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Spider-Man/Human Torch #1-5
Spider-Man/Human Torch: I'm with Stupid
It's five all-new, old-school adventures featuring your favorite web-headed hero and his pal, the walking matchstick! Follow them through the years - from high school to present day, from the Negative Zone to the Coffee Bean, from Dorrie Evans to Mary Jane Watson-Parker. It's all here! Collects Spider-Man/Human Torch #1-5.
120 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
282 people want to read
About the author
Dan Slott
1,999 books449 followersDan Slott is an American comic book writer, the current writer on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, and is best known for his work on books such as Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, The Superior Spider-Man, and Ren & Stimpy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
October 5, 2021
This was actually a pretty fun read!
Its a bit long but its all single issue contained stories telling about the friendship of Peter and Johnny through the decades. It starts with both punking off each other like the time he hired Pete to be his photographer and they had fun battling Doom or that time Pete punked him to join the FF on a dimensional adventure but Johnny managed to come out on top or the time when Gwen died and Johnny was there for him and their battle against the Red Ghost and later with Felicia and her wanting to steal something from the wakandan embassy and fun with the Black Panther.
The final story being Peter and Johnny teaming up to stop bank robbers and he finally tells him his secret identity and we have this amazing moment of the two friends sharing memories and family get together and it was so cool to see and like the photo collage was so good. Ahh makes you love these two and it shows why their friendship in the marvel universe is so genuine and longtime lasting. Its an amazing volume and is a must read and has amazing one and done stories but also is funny, quirky and weird and the art style reminds you of those eras. One of the better books I have read from Slott.
Its a bit long but its all single issue contained stories telling about the friendship of Peter and Johnny through the decades. It starts with both punking off each other like the time he hired Pete to be his photographer and they had fun battling Doom or that time Pete punked him to join the FF on a dimensional adventure but Johnny managed to come out on top or the time when Gwen died and Johnny was there for him and their battle against the Red Ghost and later with Felicia and her wanting to steal something from the wakandan embassy and fun with the Black Panther.
The final story being Peter and Johnny teaming up to stop bank robbers and he finally tells him his secret identity and we have this amazing moment of the two friends sharing memories and family get together and it was so cool to see and like the photo collage was so good. Ahh makes you love these two and it shows why their friendship in the marvel universe is so genuine and longtime lasting. Its an amazing volume and is a must read and has amazing one and done stories but also is funny, quirky and weird and the art style reminds you of those eras. One of the better books I have read from Slott.
June 22, 2010
This is a fun story focusing on the friendship between Spidey and the Human Torch. Dan Slott shows his love for 70's Marvel comics by including the Spider-Mobile and also a nod toward those Hostess Fruit Pie ads that were in the back of every Marvel comic for years. Each of the five stories contained within portrays a different period in Spidey and the Human Torch's lives, often with hilarious dialogue. There are references to the Clone Saga, the Human Torch's marriage to a Skrull, and other seldom mention events. Like I said, it's a really fun story.
February 24, 2014
Slott and Templeton re-tell early meetings of Spider-man and the Human Torch in a fun collection suitable for readers of all ages. Ty Templeton's art may be off putting to some readers, since it seems quite simple, but it's the simplicity of it that makes it good art. It's very easy to follow and you always know what's going on, which isn't always the case in comic book art.
You can also tell that Slott is a writer that loves continuity, and this is a story were he isn't afraid to show it. You can place timeline wise when each issue takes place thanks to his nods at what was going on in the Marvel universe at the time. And it doesn't drag the story down, it just makes it more fun.
You can also tell that Slott is a writer that loves continuity, and this is a story were he isn't afraid to show it. You can place timeline wise when each issue takes place thanks to his nods at what was going on in the Marvel universe at the time. And it doesn't drag the story down, it just makes it more fun.
April 15, 2024
8/10:
This is a really enjoyable story showing two iconic young heroes as they grow and mature together over the years! The final few pages of this collection really warmed my heart and it just goes to show how incredible the Fantastic Four truly are.
How can you NOT enjoy seeing Spider-Man and Human Torch team-up??!?
This is a really enjoyable story showing two iconic young heroes as they grow and mature together over the years! The final few pages of this collection really warmed my heart and it just goes to show how incredible the Fantastic Four truly are.
How can you NOT enjoy seeing Spider-Man and Human Torch team-up??!?
October 22, 2022
I LOVED THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL! Spidey and Human Torch is a really fun friendship, and reading these new stories that also paid homage to the history of comics while also doing a deep dive into these two characters' and their relationship--plus with plenty of laughs!--I mean, what's not to love?
