History
The Human Torch and Toro are visited by Mary Orchid who asks for their help in locating her kidnapped fiancee Leslie Garden, the inventor of a new metal material called Y-9. The two agree to take the case and when Mary leaves their home some mobsters attempt to kidnap her. When the Torch and Toro save her they are shocked to find that her kidnappers are mute and are unable to answer their demands. Searching their persons they find an article about the Spencer Collection, which coincidentally is being directed by Mary's legal guardian Stephen Cole. After turning the thugs over to the police, the Torch, Toro and Mary all pay a visit to the museum where the collection is being displayed.
There they meet with Stephen Cole who agrees to show the Torch and Toro the diamonds that are on display. As they are doing so, they hear Mary scream and rush back to Stephen's office to see what the commotion is. They find that Mary is missing, prompting Stephen to rush out of the room to call the police. Hearing shooting from downstairs, the two flaming heroes rush down and spot the museum security clashing with thieves dressed in armor fashioned out of the bullet proof Y-9 metal.
Finding their flames useless against the armor, the Torch and Toro believe they can catch the crooks when the automatic security shutters clamp down on all the exits. The crooks are prepared, and blast the steel doors open with explosives. As they flee, the Torch and Toro grab the man who appears to be their leader and force his helmet off. They are shocked to find that it is Leslie Garden. Stephen arrives with the authorities and demands that he be arrested. Stripped of the rest of his armor, the Torch notices welts on Leslie's back indicating that he has been recently whipped.
Unconvinced that Leslie committed the crime, the Torch realizes that the "Metal Mobsters" must have fled into the cellar of the museum in order to avoid capture from the police. Rushing down there they are attacked by one of the armored crooks. They fight the true mastermind to a standstill and he flees into another room. Following after, they find that the mob leader has Mary tied to a pulley device. The Torch uses his flames to free her and he and Toro jump the mob leader and his gang. While they manage to round up the gang (who are out of their armor) their leader escapes.
The Torch and Toro take Mary upstairs to be reunited with her lover. There the Torch accuses Cole of being the leader of the Metal Mobsters. When the Torch points out the whip marks on Leslie's back, Leslie explains that it was Cole who whipped him into submission. Cracking under the pressure, Cole pulls out a gun and takes Mary hostage. During the confusion Toro manages to slip away and gets the drop on Cole and disarms him before he can harm the girl.[1]