HUMAN TORCH
Jonathan 'Johnny' Storm, better known as the Human Torch, is a founding member of Marvel's Fantastic Four created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Empowered by cosmic rays during an experimental spaceflight, Johnny possesses pyrokinesis, flight, and plasma generation, sharing his iconic mantle with the Golden Age android original, Jim Hammond.
Cronologia
Biografia
Jonathan 'Johnny' Storm is a charismatic, hot-headed superhero known as the Human Torch.
Operating primarily as a founding member of the Fantastic Four alongside his older sister Susan Storm (Invisible Woman), brother-in-law Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), and closest confidant Ben Grimm (The Thing), Johnny balances high-stakes cosmic adventures with a high-profile celebrity lifestyle.
Beyond his core tenure with the Fantastic Four, Johnny has engaged in wide-ranging superhero activities throughout Earth-616. He spent time as a solo hero in New York, temporarily joined teams such as the Future Foundation, Uncanny Avengers, and the Inhumans, and built a legendary, banter-filled partnership with Spider-Man (Peter Parker). Though famous for his reckless nature, extreme-sports lifestyle, and battle cry 'Flame on!', Johnny has repeatedly proven his deep bravery and selflessness. His heroic sacrifice in the Negative Zone fighting Annihilus's forces stands as a defining moment of valor in his history as one of Earth's greatest defenders.
Storia
The legacy of the Human Torch originates across two distinct eras of Marvel history. The original Human Torch was Jim Hammond, an artificial man created in 1939 by scientist Phineas Horton for Timely Comics.
Hammond was an android whose body ignited upon contact with oxygen; he later served as a police officer and fought during World War II alongside Captain America and Namor in the Invaders and All-Winners Squad.
The modern Human Torch, Johnny Storm, debuted in November 1961 in Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Johnny joined an experimental space flight alongside his sister Susan, Reed Richards, and pilot Ben Grimm. Exposure to intense cosmic rays mutated Johnny's DNA, granting him complete pyrokinesis, plasma generation, and flight, cementing his place as a core member of Marvel's first family of superhero explorers.
I PEZZI DI HUMAN TORCH
Poteri & Abilità
* **Pyrokinesis**: Mentally controls, manipulates, and generates fire and ambient heat energy. * **Plasma Generation / Flame On**: Envelops his entire body in scorching hot plasma fire without self-harm. * **Flight**: Achieves high-speed self-propelled flight while surrounded by his plasma aura.
* **Endless Burning**: Possesses the cosmic power to burn continuously without running out of energy. * **Power Swapping**: Exhibited unique abilities allowing him to swap super-powers with his Fantastic Four teammates under specific conditions. * **Aerial Combat & Mobility**: Highly skilled in high-mobility aerial maneuvering, aerial duels, and area-denial tactics.
Apparizioni
* **The Fantastic Four** (1967–1968): Animated series by Hanna-Barbera, voiced by Jack Flounders. * **The Fantastic Four** (1994): Unreleased live-action film produced by Roger Corman, played by Jay Underwood. * **Fantastic Four: The Animated Series** (1994–1996): Animated series, voiced by Brian Austin Green (Season 1) and Quinton Flynn (Season 2). * **Fantastic Four** (1997): Arcade beat-'em-up video game for PlayStation. * **Spider-Man: The Animated Series** (1998): Guest appearance in the 'Secret Wars' arc, voiced by Quinton Flynn. * **Spider-Man** (2000): Video game rooftop cameo reading comic books. * **Fantastic Four** (2005): Live-action feature film, portrayed by Chris Evans. * **Fantastic 4** (2005): Movie adaptation video game for PS2/Xbox/PC, voiced by Chris Evans. * **Ultimate Spider-Man** (2005): Video game featuring playable racing challenge minigames with Johnny Storm. * **Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects** (2005): Playable arena fighter character. * **Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes** (2006–2007): Animated series, voiced by Christopher Jacot. * **Marvel: Ultimate Alliance** (2006): Playable action-RPG hero, voiced by Josh Keaton. * **Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer** (2007): Feature film, starring Chris Evans. * **Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer** (2007): Isometric dungeon crawler video game. * **The Super Hero Squad Show** (2009–2011): Cartoon series, voiced by Travis Willingham.