December 2, 2013
This book by Dan Slott (before he started destroying Spider-man to be replaced Spider Otto) is actually petty good. It collected the limited run Spider-man/Human Torch series that celebrates the unique relationship between Spider-man and the human torch. It's similar to Mark Waid's 1990s story Brave and the Bold doing the same concept with the Silver Age Flash and Green Lantern, though in this case, these two go way back as friends and rivals and these untold stories highlight it.
Of the first stories in the book, the first two are written with the vintage Silver Age feel of the 1960s including one in which Torch hires Spidey as his official photographer as he tries to grab the headlines eventually taking Dr. Doom at the Latverian Embassy and one fun event where the two switch places as Spider-man goes exploring with the rest of the FF while Torch tries to bust up a crime ring. The third issue comes right in the Bronze age, in the 1970s after Gwen Stacy's death and with Spidey wanted for murder. The fourth story is from the early 1980s and features a great guest appearance by the Black Cat. The last is in a more modern setting where Johnny at last learns Spidey's identity after a ton of other people in the Marvel universe and isn't happy about it.
Slott really has some fun here. He plays up the idea that while Spidey envies the Torch, the Torch envies Peter Parker. And he tweaks Marvel convention which has the Statue of Liberty as the Torch and Spidey's meeting spot even though there's really no way Spidey could get there through typical means. The book's not very deep, but it's fun and at the end, a bit heart warming. It's worth a read for fans of these two great characters and their amazing relationship.
Of the first stories in the book, the first two are written with the vintage Silver Age feel of the 1960s including one in which Torch hires Spidey as his official photographer as he tries to grab the headlines eventually taking Dr. Doom at the Latverian Embassy and one fun event where the two switch places as Spider-man goes exploring with the rest of the FF while Torch tries to bust up a crime ring. The third issue comes right in the Bronze age, in the 1970s after Gwen Stacy's death and with Spidey wanted for murder. The fourth story is from the early 1980s and features a great guest appearance by the Black Cat. The last is in a more modern setting where Johnny at last learns Spidey's identity after a ton of other people in the Marvel universe and isn't happy about it.
Slott really has some fun here. He plays up the idea that while Spidey envies the Torch, the Torch envies Peter Parker. And he tweaks Marvel convention which has the Statue of Liberty as the Torch and Spidey's meeting spot even though there's really no way Spidey could get there through typical means. The book's not very deep, but it's fun and at the end, a bit heart warming. It's worth a read for fans of these two great characters and their amazing relationship.
February 28, 2012
A fun series. Spider-Man and the Human Torch have always had a bit of rivalry over the years, although they are always there to help each other out when necessary. This series explores the friendship between the two over the years, with each chapter being a self-contained story and taking place in a different part of the characters' histories. Slott has a great handle on the characters, and injects quite a bit of humor. One of the funniest scenes happens in the first chapter, when Spider-Man encounters Paste Pot Pete. There is also a neat reference to the Hostess ads that ran in all the Marvel and DC books in the late '70s and early '80s.
Anyway, it is a fun story where nothing groundbreaking happens, but there are some great character moments.
Anyway, it is a fun story where nothing groundbreaking happens, but there are some great character moments.
September 1, 2012
This trade collects the entire five issue series Spider-Man/Human Torch.
Slott and Templeton give us five adventures of the titular duo spanning a decade of Marvel Universe time and several eras of comics in real time. Spidey and the Torch are usually at odds and always on each others nerves. The stories here are light fare, but a lot of fun and are a nice homage to past stories, capturing an appropriate feel for each tale and making reference to major past events. Key supporting characters for both heroes show up in full force and are used well, although this is Peter and Johnny's story through and through.
Spider-Man & The Human Torch is a humorous trip through the formation of an important friendship for both heroes and a quick, enjoyable read.
Slott and Templeton give us five adventures of the titular duo spanning a decade of Marvel Universe time and several eras of comics in real time. Spidey and the Torch are usually at odds and always on each others nerves. The stories here are light fare, but a lot of fun and are a nice homage to past stories, capturing an appropriate feel for each tale and making reference to major past events. Key supporting characters for both heroes show up in full force and are used well, although this is Peter and Johnny's story through and through.
Spider-Man & The Human Torch is a humorous trip through the formation of an important friendship for both heroes and a quick, enjoyable read.
October 23, 2021
Originally rivals, then grudging allies and finally fast friends, this book follows the relationship between Spider-Man and the Human Torch as they battle foes as diverse as the Mole Man, Doctor Doom and Paste-Pot Pete, whilst constantly struggling with their envy for one another.
