Essential Human Torch, Vol. 1

Essential Human Torch #1

by Stan Lee

Through his gift of being able to burst into flames at will, Johnny Storm is a recognized member of the Fantastic Four, but despite his position and privileged life, Johnny doesn t feel complete and so, goes in search of that special something that is missing from his life. Original.

Collects: Strange Tales #101-134 and Annual #2

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel

504 pages, Paperback

First published July 10, 1965

About the author

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.

With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essential Human Torch Volume 1 collects the Human Torch's solo tales from Strange Tales 101-134 + Annual 2. They are by no means essential.

When I was around 12, The Human Torch was one of my favorite characters for some reason. I had a few stories contained in this tome when Marvel reprinted them in the 1970s. This fell into my lap a couple years ago for my birthday and I gnawed through it out of obligation.

Marvel took some interesting chances back in the day, one of which was giving The Human Torch a solo shot in Strange Tales, not knowing that Benjamin J. Grimm would be the solo star of the Fantastic Four AND Marvel's top tough guy until Wolverine usurped his spot.

The stories exemplify the silver age, meaning that they are enjoyable in their own way and are cheesier than a five pound brick of cheddar.

The Human Torch takes on The Wizard, Paste Pot Pete, The Wizard AND Paste Pot Pete, The Eel, Plantman, The Acrobat, the Sorcerer, Asbestos Man, The Sandman, Puppet Master, The Beetle, and others. For the time period, I'd say the stories are average or just below. Nothing earth shattering. Also, every story uses asbestos as a plot device, leading me to think some of Torch's old foes may have contracted mesothelioma. It's weird to think that most of the Frightful Four started off as Human Torch villains rather than Fantastic Four villains, though. There's also an Iceman team up that makes me think Marvel has been leaving money on the table by not doing a Torch and Iceman buddy book.

It's wild to think Marvel had doubts about bringing back Captain America and had him appear in a Human Torch comic to test the waters. Maybe this run's place in history was to serve as a launchpad to bring back Cap? Oh, and The Beatles first appearance in a comic. The Thing co-stars for the last year's worth of tales, probably to see if that made things more interesting. It did.

Jack Kirby does the art on some of these. Naturally, these are the best. Dick Ayers and Bob Powell split most of the rest. I like Dick Ayers when he's inking Kirby but not so much on his own. Double entendre alert - Dick's Thing is awful. Carl Burgos even draws a Torch strip, not long before Marvel brought the original Torch out of mothballs just to have him job to Johnny.

The Essential Human Torch was an enjoyable but unremarkable collection of silver age comics featuring the Human Torch. Three out of five stars.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this volume reprints very early Human Torch solo stories (and later, team ups with the Thing) that I barely knew existed from Strange Tales. This are very early stories right at the time the Marvel Universe got going in the early 60s. To give you an idea of the timeline, these stories were being published prior to Captain American being re-introduced in Avengers 4.

As far as the stories themselves go, very typical of 60s Marvel, but not the top tier. Very wordy stories still aimed more at younger readers but as a historical read they are interesting. We see villains such as The Mad Thinker, the Puppet Master, Namor, The Wizard, Plantman, and how can we forget...Paste Pot Pete.

The art is mostly Dick Ayers, Jack Kirby, even Carl Burgos does an issue.

Compared to modern comics the stories are very primitive but if you like the fun of 1960s Marvel Comics you'll enjoy this one, especially since these may have been under your radar. And of course the Fantastic Four does show up from time to time, so this is one for the completists.

[Jay Hancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Johnny storm is a complex kid.
He likes girls, cars, making fun of his friend's complexion, and rotating between doubting his self worth and crippling narcissism.
He also happens to be the human torch.
Through this volume we find him trying to either impress girls, or prove he can do things on his own. Typically both scenarios end with him getting doused with water or ensnared in some handy asbestos lined whatever, only for him to mentally beat himself up for being a dumb teenager and somehow overcome the odds and save the day. Spoiler alert: it always involves fire.

[Chuck White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection reprints the complete run of Human Torch solo stories that originally appeared in issues #101 to #134 and Annual #2 of STRANGE TALES.

Though the stories are fairly primitive, and the villains strictly third-tier, they have an early 60s charm that Marvel was so good at presenting.

These stories find Johnny Storm, and his sister Sue, living in upstate New York in the small town of Glenview, though they are still full-fledged members of the Fantastic Four and stories occasionally have them back at FF headquarters in New York.

As mentioned, the villains are mostly third-rate and include the first appearances and early versions of the Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete, along with a couple of issues featuring the Puppet Master and the Mad Thinker. The majority of the remaining villains were one-offs and I don't think many of them appeared again.

