Human Torch Comics Primer

Series Overview

Due to the popularity of the Human Torch features in Marvel Mystery Comics, the Human Torch was given his own series in 1940. However, the series did not begin as the Human Torch Comics. The series began it’s life as Red Raven Comics, It featured the Red Raven and a plethora of other unrelated characters. However the series was replaced with the Human Torch series, which continued the numbering from Red Raven Comics. This was a common practice in comics at the time where one series would resume the numbering of a cancelled series. It was used to bulk up an issue count and make comics seem more successful that it appeared. The mentality of the time was that a consumers would see a higher issue number and presume that it was a good series based of those numbers.

Human Torch Comics started off as an anthology series much like Marvel Mystery Comics. It featured a Human Torch story, a Sub-Mariner story and other random characters. Issue #2 featured appearances from the Falcon and Fiery Mask (who were featured in Daring Mystery Comics) as well as Microman and Mantor the Magician, both characters became one-offs. More iconically, issue #2 was the first appearance of Toro, who would become the Torch’s sidekick for years. Issue #4 introduced the Patriot who later went on to become a regular feature in Marvel Mystery Comics. A numbering error resulted in two issue #5s being published in the 1941. To differentiate the two issues the earlier for the two is regularly referred to as #5A and the other #5B.

From issue #4 onwards the series primarily featured Human Torch stories (sometimes up to 3 per issue) as well as a Sub-Mariner back-up story. Recurring foes for the Human Torch were far and few between. During World War II, the Torch regularly fought the Nazis and Imperial Japan, but actual villains were seldom seen. The first recurring foe was the Python, who made a few appearances in the pages of Marvel Mystery Comics. Later on in the series the Human Torch fought the Asbestos Lady and the Hyena. However, these characters didn’t appear until the Marvel Age of comics. When Roy Thomas was writing the Invaders series he reintroduced these villains. While the Hyena made a few appearances (Despite being really old) Asbestos Lady didn’t fare so well, Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #1 revealed she died of cancer because wrapping yourself in Asbestos is really fucking deadly.

After the war, the Torch went from horribly burning Nazis to solving murder mysteries and stopping people from committing insurance fraud. To change things up, Toro was replaced with Sun Girl as the Torch’s partner in Human Torch Comics #32. No explanation for the change was given until many years later in Saga of the Original Human Torch #3 which explained what happened.

By 1949, superheroes were losing popularity and Human Torch Comics ended with issue #35. The series was replaced by Love Tales, a romance anthology series which adopted the numbering from Human Torch Comics.

However, in 1954, with superheroes regaining popularity, Atlas Comics (the successor to Timely Comics) attempted to revive some of their superhero series. This included the return of Human Torch Comics which resumed with issue #36. For more information on the Human Torch Comics revival, see the Atlas Era section of the Index.