This book is very much a love-letter to a bygone era of Marvel Comics. Its broken up into five sections, with each focusing on a slightly different era of the title characters lives, running from the 60s, to the 80s and on up to the present (when 'the present' was 2009).
I'm much more of a Spidey fan than an FF one, so for me it was really interesting and nostalgic to revisit the days of him as a college nerd, his time caught between Gwen and MJ, the dark days immediately after Gwen's death and the period of the black costume (and dating the Black Cat). Slott does a great job of mimicking the style of those old stories, without ever falling into the narrative pitfalls that they themselves often did.
I liked the development of the friendship of the main characters too, with them each providing the other something they were lacking. It was good to see Peter's surprise upon discovering that Johnny Storm, famous and beloved public figure, is envious of not only his relationship with Aunt May but also his success with women. We naturally think of Peter as being unlucky in love a lot of the time but from Johnny's perspective we see that Peter has two hot women practically fighting over him and, eventually, he marries an actress supermodel.
The main downside to this book is that it does rely heavily upon that sense of nostalgia.
There's no real overarching plot of its own here and if you're unfamiliar with some of the narrative eras being homaged, then you'd rapidly lose interest. It wasn't a problem for me personally, but I've got to acknowledge that there's not much substance to this book in and of itself.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com *
This book is very much a love-letter to a bygone era of Marvel Comics. Its broken up into five sections, with each focusing on a slightly different era of the title characters lives, running from the 60s, to the 80s and on up to the present (when 'the present' was 2009).
I'm much more of a Spidey fan than an FF one, so for me it was really interesting and nostalgic to revisit the days of him as a college nerd, his time caught between Gwen and MJ, the dark days immediately after Gwen's death and the period of the black costume (and dating the Black Cat). Slott does a great job of mimicking the style of those old stories, without ever falling into the narrative pitfalls that they themselves often did.
I liked the development of the friendship of the main characters too, with them each providing the other something they were lacking. It was good to see Peter's surprise upon discovering that Johnny Storm, famous and beloved public figure, is envious of not only his relationship with Aunt May but also his success with women. We naturally think of Peter as being unlucky in love a lot of the time but from Johnny's perspective we see that Peter has two hot women practically fighting over him and, eventually, he marries an actress supermodel.
The main downside to this book is that it does rely heavily upon that sense of nostalgia.
There's no real overarching plot of its own here and if you're unfamiliar with some of the narrative eras being homaged, then you'd rapidly lose interest. It wasn't a problem for me personally, but I've got to acknowledge that there's not much substance to this book in and of itself.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com *
April 9, 2025
I technically read this in single issues that I dug out of the $2 bins, but I'm logging this digest compilation anyway.
This is a great miniseries! Each issue tells a self-contained story, and each one is set during a different time period: #1 during Peter's teen years, #2 during Peter's early college era, #3 during the aftermath of Gwen's death, #4 in the symbiote era (co-starring Black Cat!), and #5 in the present day at the time, during Peter's teaching career and marriage to M.J. (oh how I yearn for this old status quo!).
Each of the first four issue tie in quite a lot with major events that were going on during those time periods, and #5 puts a nice bow on all of it and ends on a super touching and nostalgic note. The wheel is not reinvented at any point, but it all feels like a love letter to Spidey and to a lesser extent, the old matchstick as well. It has just enough references to be fun and not too much that it relies on it to keep the reader's interest. There were only some minor things that annoyed me, like Dr. Doom being nerfed for the purpose of a hacky joke, and Johnny being pretty darn dense to not deduce Spider-Man's secret identity. Beyond that, the art leaves a tad to be desired, but only a tad.
This is a great miniseries! Each issue tells a self-contained story, and each one is set during a different time period: #1 during Peter's teen years, #2 during Peter's early college era, #3 during the aftermath of Gwen's death, #4 in the symbiote era (co-starring Black Cat!), and #5 in the present day at the time, during Peter's teaching career and marriage to M.J. (oh how I yearn for this old status quo!).
Each of the first four issue tie in quite a lot with major events that were going on during those time periods, and #5 puts a nice bow on all of it and ends on a super touching and nostalgic note. The wheel is not reinvented at any point, but it all feels like a love letter to Spidey and to a lesser extent, the old matchstick as well. It has just enough references to be fun and not too much that it relies on it to keep the reader's interest. There were only some minor things that annoyed me, like Dr. Doom being nerfed for the purpose of a hacky joke, and Johnny being pretty darn dense to not deduce Spider-Man's secret identity. Beyond that, the art leaves a tad to be desired, but only a tad.
