvel Age, writers have attempted to make the Hyena a recurring foe for the Human Torch. He will appear next in Invaders Annual #1, although that story chronologically takes place before this one. He also appears as an elderly man in Avengers West Coast (Vol. 2) #83.