The Human Torch is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics-owned superhero. Created by writer-artist Carl Burgos, he first appeared in Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939), published by Marvel's predecessor, Timely Comics. Timely Comics is the 1940s comic-book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. ... Marvel Comics, sometimes called by the nickname House of Ideas, is an American comic book company. ... This article is about the comic book company. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... The first cover appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner on Marvel Mystery Comics #4, February, 1940. ... Carl Burgos is an American comic book and advertising artist, born April 18, 1917, New York City; died 1984. ... The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The All-Winners Squad is a fictional superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The V-Battalion is fictional organization. ... The West Coast Avengers was a spin-off superhero team of the Avengers, as well as the title of their comic book series. ... Alice, a fictional character based on a real character from the work of Lewis Carroll. ... This article is about the comic book company. ... For other uses, see Superhero (disambiguation). ... Carl Burgos is an American comic book and advertising artist, born April 18, 1917, New York City; died 1984. ... In comic books, the term first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... The first cover appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner on Marvel Mystery Comics #4, February, 1940. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Timely Comics is the 1940s comic-book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. ...

The "Human" Torch was actually an android created by a scientist. He possessed the ability to surround himself with fire and control flames. In his earliest appearances, he was portrayed as a science fiction monstrosity, but quickly became a hero. For other uses, see Android (disambiguation). ... This article is about the profession. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ...

The Human Torch was one of Timely Comics' three signature characters, along with Captain America and Namor the Sub-Mariner. Like many superheroes, the Human Torch fell into obscurity by the 1950s. In 1961, Marvel recycled his name and powers into a new, unrelated Human Torch, a member of the Fantastic Four (who, among other things, actually was human). Unlike Captain America and the Sub-Mariner, the original Human Torch has had only a small presence in the post-1950s Marvel comic books and is closely associated with the Golden Age. This article is about the superhero. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional character featured in the Marvel Comics Universe, and one of the oldest superhero characters. ... This article is about the Silver/Modern Age Human Torch, Johnny Storm. ... For other uses, see Fantastic Four (disambiguation). ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Superman, catalyst of the Golden Age: Superman #14 (Feb. ...

Publication history

Following his debut in the hit Marvel Comics #1,^[1] the Human Torch proved popular enough that he soon became one of the first superheroes to headline a solo title. Through the 1940s, the Torch starred or was featured in Marvel Mystery Comics (the book's title beginning with issue #2), The Human Torch (premiering with issue #2, Fall 1940, having taken over the numbering of the defunct Red Raven Comics), and Captain America Comics #19, 21-67, 69, 76 & 77, as well as appearing in several issues of All Select Comics, All Winners Comics, Daring Comics, Mystic Comics, and 'Young Allies Comics. Category: ... This article is about the superhero. ... All Select Comics is a comic published by Marvel Comics from 1943 to 1945. ... All Winners Comics 21 issues. ... Mystic has been used as the title of four comic-book series. ... The Young Allies is the name of two superhero teams in the Marvel Universe. ...

Seeing a natural "fire and water" theme, Timely was responsible for comic books' first major crossover, with a two-issue battle between the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner that spanned Marvel Mystery Comics #8-9 — telling the same story from the two characters' different perspectives. It has been suggested that Gaming crossovers be merged into this article or section. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional character, featured in Marvel Comics. ...

Marvel Mystery Comics #9 (July 1940): Fire vs. water in comics' first major crossover. Cover art by Bill Everett.

