Champions of the Omniverse - Part 4

When we last left our heroes, they were storming the abandoned Globe Newspaper building and had just beaten the terrifying Radioactive Man into submission. Not wanting to rush in unprepared, Spiderstrike, Firenado and Gigawatt scout around the building, checking skylights and roof access to make sure that the flaming hole they left in the side of the building is still a viable entrance. When the trio finally steps inside they discover a massive Doctor Octopus robot being guarded by Beetle, Scorpion and Doctor Octopus himself. Just as Spiderstrike readies his sound control powers for sneaking up on the enemy, Doc Ock shouts out;



"Stop them you fools, or all my plans will be ruined!" 

Beetle buzzes into action, firing a paralyzing ray and taking Gigawatt out of the fight almost immediately! Firenado blasts at Scorpion, managing to do some damage through his high-tech armour and  shorting out the blaster in his tail. Scorpion, enraged, chases after Firenado as the hero darts around the building, firing off the odd blast of flame at the arch-villain. Spiderstrike leaps into battle against the Beetle, but comes off second best and is forced to take to the shadows and attempt to help in another way. 
Sick of Firenado buzzing him, Scorpion grabs the paralyzed form of Gigawatt and threatens the heroes; 
"Get down here or I'll kill your friend with these claws that not every artist remembers to include on my costume!"
 

Being a true hero, Firenado agrees to land and follows Scorpion's instructions to back up towards the giant robot, at the same time, Spiderstrike has reached the feet of the robot and is looking for a way to disable it (in his civilian identity, he is an electrical engineer). Too late, the heroes realise that the printing presses around the giant robot are laid with traps! A sneaky laser blast takes out Spiderstrike and a missile almost finishes off Firenado! Luckily, Gigawatt recovers just in the nick of time and charges down Beetle, pummeling the criminal into submission. The tide turning, Gigawatt and Firenado team up to batter Scorpion into unconsciousness and turn to face Doc Ock... only to find that the fiend has slipped away in the chaos! If that weren't bad enough, the robot is active; it breaks through the wall of the building and starts to rampage through Manhattan! 

What will become of our heroes? Can they save the city? Only time, and our next issue, will tell!