Posted - January 7, 2018

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Fantastic Four No. 233
Mission for a Dead Man



Fantastic Four No. 233

There was a time when the Human Torch had his own solo adventures in the pages of Strange Tales, but that was a long time ago. So we're in for a treat because in this issue of the FF the Torch goes solo!

We begin with a prisoner on Death Row.


death row inmate

And a letter he wants delivered. Here's the recipient:


letter

The priest it is entrusted to decides to deliver the letter himself. When he gets to the Baxter Building he is greeted with something alarming but nonetheless routine - a cat and dog fight between the Human Torch and the Thing.


human torch dodges a projectile

Anyway, things subside as they always do. And the letter, here it is:


letter

Even though he was bullied by this guy in high school the Torch decides to grant the dead man's request.

I'm a bit surprised that the Human Torch takes the Fantasticar instead of flying.


johnny storm in the fantasticar

I've never seen the old "bathtub" Fantasticar look better. Note that the Torch is taking just his section of the bathtub.

First stop for Johnny is to look at some police files.


johnny storm researching

Here's what the Torch finds out.



Next stop is the murder site, but Johnny being Johnny, his temper gets the better of him.


hot headed johnny storm asked to walk

Something is wrong.


man talking in a phonebooth

Fortunately, the Torch was tailing this guy.


the human torch traps somebody in a fire cage

And now for the fun part. The Torch gets a drop on some armed suspects and we get to see his powers in action. First, invulnerability.


bullets can't hit the human torch

Agility.


the human torch doing arial acrobatics

Remember, when the Torch isn't dodging the Thing he's playing around with Spider-Man.

And good old-fashioned firepower, operative word "fire".


fireblast from the human torch

Won't be complete without a fireball display.


human torch fireball

The Torch gets the info he needs. The trail leads to Hammerhead.


hammerhead

Hammerhead tries to neutralize the Human Torch with a trap that the Torch thinks was designed for Spider-Man.


human torch in a trap

The Torch just melts right through it. Spidey's spider-sense and reflexes would have gotten him out of the way in plenty of time.

Johnny is baffled by Hammerhead's evident super-strength.


super strong hammerhead

He burns through Hammerhead's clothes and the mystery is solved.


hammerhead's exoskeleton

The Torch is getting clobbered (as the Thing would say).


human torch getting punched

Johnny manages to disable the suit.


human torch disables hammerhead's power suit

Hammerhead jumps off in an apparent suicide attempt.


hammerhead jumps off a building

But it isn't. The Torch can find no trace of him.

Regarding his original mission. The Torch manages to put it all together once he accesses police files pertaining to the Kingpin. The cops probably allowed him to look at those files because he nabbed so many wanted Maggia personalities when he attacked Hammerhead.


johnny storm talking johnny storm talking

Next: Fantastic Four 234 The Man with the Power