- "Flame on."
- ―Johnny Storm
The Human Torch, also referred to as "Subject No. 2" is Sue Storm's younger brother and a member of the Fantastic Four.
Biography
Fantastic Four
Born the son of Dr. Franklin Storm, the founder of the Baxter Institute, Johnny was raised alongside Sue Storm, who had been adopted from Kosovo. Growing up in Sue's shadow, Johnny had been known to rebel against his father. While racing against a group of kids one day, Johnny crashed his car and injured his arm. Franklin picked his son up and tried to talk sense into him but Johnny wouldn't listen. His father then told him that he would not get the car back unless he earned it back by working for him. At the Baxter Building, Johnny met up with Victor von Doom and Reed Richards and helped them build a Quantum Gate: a device meant to teleport people. While working on the project Sue commented that it was fun having him here and complimented that he seemed really in his element Johnny told her he was only doing this to get his car back but told her it was good to see her again. When the group finished and successfully tested it on some chimps. However, they were told by military scientist Dr. Harvey Allen that they would not be going on the trip. Disappointed, Johnny, Victor, and Reeds decided to get some drinks and decided they were going to be the first ones to explore the alternate dimension, not the government. Reed brought his best friend, Ben Grimm, along the way and the two successfully teleported and explored the alternate dimension.
When Victor tried to take a sample, the dimension became unstable. Johnny, having stayed behind while the others had been exploring, pulled them up although Victor ended seemingly falling to his death. Making their way back to the Gate, Johnny contacted Sue who managed to bring them back but not before Johnny was infected by fiery plasma, giving him the ability to engulf his body in flames and manipulate it. Taken into custody by the government, Johnny found himself unable to control his powers. Reed soon managed to escape the facility.
After a year had passed, Johnny came to enjoy his powers, seeing them as having finally given him purpose, and, to help control them, was given a specialized suit. Eventually, Johnny told his sister that he was going be sent on an assignment. Sue tried to talk him out of it, but he refused to listen.
Later, Franklin tried to talk his son out of going on the assignment but Johnny refused to listen to him, blaming his father for the reason he was even in this situation. Eventually, Reed was located and despite Reed leaving them, Johnny welcomed him back with open arms. After the Quantum Gate was rebuilt with Reeds help Dr. Allen sent a team in. While exploring, the team discovered Victor, who had survived in the dimension (now known as Planet Zero) for a year. Bringing him back, Victor claimed that Earth was not his home and went on a massacre in the base. While following the trail of bodies, Johnny was startled and almost injured his sister. The two later watched in horror as Victor killed Franklin. Johnny along with Sue, Ben, and Reed then pursued Victor into Planet Zero. In anger, Johnny attacked Victor only for the villain to easily subdue him along with the others. Reed came to their aid and told them that, to defeat Victor, they had to work together. Working as a team, Johnny and the others managed to knock Victor into the link between the two worlds, apparently killing him. Johnny then used the debris of the Planet Zero to block off the portal.
Having saved the world, Johnny and the others received a large facility which Johnny thought to name after Franklin, the Franklin Storm Research Center, only for Sue to point out that their father had hated his name in public lettering. Now a team, Johnny, Sue, Reed and Ben decided on a team name and to use their powers to help people. He opted for "The Human Torch and the Torchettes" and "Two Guys, a Girl and The Thing Nobody Wanted".
Character Traits
Johnny is a thrill-seeker and troublemaker but is also smart and charismatic.
Powers and Abilities
- Fire Generation: Johnny can create, project, shoot, and blast fire from his body, creating and discharging concussive, explosive force when doing so. This allows the fire he shoots out to hit with force similar to missiles. He can also make continuous bursts of fire and heat in streams, in the same ways as a flamethrower. His heat and fire can be as intense as the most powerful of explosions. He can form plasma-like fire, similar to a star surface, on his body and use its force to fly. He is able forming a jet of fire and heat from his body in any direction or part, which can propel.
- Fire Manipulation: After being exposed to some fiery energy from Planet Zero, Johnny can create, project, mentally control, and shoot fire from his body and create explosive forces while doing so. This allows fire to shoot out of his hands with a force similar to that of small missiles.
- Flight: Johnny can create an almost-explosive force, similar to a rocket engine, which he can emit from any part of his body and use it to seamlessly propel himself through the air. However, this is only possible in his flame form.
Relationships
Allies
- Fantastic Four
- Sue Storm/Invisible Woman - Adopted Sister and Teammate
- Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic - Friend and Teammate
- Ben Grimm/The Thing - Friend and Teammate
- Franklin Storm † - Father
Enemies
Trivia
- Before Reed came back to Area 57, Johnny was almost to go on an assignment like Ben had been doing.
External links
Human Torch on the Marvel Wiki
Human Torch on Wikipedia