This series also has the first meeting between the Human Torch and Spider-man (Annual #2), which was quite enjoyable. The seeds of their friendship/rivalry are planted in this issue.

The most disappointing issue for me was #130, where the Torch and Thing meet the Beatles. Yes, the singing group, not the super-villain (that's the Beetle, ya goldbricks). I had been aware of this issue for years, but the experience was a letdown. The Beatles don't even say one thing in the whole issue!

Overall, I found this to be a fun read from the Silver Age of Marvel Comics.

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprints Strange Tales #101-134 and Annual #1. The Human Torch sets out on his own to stop crime and occassionally gets assistance from his fantastic friends. The Human Torch as a solo act just doesn't quite hold up as well. The melodrama of the Fantastic Four develops through the "family" interaction, but here Johnny is solo until later issues when they smartly paired him with the Thing. Even that doesn't make much sense however because once again, it would be better just to read the Fantastic Four. Johnny's girlfriend Doris also seems underdeveloped compaired to stories in Amazing Spider-Man...partially because Human Torch was sharing time with Dr. Strange and the stories are all very short.

[Michael P. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, dear. If a title such as THOR represents the best of Marvel, the Human Torch stories in STRANGE TALES represent the worst. Without going into too much detail, these stories do not deserve the effort, they are too talky, the villains constantly boasting of their prowess is boring, the heroes alternatively boasting of their prowess then doubting it is boring, the repetitive plot of villains seeking revenge for past defeats is boring, that more pages of each story are taken up with battles than anything else is boring, and as if these things are not bad enough, Paste Pot Pete. Oh, lordy, was this ever a bad series and is this ever a bad collection.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the stories here are light and silly silver ago fun. It starts strong with Lee and Kirby. Then Leiber and Kirby. Then Stan again. Then whoever wanted to do it that month. It has its charm but didn't really figure itself out until the last 1/3 of the run when it became the Johnny and Ben show. But by then, Marvel decided to cancel the book.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s rather tough for me to give a collection like this, with Jack Kirby work from the early 60s and featuring my favorite member of the Fantastic Four, such a low rating. But these tales don’t have anywhere near the same quality as the stories from that same era of the Fantastic Four magazine did. Kirby is only involved with about 10 of the 35 stories included here, and they are certainly the best of the bunch. Some of the others are little more than gimmicky riffs of super-powered feuds between lame-brained, glory-hounds. What this volume does offer though, is some fun, fast-paced adventures that do tie-in, and eventually pay off in surprising ways, with the simultaneously published Fantastic Four title. In these pages, we are introduced to the Wizard, Paste-Pot-Pete, the Acrobat, the Eel, the Plantman, the Barrcuda, the Beetle, the Man in the Mystery Mask, among other even less auspicious villains. But we also have guest stars like the other members of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Watcher, Iceman, the Beatles, and even Captain America (BEFORE his reintroduction and appearance in Avengers #4. How does that happen? Spoilers!). There are retuning villains from other magazines, like the Mad Thinker, the Puppet Master, Quicksilver & the Scarlet Witch, the Sandman, and even Kang the Conqueror. And if one thing should stand out, it’s the names of the Wizard, the Sandman, and Paste-Pot-Pete (who’ll eventually become more well-known as the Trapster). These three eventually form three-fourth’s of the team the Frightful Four and in this very volume the groundbreaking roots of this antithesis team to the Fantastic Four are told. It even includes the first villain team-up between the Wizard and Paste-Pot-Pete, creating the foundation upon which the Frightful Four will grow. These stories also feature some interesting character development for the Human Torch and the Invisible Girl as they are seen trying to live a fairly normal life in a small town on Long Island away from the Baxter Building. This allows for some silly shenanigans that would not have worked in the pages of the Fantastic Four and the confines of their midtown skyscraper headquarters. So this collection isn’t a complete masterpiece, but it’s still a lot of fun and I do enjoy reading these stories along side the early issues of the Fantastic Four.

[Dan R · Rating 1 out of 5]

This collection of throw-away Torch stories originally published in Strange Tales adds next to nothing to the Fantastic Four legacy. Too-cute writing by Stan Lee trying to emulate the teenage Johnny Storm, and abysmal third-rate villains, make this collection painful to wade through. Except for a couple of Jack Kirby-drawn issues (including the best of the bunch -- a tryout story for the reintroduction of Captain America)and numerous great Kirby covers, one would be better off spending his or her hard-earned bucks on the back-end stories in the Strange Tales series -- the Ditko/Lee Essential Doctor Strange. Nuff said.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given most of the Marvel Essentials 5 stars, if for nothing else than creating characters that have stood the test of time. Most of the good characters here however were created elsewhere, and there were some pretty bad stories.