Burn (Part 3)

The Human Torch has been convinced by his old classmate Mike Snow to help investigate the mysterious immolation of his FDNY co-worker Vinnie Costello, using Johnny's guilt over burning Mike years earlier by accident to get him to help. Their first stop is to the city morgue in downtown Manhattan. There the Medical Examiner Dr. Chassem is delighted to have them by to look over the body. Soon they are examining the body, and after Johnny gets over the initial queasiness of seeing a charred body, he notes that it appears that Vinnie combusted from within as though the flames entered his mouth and got worse as he screamed in agony. On their way out of the morgue, Mike is impressed that Johnny was able to tell where the flames originated and went. Johnny is pretty surprised he could do so as well, but was never had to do so before and found that when he did it was second nature to him. While they are discussing what could have caused it, Johnny remarks all the possibilities, Johnny eventually agrees to discuss the issue with other fire users and determine if such a feat is possible. Mike thanks Johnny and when Johnny flames on to fly away he suddenly feels bad for Mike and apologizes. Mike isn't upset by the display and shakes Johnny's hand before the Torch leaves.

Forty hours later, Johnny arrives at Mike's fire station, using his flame powers to evaporate the water being dumped on some rookies as part of a prank from their superiors. Johnny meets Mike's co-workers who are all excited to see him. When one of the firemen remarks how much of an asset Johnny would be on if he could "flame off" a fire, Johnny grimly corrects him by explaining that's not how his powers work. That's when Lieutenant Mattsson comes and tells the men to get back to work. When words come that the groceries have arrived, Johnny asks Mike if he does the cooking. Mike tells him he's only good at burning water and takes Johnny to the resident cook: his girlfriend Rose Delany. Alone with Rose, Johnny discovers (to his relief) that Rose doesn't know the truth about Mike's burns, and that she feels bad for the death of Vinnie. Suddenly there is a fire alarm and Mike and the other firemen prepare to fight a blaze that sparked up in a building owned by Brandon Crowe, a local drug dealer.

Johnny tags along with ike and his crew to the scene of the fire. When they arrive Crowe comes bursting out of the inferno claiming that a fireball is chasing him. Nobody believes him until a fireball comes shooting out the door and starts chasing him down the street. Johnny flames on and manages to catch up to Brandon and carry him away from the pursing fire-ball which suddenly goes out when it can no longer keep up with its prey. Mike thanks Johnny for controlling the fireball to scare Brandon into turning himself over to the authorities, but Johnny explains that he wasn't responsible because he can't control flames like that, not does he know anybody who can. Johnny then tells Mike that if they don't solve this mystery and soon, more people might die.

Continuity Notes

• Johnny's statements that he cannot control flame is not an inaccuracy, but a lie that Johnny tells in order to try and root out the person responsible for the fires as explained in Human Torch Vol 2 #6.