May 10, 2020
Johnny Storm is the Human Torch and has a fiery temperament to match, he also makes no secret regarding who is he. Peter Parker is secretly Spider-Man and Storm is unaware of this. The Human Torch is part of the Fantastic Four while Spider-Man acts alone. They sometimes battle against the same powerful villains, but they also have an intense personal rivalry in their normal human lives. Storm is jealous of Parker and Parker is jealous of Storm.
The two young men compete for general attention, women, and essentially anything they consider of value. Sometimes it even reaches the point of light, at least for them, fisticuffs. At times, especially Storm, they act like adolescents far more than the super beings they are. After several embarrassing failures for both of them, their better natures win out and they become the best of friends.
The plot of this story is based on teen angst more than on the power of the two super protagonists. The natural rivalry between teenage boys at times overwhelms them. A fact that all males in their teen years will understand. Even older males who retain their memory will understand and appreciate this story.
The two young men compete for general attention, women, and essentially anything they consider of value. Sometimes it even reaches the point of light, at least for them, fisticuffs. At times, especially Storm, they act like adolescents far more than the super beings they are. After several embarrassing failures for both of them, their better natures win out and they become the best of friends.
The plot of this story is based on teen angst more than on the power of the two super protagonists. The natural rivalry between teenage boys at times overwhelms them. A fact that all males in their teen years will understand. Even older males who retain their memory will understand and appreciate this story.
June 30, 2020
This is exactly the kind of lighthearted fan service Dan Slott is at his best while writing. His big idea storytelling and reverence to continuity is perfect for a sweet story about the long friendship of two of Marvel's very best characters. I'm usually not a fan of Slott, particularly on Spider-Man, so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed these five issues. The ending, really the whole fifth issue, is heartwarming in a way that only long running serialized stories can be; the kind of fun and engaging I wish we'd see more of in the modern Spider-books (or in Slott's time as writer on Amazing Spider-Man, steering the ship for the whole line of books).
And Ty Templeton's art! The loving homage to old-school character designs merge beautifully with new-school panel layouts to produce some genuinely emotional moments, even while maintaining a more cartoony art style. As a former Batman Adventures artist, Templeton knows how to balance the atmosphere and emotional weight with color and fun. Not to mention the wonderfully vivid colors and nostalgic shading by the book's rotating cast of colorists and inkers.
And Ty Templeton's art! The loving homage to old-school character designs merge beautifully with new-school panel layouts to produce some genuinely emotional moments, even while maintaining a more cartoony art style. As a former Batman Adventures artist, Templeton knows how to balance the atmosphere and emotional weight with color and fun. Not to mention the wonderfully vivid colors and nostalgic shading by the book's rotating cast of colorists and inkers.
May 5, 2020
Collects Spider-Man/Human Torch issues #1-5
I mostly checked this out because I love Dan Slott's run on "Amazing Spider-Man," and this is some of his early Spider-Man writing. Each of the five issues tell a single story from some point in the history of the friendship between Spider-Man and the Human Torch. There are some early adventures, and the last issue brings us to the present day of when this series first came out. I appreciated some of the Clone Saga references in the last issue, especially considering what Slott does with Ben Reilly during his "Amazing" run. This was fun to read, but not epic in scope.
I mostly checked this out because I love Dan Slott's run on "Amazing Spider-Man," and this is some of his early Spider-Man writing. Each of the five issues tell a single story from some point in the history of the friendship between Spider-Man and the Human Torch. There are some early adventures, and the last issue brings us to the present day of when this series first came out. I appreciated some of the Clone Saga references in the last issue, especially considering what Slott does with Ben Reilly during his "Amazing" run. This was fun to read, but not epic in scope.
July 5, 2025
What a fun mini series this was! Dan Slott gives us a great collection of Spidey and the Human Torch team-ups!
I loved how each issue took place in different eras and Slott captured their vibe really well! He also did a terrific job writing Peter and Johnny's friendship! Their chemistry was on point throughout the stories! Bonus points for giving us Peter using the symbiote suit in a super spy way!
The art was also excellent and just like Slott, Ty Templeton and John Rauch captured each era amazingly well in their art and colors!
That final issue was so gosh darn wholesome and really makes me yearn for when Peter was happy and everyone liked him!
I loved how each issue took place in different eras and Slott captured their vibe really well! He also did a terrific job writing Peter and Johnny's friendship! Their chemistry was on point throughout the stories! Bonus points for giving us Peter using the symbiote suit in a super spy way!
The art was also excellent and just like Slott, Ty Templeton and John Rauch captured each era amazingly well in their art and colors!
That final issue was so gosh darn wholesome and really makes me yearn for when Peter was happy and everyone liked him!
