"Flame On!" Johnny Storm the Human Torch Appreciation

[Crimz]

Yeah, it quickly gets crazy. The fluid in your cells isn't alive, and wouldn't be protected by any sort of biological changes to his body. Logically, it would flash into steam (which occupies 216x the volume of water) and each and every cell of his body would pop like a trillion zits. Larger pockets of liquid, like the acid in your stomach, the fluid in your eyeballs, and the liquid in the semicircular canal of your ear would go off like grenades.

There are more other organisms inside your body than your body has actual cells, and none of them would likely survive if his *internal* temperature went up more than fifty degrees. We've seen that he can micro-adjust temperatures, to burn right next to gasoline without it igniting and stuff, so he could easily generate a flaming aura around himself while not being any warmer internally than anyone else, but the writers seem to have him do stunts like raising his internal temperature (to burn out venom) on occasion, which would be super messy to deal with.

(Not any worse than people becoming invisible, and the contents of their stomach and intestines mysteriously also becoming invisible, to the great relief of all, unlike those nasty transparent fish whose poop you can see moving through their transparent guts, or people shrinking without immediately exploding because the sandwich they ate didn't shrink with them, or vomiting up all of their stomach acid, which didn't shrink with them, because it's just an inorganic liquid inside of them, or any of the dozens of other scientific oddities about superhero life...)

Wow. Without comic logic a lot of superpowers would suck.

On the invisible thing, if they become invisible by bending light around them then you wouldn't see any recently eaten food. Sue's powers are said to work that way too, but it doesn't explain how she makes skin transparent to look inside the body and things like that.

[CaptCleghorn]

Wow. Without comic logic a lot of superpowers would suck.

On the invisible thing, if they become invisible by bending light around them then you wouldn't see any recently eaten food. Sue's powers are said to work that way too, but it doesn't explain how she makes skin transparent to look inside the body and things like that.

We've touched on these issues before and the discussions have always been fun and enlightening. We drank the comic book science kool-aid but still try to explain these things. And I'm OK with that.

[Lucas 35]

Since the end of SECRET WARS, there's been a gap in the Marvel Universe. A void no other team can fill. And it's time for the world to move on. But can it? A life-changing decision by the Thing! A momentous declaration by the Human Torch! A clarion call-to-arms that summons Doctor Doom! And a signal in the sky that heralds the return of hope to the Marvel Universe! All this, and Alicia Masters adopts kittens! So cute! Plus, the Impossible Man!And bonus stories illustrated by Simone Bianchi and Skottie Young!

What could it be?

[Ravin' Ray]

On the invisible thing, if they become invisible by bending light around them then you wouldn't see any recently eaten food. Sue's powers are said to work that way too, but it doesn't explain how she makes skin transparent to look inside the body and things like that.

I remember how the letters page of one issue in Byrne's run printed various theories by readers over how Sue can see when she's invisible since she warps light so it doesn't reach her eyes.

[DragonsChi]

I really like the explanation for Ultimate Human Torches Powers:

Johnny's external surface, including skin, hair and eyes is covered with a microscopic layer of transparent fireproofing plates, making him fully immune to fire damage. His cells generate plasma jets through clean nuclear fusion, allowing Johnny to emit flame from part or all of his skin, and even to fly. Johnny powers this fusion internally, so if he does not consume enough energy to generate new protective cells regularly, he runs the risk of literally burning himself up. He can also control flame outside of himself, though this has yet to be explained.
http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Jonatha...m_(Earth-1610)

While it still uses comic logic at least it reads like it could actually work if you don't think about it really hard.

[Ravin' Ray]

I wish the lettering wasn't in it. I would get a poster made tomorrow if not for that!

Found this from the slide show of FF covers in the August solicitations article:

[DragonsChi]

Found this from the slide show of FF covers in the August solicitations article:

You Sir....ARE MY FAVORITE MOD!!!!

Thank You Ray!

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Strange Tales #109 Jun 1963
"The Sorcerer and Pandora's Box"
The Human Torch fights a sorcerer

who unleashes the evils imprisoned in Pandora's Box for his own profit


Script by Stan Lee (plot) and Robert Bernstein [as R. Berns] (script), pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Strange Tales #110 Jul 1963
"The Human Torch vs. the Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete!"
Johnny practices on his obstacle course,

then thinks back on his adventures with The Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete


Script by Stan Lee (plot) and Ernie Hart [as H.E. Huntley] (script), art by Dick Ayers.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Strange Tales #111 Aug 1963
"Fighting to the Death with the Asbestos Man!"
A frustrated scientist invents a fireproof suit in order to impress underworld hoods and become their partner in crime;

The Torch is at first unable to defeat him,

but with the advice of his sister he calms down and outsmarts the Asbestos Man.

Script by Stan Lee (plot) and Ernie Hart [as H.E. Huntley] (script), art by Dick Ayers.

[Digifiend]

Asbestos Man... well, that's one guy we won't be seeing ever again. Poor guy probably died of cancer years ago!

[Ravin' Ray]

He actually appeared in Fear Itself: The Home Front in 2011, old and sickly from cancer, committing petty crimes and catching the attention of the Great Lakes team (IIRC); he confessed to them that with Johnny's death he has no more purpose in life and they sympathized with him to a degree, taking him in to be treated.

[Digifiend]

Wow, didn't know that one existed, so I looked it up. You're right, one of issue 6's backups is a Great Lakes Avengers story.
https://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Fear_I..._Front_Vol_1_6

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Strange Tales #112 Sep 1963
"The Living Bomb!" First appearance of the Eel
A TV host starts a public campaign against the Human Torch;

The Torchs efforts to regain his popularity fail,

but when he stops the high tech thief the Eel from detonating a powerful bomb he is redeemed.

Script by Stan Lee (plot) and Jerry Siegel [as Joe Carter] (script), art by Dick Ayers.

[Crimz]

Marvel should have a Johnny,Peter, and Bobby book. It could be lots of fun.