Marvel Mystery Comics ended its run with #92 (June 1949), and The Human Torch with #35 (March 1949), as superheroes in general faded in popularity. Timely Comics publisher Martin Goodman — who by the early 1950s had transitioned the company to its next iteration, as Atlas Comics — attempted to revive superheroes with the anthology comic Young Men #24-28 (Dec. 1953 - June 1954), starring the Human Torch (art by Syd Shores and Dick Ayers, variously, with covers and initially some panels featuring the Torch redrawn by Burgos for style consistency), along with the Sub-Mariner and Captain America. The solo title The Human Torch returned for issues #36-38 (April-Aug. 1954) before again being canceled. The Torch also appeared in stories in the briefly revived Captain America Comics and Sub-Mariner Comics, and in the anthology Men's Adventures #28 (July 1954). Cover to Marvel Mystery Comics #9, featuring the original Human Torch and Namor. ... Cover to Marvel Mystery Comics #9, featuring the original Human Torch and Namor. ... The first cover appearance of Namor the Sub-Mariner on Marvel Mystery Comics #4, February, 1940. ... Bill Everett (May 18, 1917 – February 27, 1973) was a comic book writer/illustrator most famous for the creation of Namor the Sub-Mariner and co-creating Daredevil for Marvel Comics. ... Martin Goodman (born 1910, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States; died June 6, 1992, Palm Beach, Florida) was an American publisher of pulp magazines, paperback books, mens adventure magazines, and comic books, launching the company that would become Marvel Comics. ... Atlas Comics is the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. ... An anthology, literally a garland or collection of flowers, is a collection of literary works, originally of poems. ... Syd Shores (born 1916, died March 6, 1973) is an American comic book artist known for his work on Captain America in both during the 1940s Golden Age of comic books and the 1960s Silver Age. ... Richard Dick Ayers is a comic book artist and cartoonist, born April 28th, 1924, in Ossining, New York. ... This article is about the superhero. ...

The original Human Torch debuted in present-day Marvel Comics continuity in Fantastic Four Annual #4 (Nov. 1966). For other uses, see Fantastic Four (disambiguation). ...

Fictional character biography

Early life

The Human Torch was an android created by Professor Phineas T. Horton for scientific purposes. At a press-conference unveiling, however, Horton's creation burst into flames when exposed to oxygen, and, with human-like sentience, personality, and awareness, rebelled against his creator. Public outcry led to the Torch being sealed in concrete, though he escaped due to a crack that let oxygen seep in. While the Torch then inadvertently caused parts of New York City to burn, he eventually learned to control his flame and vowed to help humanity. For other uses, see Android (disambiguation). ... Professor Phineas T. Horton is a fictional character, and was the creator of the original Human Torch. ... General Name, symbol, number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals, chalcogens Group, period, block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) pale blue (liquid) Standard atomic weight 15. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

He would join other heroes as war broke out in Europe, and later in the Pacific, to fight the Axis powers. In his solo title's debut issue, he acquired a young partner, Thomas "Toro" Raymond, the mutant son of two nuclear scientists whose exposure to radiation gave him the ability to control fire. The Human Torch also joined the police force as part of his "human cover" under the name James "Jim" Hammond. He would later drop the human name and serve the police force outright as the Human Torch, fighting villains and his off-and-on foe, the Sub-Mariner. This article is about the independent states that comprised the Axis powers. ... Toro (Thomas Raymond) is a fictional Marvel comic book superhero from the 1940s and 1950s. ... In Marvel comic books, particularly those of the X-Men mythos, a mutant is a member of the species Homo sapiens superior, an offshoot of regular humanity, Homo sapiens sapiens. ... For other uses, see Radiation (disambiguation). ...

Both the Torch and the Sub-Mariner joined with Captain America as the core of the superhero team The Invaders, fighting Nazis during World War II (in retcon stories that premiered in 1970s comics). Those three heroes and others banded together in post-war America in a subsequent super-team, the All-Winners Squad. In Marvel continuity, the Human Torch was responsible for the death of Adolf Hitler. When the Russians were invading Berlin, the Torch and Toro broke into Hitler's bunker just as he was about to commit suicide, to offer him the chance to surrender himself to the Americans, rather than the Russians. Hitler turned his pistol and opened fire. In return, the Human Torch blasted fire at Hitler, burning him alive. The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Nazi party used a right-facing swastika as their symbol and the red and black colors were said to represent Blut und Boden (blood and soil). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The All-Winners Squad is a fictional superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Sometime afterward, the Torch was placed in deactivation sleep in the Mojave Desert; an atomic bomb test awoke him. Learning that Toro had been captured by the Soviets and brainwashed, the Torch rescued his old partner and learned that the nuclear bomb's radiation had made his powers both much stronger and more unstable. For the indigenous American tribe, see Mohave. ... A nuclear test explosion is an experiment involving the detonation of a nuclear weapon. ... CCCP redirects here. ...

