Fantastic Four #537

Victor von Doom explains to Reed and Sue how he escaped from Hell, having been trapped there by the Hazareth Three: while battling against a horde of demons, an interdimensional rift created by the "final pitched battle of the Asgardians" rends "the very fabric of Hell itself," and Doom dives into the rift, nearly catching Thor's hammer Mjolnir before they are both ejected back on Earth.

In Latveria, ten days later, the Prime Minister discusses plans to repurpose Doom's army of Doombots before Doom announces his presence by killing the Prime Minister, then orders a pair of cabinet members to find the object that came out of the rift with him.

At the research installation, Doom approaches Mjolnir as Reed and Sue fight off the advancing battalion of Doombots; Grimm attempts to intercept Doom and keep him away from the hammer, but Doom overpowers the Fantastic Four and lays his hand on the hammer, igniting a massive detonation of energy. He is unable to lift Mjolnir, however, and resigns himself to failure, summoning his jet to escape the scene. Reed hypothesizes that the energy blast may have been "a signal of some kind," while Grimm also attempts and fails to lift the hammer, "just in case."

Elsewhere, during a driving rainstorm, a man purchases a bus ticket while listening to a news broadcast announcing the energy blast and subsequent blackout over most of Oklahoma.