- "Flame on."
- ―Johnny Storm
Johnathon Johnny Storm, also known as the Human Torch, is the son of Dr. Franklin Storm and the younger brother of his adopted sister, Sue Storm. Following a visit to Planet Zero along with Reed Richards, Victor von Doom, and Ben Grimm, Johnny gained the ability to engulf his entire body in fire and fly. He would then go on to become a member of the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers and superheroes.
Biography
Fantastic Four
Born the son of Dr. Franklin Storm, the founder of the Baxter Institute, Johnny was raised alongside his sister, Sue Storm, who had been adopted from Kosovo. Growing up in Sue's shadow, Johnny developed a reckless-daredevil personality, and eventually turned to street racing. While racing against a group of kids one night, Johnny crashed his car and injured his arm. Franklin picked his son up and attempted to teach Johnny responsibility by withholding his car until 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 there and complimented that he seemed to be really in his element, with Johnny replying that he was only helping them to get his car back, but told her it was good to see her again, nonetheless. When the group finished and successfully tested tjhe Quantum Gate on some chimps, they were told by military scientist Dr. Harvey Allen that they would not be going on the trip. Disappointed, Johnny, Victor, and Reed decided to get some drinks and agreed that they were going to explore the alternate dimension, not the government. Reed brought his best friend, Ben Grimm, along the way and the four 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, however, Victor seemingly fell 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 and 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, he 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 as well, blaming his father for the reason he was even in the situation where he gained his powers. Eventually, Reed was located and despite Reed abandoning them, Johnny welcomed him back with open arms. After the Quantum Gate was rebuilt with Reed's 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".
Personality
- "Johnny Storm; extremely bright and good-natured, but unfocused with unbridled energy. His acts of defiance compensate for feelings of insecurity. And at times, his rebelliousness is a distraction."
- ―Franklin Storm
Johnny Storm is known to be a thrill-seeker and troublemaker, which put him at odds with both his sister and late father. He can be very irresponsible at times and does not think about the consequences of his actions, as he constantly rebelled against his father by street racing and injuring himself in the process. Johnny also possesses a bad habit of saying harmful statements without thinking, such as when he described Ben Grimm as 'The Thing that Nobody Wanted' of the Fantastic Four when the group was thinking of a team name. Despite his rebelliousness, Johnny is an extremely bright and good-natured individual.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Pyrogenesis: Johnny can generate, create, and project fire from his entire body, creating and discharging concussive, explosive force as a result; this allows the fire he projects 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 even encompass himself entirely in fire and use its force to fly at great speeds.
- Pyrokinesis: Along with creating fire, Johnny has the ability to mentally control the ambient heat energy within his immediate environment, even when he is not aflame. He can reduce objects' temperatures or extinguish open flames; fire and heat have no affect on him and he cannot be damaged it. He can also sustain any fire or heat around him or from his body, keeping it from being extinguished and changing its shape and form.
- Flight: Johnny can create 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 at missile-like speed.
Abilities
- Expert Mechanic: Johnny is capable of fixing his car to make it fast, but was unable to take control of its engine. He was able help along with other scientists at the Baxter Building by working on inter-dimensional travel.
- Skilled Driver: Johnny is a very skilled driver, using quick turns to almost winning a drag race with a group of other kids.
Relationships
Allies
- Fantastic Four
- Sue Storm/Invisible Woman - Older 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 assignment like Ben had been doing.
External links
Human Torch on the Marvel Wiki
Human Torch on Wikipedia