871 – The Wizard

The Human Torch continues his solo adventures in Strange Tales #102 (Aug 1962), getting his first recognizable villain in The Wizard. The Wizard’s shtick is that he’s a super-genius, a chess champion, an inventor, and has a long craggy face a bit reminiscent of The Ringmaster. Having proven his “mental superiority”, he decides that his […]

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864 – Torch Goes Solo

As DC did before with its teen heroes Superboy and Robin in the 1940s, Marvel attempted to spin the Human Torch out into solo adventures in Strange Tales #101 (July 1962). The story itself is pretty forgettable, but they do establish a few facts: Johnny Storm is still in high school and is (somehow) still […]

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840 – Flame-On for Sub-Mariner!

Last ish, our fledgling Fantastic Four foursome had went splitsville as that hot-head Johnny stormed off because The Thing kept picking on him. Johnny hides out with some roadsters working on hot-rod engines and uses his famous “Flame On!” catchphrase for the first time. We get several pages of the other team members looking throughout […]

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823 – The Fantastic Four!

Well, I talked about it for a long time, but we are finally here: the birth of the true Marvel Universe with The Fantastic Four #1 (Aug 1961). Stan Lee and Jack Kirby bring us a full book-length story here that introduces their first true super-heroes of the Silver Age named, of course, The Fantastic […]

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566 – Betty Betty Betsy

Oddly, all the Atlas/Marvel superheroes that were revived in 1953 happen to have girlfriends named Betty / Betsy. Someone must have loved that name – Stan Lee perhaps? Betty Wilson was introduced as a minor character for the Human Torch. Betsy Ross (no relation to the Hulk’s Betsy Ross?) used to be Golden Girl, but […]

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562 – The Vulture Returns!

The Human Torch and Toro are not the only ones who have returned from the Golden Age. One of the Golden Age villains called “The Vulture” makes an appearance. Actually it’s not clear this is the same Vulture that appeared back during World War II, since that was a Captain America villain, but nonetheless it […]

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547 – Marvel’s Torch Still Burning?

In Young Men #24 (August 1953), Atlas (Marvel) Comics attempted to revive its three most popular Golden Age superheroes. First, the Human Torch steps into the spotlight after a 4-year hiatus, explaining his super-powers to the readers, er criminals, narrating his history wherein he explains that he burned Hitler to death: And ensuring everyone still […]

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415 – The Beginning and End of the Human Torch

In Marvel Mystery #92 (February 1949), the Human Torch‘s origin story is re-told, with a framing story of his creator, Professor Horton, passing away. This is also the last appearance for years of the original Human Torch. After this issue, Marvel Mystery Comics is renamed to Marvel Tales and becomes a horror / supernatural anthology […]

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399 – Moar Female Sidekicks

As mentioned previously, lots of male superheroes were being given sexy female sidekicks as replacement for their teenage / young boy sidekicks in 1948. Merry, Sylvester Pemberton’s newly adopted sister, becomes Gimmick Girl in Star Spangled Comics #81 (June 1948). On the Timely (Marvel) side, the Human Torch ditches Toro for Sun Girl who even […]

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356 – The Asbestos Lady and Hot Curves

Timely (Marvel) Comics seems to be dipping deeper into salaciousness as we see more curvy women in skin-tight costumes throughout 1947. In Human Torch #27 (May 1947), the Asbestos Lady appears – Victoria Murdock is a brilliant criminal scientist who uses asbestos to help commit crimes.

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