Young Men #25 (Feb. 1954): Cover art by Carl Burgos.

In order to keep Toro a young boy, the writers retconned (altered the history of) the character slightly, claiming the Torch met Toro after World War II rather than at the beginning. The revival lasted five issues. Later writers explained how fearing he would become a danger to those around him, the Torch flew back out into the desert and went nova, using up his energy reserve and effectively deactivating himself. Image File history File links YoungMen25. ... Image File history File links YoungMen25. ... Carl Burgos is an American comic book and advertising artist, born April 18, 1917, New York City; died 1984. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Present-day

In modern-day continuity, the supervillain the Mad Thinker reactivated the Torch to have him battle the Fantastic Four, deactivating him when the Torch refused to kill the heroes.^[2] A storyline in The Avengers, dealing with the secret background of its android member, the Vision, gradually revealed that the Torch's body had been found by a renegade robot named Ultron 5 and modified to become the Vision, his mind wiped of past memories and his powers altered with the coerced help of the Human Torch's original creator, Phineas Horton. The seed of this idea was planted by artist Neal Adams and worked out in detail in The Avengers #133-135 by writer Steve Englehart. The Mad Thinker is a Marvel comics supervillain. ... For other uses, see Fantastic Four (disambiguation). ... The Avengers are a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. ... For other uses, see Android (disambiguation). ... This article is about Marvel Comics modern-day characters. ... For other uses, see Ultron (disambiguation). ... Neal Adams (born June 6, 1941, Governors Island, Manhattan, New York City) is an American comic book and commercial artist best known for his highly naturalistic style of illustration. ... The Avengers are a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. ... Steve Englehart (born April 22, 1947, Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, particularly in the 1970s. ...

A later story by Roy Thomas in What If? Vol. 1, #4 (Aug. 1977), planted the suggestion that the Vision was actually made from a second android created by Horton, named Adam II. This freed up the Human Torch for a possible revival. This was followed up by John Byrne, who had the Scarlet Witch revive the Torch in Avengers West Coast, seeking answers about her husband, the Vision, and to help Ann Raymond, wife of Tom "Toro" Raymond. The Torch served the Avengers for many issues before losing his powers to save the former superheroine Spitfire in the 1990s series Namor. His powers gone, the Torch settled down with Ann Raymond. Roy Thomas (born November 22, 1940, Missouri, United States) is a comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lees first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. ... For other uses of John Byrne, see John Byrne (disambiguation). ... The Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, a mutant who was introduced as a super-villainess before reforming and becoming a superheroine early in her history. ... Cover to Avengers #65. ... Toro (Thomas Raymond) is a fictional Marvel comic book superhero from the 1940s and 1950s. ... Spitfire (Lady Jacqueline Falsworth-Crichton) is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe, and a former member of the Invaders. ... Namor the Sub-Mariner is a fictional comic-book character in the Marvel Comics Universe, and one of the first superheroes, debuting in Spring 1939. ...

He would appear later as CEO of Oracle, Inc., a company run by Namor. There he ran the mercenary team Heroes for Hire, and his mysterious connection to the Vision was furthered when Ant-Man (Scott Lang) discovered that his internal mechanisms were not merely similar, but identical to the Vision's. During a time-travel adventure, the Avengers subsequently discovered Immortus, the custodian of Limbo, had used a device called the Forever Crystal to diverge the Torch's personal timeline while keeping the two outcomes concurrent. Hence, the Human Torch is the Vision, but also continues to exist as himself. Power Man and Iron Fist was a Marvel comic book featuring Power Man and Iron Fist. ... Scott Lang is a fictional character featured in the American comic books published by Marvel. ... Spoiler warning: Kang the Conqueror is a supervillain in Marvel Comics. ...

Cover to New Invaders #9. Art by C. P. Smith.

