R.I.P. HUMAN TORCH

The Burgomaster · March 04, 2011, 10:31:57 AM

And so another era of comic books comes to an end with the demise of Johnny "The Human Torch" Storm. And the end of the FANTASTIC FOUR comic books. Up next, FF comics, with Spider-Man replacing the Human Torch and the group getting new white uniforms with black trim. All the memories of my youth dashed to pieces. I am saddened, this day . . .

BTM · March 04, 2011, 02:46:12 PM

Dude, you uh, actually believe he's going to STAY dead?

I haven't kept up with comics too much (mainly cause of low finances) but I do seem to recall a bullet to the skull didn't stop Captain America for too long....

The Burgomaster · March 05, 2011, 10:08:20 AM

Quote from: BTM on March 04, 2011, 02:46:12 PM

Dude, you uh, actually believe he's going to STAY dead?

I haven't kept up with comics too much (mainly cause of low finances) but I do seem to recall a bullet to the skull didn't stop Captain America for too long....

I think he may eventually come back in one form or another. But I believe THE FANTASTIC FOUR, as we know it, will never be the same. Sure, Captain America came back, but now he's just Steve Rogers. Bucky Barnes is now Captain America. Maybe there will be a new Human Torch and Johnny Storm will come back as a different hero.

Hammock Rider · March 07, 2011, 02:50:13 PM

It's a sad day when Marvel can't make their founding title work anymore. I wonder if this will tie in somehow to the new Spiderman movie that's suppossed to come out soon.

This is only kind of tangentially related to the post, but it's pretty funny.

Olivia Bauer · March 07, 2011, 04:57:19 PM

I hate it when in comics they kill a hero than make an excuse to revive them.

The Burgomaster · March 07, 2011, 05:30:53 PM

Quote from: A.J. Bauer on March 07, 2011, 04:57:19 PM
I hate it when in comics they kill a hero than make an excuse to revive them.

Another thing that bugs me is all the roster changes and cross-overs from group to group. For example, back in the day, Spider-Man was pretty much a "loner" (except when he teamed up with someone for one or two issues in MARVEL TEAM-UP). Now he has his own book, plus he's in THE AVENGERS, plus he will now be in THE FF.

Hammock Rider · March 08, 2011, 01:30:02 PM

I don't like it either. it's just a lazy way to sell more issues instead of giving the reader good stories. Why not make Johnny more interesting rather than kill him off? looking back, I don't remember too many really engrossing Torch storylines. About the best I can come up with is the time he had an affair with the Thing's girlfriend Alica while the Thing was off on a distant planet. They were married and then it was revealed that Johnny's wife was really a skrull assassin named Lyja who'd been sent to kill the F.F. Then it was revealed that she was pregnent by the Torch and THEN it was revealed that the baby was an egg! But aside from that I can't remember Marvel ever really trying to do much with him. They treated him like a stock cardboard character and that's how the fans responded to him.

bob · March 08, 2011, 02:57:09 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V42SCG5hV18

The Burgomaster · March 09, 2011, 08:29:05 AM

Quote from: Hammock Rider on March 08, 2011, 01:30:02 PM

Looking back, I don't remember too many really engrossing Torch storylines. They treated him like a stock cardboard character and that's how the fans responded to him.

Back when I was REALLY into comics (between about 1970 and 1980), the Torch was characterized as a temperamental young man with lots of girlfriends. Then, I believe, he had a relationship with Crystal from the Inhumans. He often went head-to-head against Spider-Man (sort of the "two young guys trying to prove who is tougher" theme). I started subscribing to many comics (including the Fantastic Four) last year and it seems as though the Torch (and many other Marvel and DC characters) have changed quite a bit over the years. Most noticeably, I think the entire Fantastic Four lost its charm.

HappyGilmore · March 09, 2011, 10:56:33 PM

I haven't regularly read the Fantastic Four since the mid '90s. Thought it wasn't getting made anymore, actually. I do somewhat regularly follow both The Hulk and Spider-Man. I'm more a Marvel fan as opposed to DC, although I do occasionally pick up some Bat-Books.

Hammock Rider · March 11, 2011, 11:43:55 AM

Quote from: The Burgomaster on March 09, 2011, 08:29:05 AM
Quote from: Hammock Rider on March 08, 2011, 01:30:02 PM

Looking back, I don't remember too many really engrossing Torch storylines. They treated him like a stock cardboard character and that's how the fans responded to him.

Back when I was REALLY into comics (between about 1970 and 1980), the Torch was characterized as a temperamental young man with lots of girlfriends. Then, I believe, he had a relationship with Crystal from the Inhumans. He often went head-to-head against Spider-Man (sort of the "two young guys trying to prove who is tougher" theme). I started subscribing to many comics (including the Fantastic Four) last year and it seems as though the Torch (and many other Marvel and DC characters) have changed quite a bit over the years. Most noticeably, I think the entire Fantastic Four lost its charm.

I agree. I'm not sure why this is true but it is. I do like the Marvel Adventures books that are aimed at younger readers. They seem more in line with the books I was buying when I was a kid.

JaseSF · March 13, 2011, 12:40:17 AM

I loved Fantastic Four back in the 70 reading it as a kid. It was totally a Sci-Fi comic IMO. Sure it had superheroes but it totally had a ton of sci-fi elements...aliens, space travel, the negative zone, Reed Richards' inventions, etc.. The speculative Sci-Fi Fantasy of that era doesn't seem to hold up for fans today sad to say...