September 19, 2025
2005 Jonny Storm is calling, he wants his borderline sexist remarks back!
While some remarks aged about as well as Spidey's nets do, a lot of the jokes still work 20 years later and still make this an enjoyable read.
Worth noting is also the fact that the stories aren't set in immediate succession but instead jump around in time to all sorts of moments in their lives.
The comic is also surprisingly wholesome, which I really didn't expect when reading the first few pages.
So, if a hilarious friendship, banter, and watching Spiderman fail to parallel park sounds intriguing to you, then hey, you might have found your next read!
While some remarks aged about as well as Spidey's nets do, a lot of the jokes still work 20 years later and still make this an enjoyable read.
Worth noting is also the fact that the stories aren't set in immediate succession but instead jump around in time to all sorts of moments in their lives.
The comic is also surprisingly wholesome, which I really didn't expect when reading the first few pages.
So, if a hilarious friendship, banter, and watching Spiderman fail to parallel park sounds intriguing to you, then hey, you might have found your next read!
July 28, 2020
These two have the best banter. I love how their friendship has been a constant of the comics for the past many decades since Spidey was introduced to the world. This collection hearkens back to the corny goofiness and humorous hijinks of earlier comics, which is honestly really refreshing.
Of course, the continuity drops at certain points, but seeing as how it's Spider-Man (whose continuity is very much all over the place at this point), they are forgivable mistakes.
Of course, the continuity drops at certain points, but seeing as how it's Spider-Man (whose continuity is very much all over the place at this point), they are forgivable mistakes.
May 20, 2020
This draws some interesting comparisons between the two heroes with stories picked from here and there throughout their careers, but it still didn't do much for my opinion of Johnny Storm or the Fantastic Four, which is that they're boring and one dimensional characters. Johnny's jealousy of Peter Parker despite his insane amount privilege just doesn't flow logically and feels forced.
March 29, 2023
Comic readers who have enjoyed the rivalry between Spider-Man and the Human Torch over the decades will find this hard to resist. The art falls somewhere between Ditko and Romita, and the story is a nostalgia-filled trip that relates the various stages of the relationship, which finally culminates in an abiding friendship.
May 22, 2017
First three stories are fantastic, the fourth entertaining and the last a bit of a mess due to having to work with the then current continuity. However, the story that mixes The Red Ghost and his Super Apes, the Spider-Mobile and "Hostess Fruit Pies" is a fan friendly mini masterpiece. Fun stuff.
June 26, 2022
"God, how I envied you. You always had everything going for you!" —Johnny Storm, #5
listen. LISTEN. dan slott . . . misses so often but this is not one of them. i love peter i love johnny i love watching them being increasingly jealous over the years i love them .
listen. LISTEN. dan slott . . . misses so often but this is not one of them. i love peter i love johnny i love watching them being increasingly jealous over the years i love them .
February 19, 2024
This mini is perfect and a real treat. It starts back in the past and works its way lovingly up to the "present" in issue 5, which is set sometime between The Other and Civil War. Truly outstanding from cover to cover!
December 24, 2024
A Great Team Up book
This book covers five issues that see two heroes grow from teenage rivals to adult friends, and everything else that happens along the way is awesome as well. I loved the payoff at the end.
This book covers five issues that see two heroes grow from teenage rivals to adult friends, and everything else that happens along the way is awesome as well. I loved the payoff at the end.
July 29, 2025
Not my most favorite ever depictions of spiderman/peter parker but a really fun and funny collection of boyish banter and charm
The final issue is actually so good though raising this from a 3 star to a 4 star …
Love them.
The final issue is actually so good though raising this from a 3 star to a 4 star …
Love them.
April 2, 2018
A light, heartfelt read about two bros who hate, envy, and love each other. Not the deepest or most impactful story out there, but I can't complain when each issue leaves me smiling and wanting more.
January 3, 2019
Fun and heartwarming stories reflecting the beautiful friendship between the two protagonists. Really loved the art reminiscing of the days of old.
May 9, 2019
A fun trip down memory lane as Slott checks in on Spidey and Torch during 5 periods. Light, fun reading with gorgeous art
June 27, 2021
Oh my heart on this one
July 29, 2021
How much fun was this! Just the way Spider-Man should be written and so many memories brought back while reading.
August 23, 2021
I loved how it showed the evolution of Spider-Man and the Human Torch's relationship. It was a nice fun read without the drama of current stories.
September 2, 2021
honestly, it started off as a pretty crinheworthy take of spidey and johnny, but it really ended up being super cute and heartwarming
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews