Featuring: Human Torch
Release: April 9, 1964
Cover: July 1964
12 cents
Rapidly written by: Stan Lee
Speedily sketched by: Dick Ayers
Instantly inked by: Geo. Bell
Lazily lettered by: S. Rosen
14 pages
Move over, Johnny. Human Torch now has to share the corner box with Dr. Strange. Getting your face into the corner box is how you know you’ve made it.
And hey! I own this comic. That cover is scanned from my collection. I bought it not all that long ago for $15, which seemed a reasonable price. For those keeping count, this is #3 for comics I actually own in original form.
But now I want to return it. Because of blatant false advertising. The cover clearly says “Dr. Doom does not appear in this story.”
Yet, look here on page 1. Who is that? It’s Dr. Doom!
Turn the page, who do we see on page 3? Dr. Doom again!
In three different panels, no less!
Now, these panels are all flashback sequences to the last battle with Dr. Doom. Since it ended with Dr. Doom falling into space, it’s obvious we’ll never actually see him again. Wait… but the note informs us he will return in Fantastic Four Annual 2. How can that possibly be?
This comic was published three months before Fantastic Four Annual 2. That gives a hint about how long that annual is in the works.
Dr. Doom is still missing, but his three henchmen think they can take on the Fantastic Four without him… one at a time, at least. They start with Human Torch. Their plan involves lots of asbestos.
But first, a columnist from Auto Age shows up to interview Johnny. Johnny often gets invited for interviews or TV appearances or prizes… and he never learns. He just never learns.
I give up. I tried.
Admiral Ackbar
Super-villain plans of the era pretty much always have the same flaw. Perhaps it’s not a flaw; perhaps they’re just more virtuous than I’m used to. It is often the case that they defeat the hero, render them helpless, and then attempt to imprison them somewhere, instead of just killing them. I guess these people are evil, but not killers.
Here, they tie Johnny up, put him in an asbestos-lined trailer, and trust that will hold him, leaving him alone. Spoiler: he gets free and defeats the villains in round 2.
Rating: ★★½, 47/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
You can find this story in Marvel Masterworks: Human Torch vol. 2 or in The Human Torch & The Thing: Strange Tales – The Complete Collection. Or on Kindle.
Characters:
- Yogi Dakor
- Bull Brogin
- Handsome Harry Phillips
- Dr. Doom
- Mr. Fantastic
- Thing
- Invisible Girl
- Human Torch/Johnny Storm
Story notes:
- Recap of Fantatic Four #23.
- Handsome Harry has super-human hearing and lies.
- Yogi Dakor has amazing resistance to heat and can climb a magic rope.
- Bull Brogin’s strength has been multiplied many times; he’s not very smart.
- Trio expect Doom to return and want to impress him in the meantime by taking down the FF one at at time.
- Doris not around because of homework.
- Writer from “Auto Age” fanzine wants to interview Johnny.
- Johnny’s modified Stingray: all-fiberglass body; positronic action and fuel injection; modified gear ratio
- Trio attacks with asbestos rope and blanket; takes Johnny to asbestos-trailer.
- Johnny creates smoke to attract fire department and escape trailer.
- Reed helped install “quick-drying shower” for Johnny; streams of concentrated heat.
- Johnny recommends you read his next adventure in FF#28.
- At some point, this group of villains becomes known as the Terrible Trio, but they still haven’t been called that.
#204 story in reading order
Next: Strange Tales #122, Story B
Previous: Daredevil #2
