The Top Is Alive And Well In Henry Allen!

Police forensics scientist, Barry Allen, visits his mother, Nora, in the hospital. Later, Detective Frank Curtis confronts Allan, with photographs of Allan's father, Professor Henry Allen, clearly having an affair with a younger woman. Allen refuses to believe it. Entering his apartment, Allen walks right into a death trap. Vibrating his molecules, at super-human speed, into intangibility, Allen evades the spring-loaded blade. Building up immense heat friction, Allen vaporizes the spring-loaded drill, then shatters the spiked balls. A pre-recorded tape, from Allen's father, reveals himself to be the culprit.

Taking a closer look at Curtis' photographs, Allen recognizes the young woman, his father is having an affair with, as Lisa Snart, the notorious Golden Glider. Allen confronts Snart, in the Central City lock-up, but garners no new information. Working in the laboratory with his assistant, Patty Spivot, Allen finds the outside corridor filling with gas. Allen, as the Flash, expels the gas, out of a window, revealing a top-shaped delivery device. The Flash races to Snart's cell, only to find a sonic-emitting top has shattered the outside wall. Snart is gone. The Flash easily catches up to Snart.

Professor Henry Allen accosts the Flash, dressed in the costume of the long-deceased Top. The Flash begins violently shaking Snart, at super-human speed, demanding to know what she's done to his father. The Flash is brought down by an electro-top, allowing Snart and Professor Allen to flee the scene. Outside Allen's mother's hospital room, Allen is accosted by Jack Morgan, the man responsible for the automobile accident, that put Allen's parents in the hospital. Morgan reveals that Allen's father was dead at the scene, but Morgan was able to revive him, through cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Allen, as the Flash, visits the Institute For Paranormal Phenomena. There the Flash confirms his hypothesis that while his father lay dead, the ghost of the Top took possession of his body. Back at home, the Flash, as Allen, is contacted by the Golden Glider, via one of her special gemstones. Allen, as the Flash, follows the jewel, into another death trap. Locked into a centrifugal treadmill, the Flash is forced to run, at ever increasing speed, as it spins. The Top possessed Professor Allen holds a gun to his head. Using the centrifugal force as a boost to his own super-human speed, the Flash breaks loose from the treadmill.

Before the bullet can leave the chamber, the Flash fuses the barrel shut, with super-speed generated friction heat. The strain of his exertions prove too much for the Flash, who keels over from a heart attack. The Golden Glider sees the Flash's spirit rising from his body. The Top abandons Professor Allen's body, to take possession of the Flash. The Golden Glider embraces the Flash passionately, only to discover that he faked his death. After the Flash subdues the Golden Glider, he checks on Professor Allen. Sure enough, when the Top abandoned Professor Allen's body, Professor Allen's spirit was able to reclaim it anew. Upon regaining consciousness, Professor Allen's first thought is of his wife, confirming for the Flash that his father has truly come home.

"The Hyena Syndrome!"

Firestorm, the Nuclear Man, lies unconscious, in the path of an oncoming garbage scow. Professor Martin Stein tries to wrest control of Firestorm to no avail. His psychic efforts, though, prove enough to rouse Firestorm back to consciousness. Firestorm destroys the scow as he blasts his way through it, then restores it to it's original condition, with his atomic restructuring powers. Firestorm recovers Summer Day's diary, which he lost in his battle with the Hyena.

Day's sister, Doreen, finds her sprawled out on her bed, burning with fever. The information Firestorm garners from Day's diary chills him to the bone. He immediately races for Day's home. Doreen returns to her sister bedroom, with a cold compress and a glass of water, Doreen is puzzled by the absence of light, as she enters the room, Suddenly, the bedroom door slams shut behind Doreen, as she is confronted by the Hyena.

Notes:

• This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad Red Tornado in "Clean Sweep"