CHARACTER PROFILES

HUMAN TORCH

the original

The Human Torch was created by Carl Burgos in for MARVEL COMICS #1 in 1939, and thus became Marvel's second major hero.

The Original Human Torch... The Man of Flame... though technically niether a human or a man. The android who came to be known as the superhero Human Torch was created by Dr. Phineas T. Horton. Dr. Horton was an egotistical man who publicly displayed his android creation, despite it's slight flaming problem, because he wanted the publicity. Helping him on this project was Dr. James Bradley, who left the project early. Dr. Bradley later became a little known hero "Dr. Nemisis" and later the villian "Dr. Death" (that last bit was revealled in Invaders vol. 2, and I include it because I can believe Dr. Horton had one or more assistants on a project that created life). The public did not respond as favorably to his creation as Dr. Horton had hoped. They buried Horton's fiery creation under earth, steel, and concrete in order to prevent the Torch from inevitably wrecking havoc. The Torch was educated via radio by his creator in secret, in preparation for the day Horton would be able to free his android without fear of being burnt. Fortunately for the sake of a short story, there was a convenient leak allowing the artificial man to escape (isn't there always). The Torch freed himself of his prison, thinking he was an ordinary man... who happened to be on fire! He rampaged across the city, very confused and very dangerous. He was an innocent who was feared for something he could not control. Eventually he learned to control his abilities and even used them to fight crime. With World War on the horizon, the public quickly got over it's mistrust of the Man of Flame, and encouraged him as he battled Nazi's alongside the other Invaders, Namor and Captain America. He settled down into a "normal" life, giving himself the name (for reasons that are beyond me) Jim Hammond, and even joining the police force.

The Human Torch has been killed and revived several times since WWII. The main reason he couldn't seem to stay alive is that he was constently overshadowed by the Silver Age hero named after him, The Human Torch of the Fantastic Four. Currently the Torch is "alive" again, though without his powers. He is CEO of Namor's enviromentally friendly company Oracle Inc. and funding a team known as The Heroes For Hire. (there is remarkably little I can find on the Torch due to the popularity of his Silver Age conterpart, any information would be appretiated)

TORO

Toro was created for HUMAN TOCH #1, persumably for the sole reason that someone felt that the Torch should have a sidekick.

In the dawn of the Nuclear Age, two scientists where at the forefront. Fred and Nora Raymond were brilliant and dedicated sciensts, too dedicated. Their research into radiation lead to severe illnesses later in life, it also led to there son, Thomas, becoming a mutant. At some point, after the Human Torch had already been an established superhero, one of his villains (possibly his most persistant), named Asbestos Lady (I know, but hey, it was the 40's) decided she wanted increase her arsenal, and she wanted the Raymonds to do it. Fred flately refused her request, and like all vilains, the Asbestos Lady swore revenge. Before she could acheive her goal, she was stopped by the Torch. When it was learned that radiation poisening had left Nora with only a short time to live, the Raymonds decided to take a much needed vacation, from work, from fast pace world of science on the verge, and, hopefully, from Asbestos Lady. They travelled by train, little realizing that the villainess had placed a tree trunk on the tracks. In the resulting wreck, and the fire that followed, all aboard were killed, except one. Thomas survived, inside the burning wreckage, not yet knowing of the powers he posessed. The young orphan, with no where else to go, joined a travelling circus, using his history to help promote his carreer as a fire-eater (what else?). One day (because it was bound to happen) the Torch passed by. As he flew by, he noticed the young fire-eater right after something had gone wrong with his act. After accidentally lighting himself on fire, Thomas was shocked to discover that he wasn't burnt. So was the Torch. The Torch (for some odd reason), had an idea, and (for some odd reason) felt like testing it out. He lit his flame close enough, that had Thomas been anyone else, he would've been burnt. But, first out of the shock what the Torch did, then out of the shock of what he himself was doing, Thomas, cought fire. He became, for the first time, Toro. Then, because it was destined to happen, he became the Human Torch's sidekick. Toro went on to help found such wartime teams as The Invaders, The Kid Comandos, and (again, unconfirmed) The Young Allies. After the war, he helped found the All-Winners Squad with his partner, Namor, and the second Captain America and Bucky.

After the Torch's dissapearance, Toro grew up, settled down, and started a family. Saddly, this peaceful existance couldn't last forever. As with, it seems, all heroes, Toro was called out of retirement against his will. Attending a funeral for the then deactivated Human Torch, Toro was kidnapped by the Mad Thinker (a Fantastic Four villain, whose mad, and thinks alot), and unwittingly transformed into his old mentors replacement. The Mad Thinker sent the new "original" Human Torch after the Torch's most celebrated combatant, Namor the Sub-Mariner. Toro eventually freed himself of the Thinker's control, but in an attempt to bring the villain to justice, Toro died. His first and last appearance in continuity since the Golden Age, was in SUB-MARINER vol. 2 #14.