When Oracle Inc. was closed down and Heroes for Hire disbanded, Hammond was soon asked to head Citizen V's V-Battalion upon the retirement of Roger Aubrey, the Destroyer. While on leave from the V-Battalion as field leader of the New Invaders, he became attached to Tara, a female android based on him, whom he came to regard as a daughter of sorts. He also renewed acquaintances with Spitfire, to the dismay of her beau, Union Jack (Joey Chapman). Tara was revealed to have been created by the Red Skull; overrides on her developing personality allowed the Invaders' enemies, the Axis Mundi, to use her as a weapon against the team. As Tara heated toward overload to kill the Invaders, the Torch channeled her heat in order to prevent her meltdown. With his own systems then overloading, he flew high into the atmosphere, away from where he could cause harm, and detonated. Download high resolution version (550x824, 157 KB)Cover to New Invaders #9, featuring the original Human Torch. ... Download high resolution version (550x824, 157 KB)Cover to New Invaders #9, featuring the original Human Torch. ... Citizen V (the V pronounced as Vee, not Five), is the codename of several fictional characters in the Marvel Universe. ... Destroyer (real name Roger Aubrey) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... The Destroyer on the cover of Mystic Comics #8 (March, 1942) The Destroyer is a Golden Age of Comics superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Invaders is the name of two fictional superhero teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The gynoid known as Tara was a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... Union Jack is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Red Skull is the name of three Marvel Comics supervillains who are enemies of Captain America, other superheroes, and the United States in general. ...

The superhuman training camp created in the aftermath of the Civil War is named Camp Hammond, in the Torch's honor. A statue of Hammond on the grounds bears the inscription "JIM HAMMOND, THE FIRST OF THE MARVELS: He showed us that heroes can be made".^[3]

Physiology

Earlier writers portrayed the Torch's body as anatomically identical to human, but made out of synthetic materials (such as ceramic bone). Correspondingly, the Torch was shown to have human needs and human weaknesses; he has been felled by drugs, poison gas, and telepathic attacks in both Golden-Age stories and the Invaders series from the 1970s. The Torch has also been shown sleeping, eating, and drinking on more than one occasion. Generically speaking, invaders are those who participate on an invasion, often in a militaristic context. ...

After the Mad Thinker's reactivation of the Torch, writers began to portray him as clearly mechanical, containing circuits, relays, and motors, much like a traditional robot. The reconciliation of these two different interpretations of the Torch's physiology remains an unresolved issue.

Of particular note is the Torch's synthetic blood, which in addition to being a universal blood type has been shown to have remarkable restorative properties:

• A "blood" transfusion gave Spitfire her powers, and a second transfusion decades later saved her life and restored her youth. Aware of this transformation, the Hyena obtained a blood specimen from the Torch in the hopes of creating an army of Nazi speedsters. A similar transfusion to Warrior Woman reversed much of her brain damage and restored her health and power.
• While traveling inside The Human Torch in miniaturized form, Scott Lang temporarily gained a version of the Torch's powers after coming in contact with one of the cells that powers the Torch (a homage to a similar incident in which Henry Pym entered the Vision's body and was temporarily rendered intangible).
• The Pyronanos, a type of nanomachine-based robots, were created using cells secretly extracted from Jim Hammond.

Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood or blood-based products from one person into the circulatory system of another. ... DC Comics had at least two villains called Hyena, one male and one female. ... Warrior Woman (Freida Ratsel) was a Nazi supervillain from Marvel Comics first Invaders series. ... Scott Lang is a fictional character featured in the American comic books published by Marvel. ... Dr. Henry Hank Pym is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. ... A Pyronano is a member of a fictional hive mind that is made up of giant buring humanoid robots. ... A mite next to a gear chain produced using nanotechnology Nanotechnology as a collective term refers to technological developments on the nanometer scale, usually 0. ... For other uses, see robot (disambiguation). ...

Other versions

Amalgam Comics

In Amalgam Comics, the Human Torch is combined with Alan Scott to form the Human Lantern. For other uses, see Allan Scott. ...

Other media

Fantastic Four

This Human Torch was mentioned in the episode "When Calls Galactus" when Reed Richards found out why Frankie had Jonny Storm's powers.

Footnotes

References

• The Grand Comics Database
• The Golden Age Human Torch