1939
In the laboratory of Professor Phineas T. Horton, a strange gathering of scientific minds has come to view a creation of Professor Horton's, who has promised them a sight like they've never seen. He unveils an android, which when exposed to oxygen, turns into a fireball. The fire covers the android’s whole body but does not harm him. The creature is deemed too dangerous to be loose, a potential menace to humankind; Horton’s guests demand its destruction. Unwilling to dismantle his greatest creation, Professor Horton reluctantly seals the flaming android in concrete, until he can perfect his artificial man. But Fate intervenes, and air leaks into the concrete tomb. The android once again bursts into flames and escapes his prison.
Bewildered, the android runs amok until he douses his flames by jumping into a swimming pool. Unfortunately for the naive android, the pool is owned by an extortionist named Sardo, who dupes the creature into joining his racket. Eventually learning to distinguish right from wrong, the android turns on Sardo who pays for his evil deeds. This "Human Torch" now returns to Professor Horton, but the Professor too has been corrupted by thoughts of getting rich off of the Human Torch by turning him into a sideshow freak for all to see. Rather than allow this to happen, the Human Torch runs off again, accidentally frying Professor Horton to a cinder (or so it is believed) while making his escape.
Adopting the human identity of Jim Hammond (see picture here), he decides to use his powers for the cause of good and joins the police force. The Human Torch devises a method to control his flame via an oxygen-dampener that he wears around his neck. When in his flaming state, he can burn through metal several inches thick and liquefy bullets fired upon him. He can fly (fire being lighter than air) and throw fireballs with great precision. The Human Torch also has power over all flames, using a "weird yell" to control external fires. He can also create constructs of fire to trap or encase his targets. In his fire form, the Human Torch is impervious to electricity and explosions, though the concussions of a blast can knock him backwards and extinguish his flames. He is also susceptible to water and flame-retarding chemicals.
Later on the Human Torch discovers a young orphaned circus performer Toro (see individual entry), who has flame powers like his own and whom the Torch instructs in the use of his abilities. Later, in 1946, the Human Torch and Toro join the All Winners Squad to defend justice alongside their fellow crimefighters. Later in the decade, the Sun Girl (see individual entry), a female with unexplained abilities and origin, becomes the Human Torch's partner when Toro is temporarily stricken.
In mid 1949 the Human Torch and Toro are captured by a gang of criminals by having a compound sprayed upon them that robs them of their powers. The Human Torch is buried in the desert, and Toro is "sold" to the Communist Russians. An atomic test out in the selfsame desert in 1954 releases and rejuvenates the Human Torch, even increasing his fire abilities. Once freed, the Torch tracks down the criminals that had entrapped him and Toro and forces them to reveal the fate of Toro to him. He rescues the brainwashed Toro from the Russian Communists, and the fiery duo are back in action again for a brief time.
Comments
The Human Torch was the first of Timely’s stars, though the Sub-Mariner did make his first appearance before Marvel Comics # 1. In addition he had his own book and was put anywhere that Timely thought he could sell a book. He was the creation of Carl Burgos. While Burgos was in the war, Ed Ashe, Harry Sahle, and others took over the strip.
The Torch’s origin recalls monster movies and pulp magazines. There was no indication in Marvel Comics # 1 that the Torch would become a crimefighter. He certainly seems like a menace. In his first cover appearance the Torch looks like a fire demon menacing a clean-cut young man rather than a superhero.
By the admission of many, including Carl Burgos himself, the Human Torch’s strip was not well drawn or -written. The appeal of the character lies in the idea itself. The Torch is not a man who can control fire like the earlier fire-hero, the Flame, or most subsequent fire heroes. He is fire itself, a fire elemental.
Early on the Torch took on the identity of Jim Hammond and worked for the police department. Once her was told to arrest himself, something that every superhero who belonged to the police had to do in the Golden Age. But Jim Hammond was soon dropped in favor of the Human Torch serving full time as an aide to the NYPD (The heroes of Marvel Mystery Comics generally went without secret Ids). In the first issue of his own comic (he was the first Timely hero to graduate to one), he met Toro who became his sidekick.
The Torch had a variety of grotesque enemies. Among the most prominent were the Python, a Nazi who looked like a snake and was an expert contortionist, and the Parrot, who looked like a parrot. According to Ron Goulart, he sometimes announced his crimes in advance via a parrot messenger, daring the Torch to stop them. Our hero also fought several female villains like the Hag, Madame Crime, the Queen of Crime, Mother Goose and the Asbestos Lady. These were not in the tradition of the seductive femme fatale villains.
The Human Torch’s strip burnt out in 1949, but he was one of the heroes revived by Atlas Comics in 1953. This was the last appearance of the Human Torch and Toro. The Human Torch was the name taken by Johnny Storm as part of the Fantastic Four. The android Torch made his first appearance in 1966 in Fantastic Four Annual # 4. At one time, he was said to be the basis for the android Vision, but this is no longer true. He appeared in a 1990 miniseries and as a member of the Heroes for Hire.
The Torch ended his first story by proclaiming, “I’ll be free and no one will ever use me for selfish gain-or crime.” This commentary will omit the obligatory remark regarding the hero’s name (“but he wasn’t really human”), since any character who can make such a statement and carry it through shows more humanity than many of those currently walking around.
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