Featuring: The Human Torch
Release: June 2, 1954
Cover: August 1954
10 cents
Dick Ayers
6 pages
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What you need is confidence in yourself and your abilities, Captain! From now on, I’m going to be right behind you to help you thru the rough spots until you gain that confidence!
After his triumphant return in September 1953, we come to June 1954, when it was decided Human Torch stories still weren’t selling enough. We’d read his return in Young Men. About 6 months later, they tried bringing back Human Torch’s old series.
They started with Human Torch #36, as the last one from 1949 had been #35. Never mind that they had already given the numbering to Love Tales.
Human Torch #38 is the final issue again.
There are three Human Torch stories and a Namor story. In the first Torch story, a mad scientist is tricked by Reds into sucking all the air out of the world in order to make his crippled daughter queen of the new world. In the second, the Torch and Toro rescue a general and his daughter from Korea.
Let’s read the final story from the final Human Torch comic.
All the Human Torch stories in his self-titled comic’s return have been by Dick Ayers, who we know well from our Marvel Age reading, particularly for his work on Sgt. Fury.
Ayers’ signature appears. The GCD credits Hank Chapman with the script and Ernie Bache with inks.
All the stories in this issue are narrated by Toro, and presented as though he is telling us of a past Human Torch adventure.
The title of the story is “Flame On!”, which is plainly the Human Torch’s catchphrase now. Johnny Storm will steal that catchphrase, along with the name and visage of the Human Torch.
Continue reading “PRELUDE: Human Torch #38, Story D”