* **Marvel Super Hero Squad / Online** (2009/2011): Playable video games. * **Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2** (2009): Playable RPG hero, voiced by David Kaufman. * **The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes** (2010–2012): Animated series, voiced by David Kaufman. * **Disney XD Animated Universe** (2012–2017): Appearances across Ultimate Spider-Man, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., and Avengers Assemble. * **Marvel Avengers Alliance** (2012): Playable turn-based RPG hero. * **LEGO Marvel Super Heroes** (2013): Playable video game character. * **Marvel Heroes** (2013): Playable MMORPG character. * **Marvel Contest of Champions** (2014): Playable mobile fighting game hero. * **Fantastic Four** (2015): Live-action reboot film, portrayed by Michael B. Jordan. * **Marvel Future Fight** (2015): Playable mobile RPG character. * **Marvel Strike Force** (2018): Playable hero on the Fantastic Four squad. * **Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order** (2019): Playable character added via Shadow of Doom DLC. * **Marvel Snap** (2022): Playable move-archetype digital card. * **Deadpool & Wolverine** (2024): Feature film cameo, with Chris Evans returning as Johnny Storm. * **Marvel Rivals** (2025): Playable high-mobility aerial Duelist hero added in Season 1.5. * **The Fantastic Four: First Steps** (2025): MCU feature film set in a retro-futuristic 1960s, starring Joseph Quinn. * **Avengers: Doomsday** (2026): Upcoming MCU crossover film, starring Joseph Quinn. * **Avengers: Secret Wars** (2027): Upcoming MCU crossover film, starring Joseph Quinn.
Relazioni
* **Susan Storm (Invisible Woman)**: Johnny's older sister and grounded emotional anchor on the team. * **Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic)**: Johnny's intellectual brother-in-law and team leader. * **Ben Grimm (The Thing)**: Johnny's practical-joke rival and closest brotherly confidant.
* **Peter Parker (Spider-Man)**: Johnny's longtime superhero best friend and peer. * **Lyja the Lazerfist**: A Skrull undercover agent who married Johnny while disguised as Alicia Masters before falling in love with him. * **Jim Hammond**: The Golden Age android Human Torch who shares Johnny's namesake legacy. * **Thomas Raymond (Toro)**: The Golden Age flame-powered sidekick to Jim Hammond.
Evoluzione
From the Golden Age debut of the android Jim Hammond in 1939 to Johnny Storm's arrival in 1961, the Human Torch mantle evolved from a synthetic fire-man to a symbol of cosmic exploration and youth culture. Johnny brought fame, hot-headed energy, and solo adventures in Strange Tales alongside his Fantastic Four obligations. Over the decades, Johnny transitioned from a impulsive teenager into a dependable hero.
Romantic entanglements broadened his story arc, notably his marriage to 'Alicia Masters', who was later unmasked as the Skrull operative Lyja the Lazerfist. In 2011, Johnny's character underwent a pivotal sacrifice when he fell in battle against Annihilus in the Negative Zone, later returning to serve in the Future Foundation. Following Multiversal restoration in Secret Wars, Johnny temporarily joined the Uncanny Avengers and the Inhumans before returning to team relaunches led by Dan Slott and Ryan North, solidifying his transformation into a seasoned pillar of Earth-616.
Da Collezione
The Human Torch remains one of the most prominent mainstays in Marvel toyline history, offering unique opportunities for dynamic flame effects and translucent plastic molding. Leading brands like Hasbro regularly feature Johnny Storm in their Marvel Legends lines, producing everything from classic comic retro-carded figures to full plasma flame-on variants and film-inspired releases.
Collectors can also find Johnny Storm across various merchandise scales and lines, including Funko Marvel Universe Pops, Marvel Minimates building figures, and Hot Wheels Marvel RacerVerse die-cast vehicles. Figures featuring clear-molded fiery flight stands and energy blasts are particularly popular among fans building complete Fantastic Four displays. With Johnny Storm returning to live-action cinema—from Chris Evans' surprise return in Deadpool & Wolverine to Joseph Quinn taking up the mantle in The Fantastic Four: First Steps—both legacy 2000s collectibles and upcoming MCU figures remain highly sought-after secondary market items.
Curiosità
* Due to TV options held separately by Universal, the Human Torch was omitted from the 1978 animated series The New Fantastic Four and replaced by H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot.
* The original Human Torch, Jim Hammond, was an artificial android created in 1939 who honorably executed Adolf Hitler during World War II. * Johnny Storm once married a woman he believed to be Alicia Masters, who was later revealed to be a Skrull infiltrator named Lyja the Lazerfist. * In the 2000 Spider-Man video game, Johnny Storm makes a cameo reading comic books on a New York rooftop.
