Human Torch
The hothead who carried Marvel's first solo strip.
Johnny Storm debuts with the rest of the team in the issue that started the Marvel age, taking a name Timely had used in 1939.
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Why Human Torch matters to collectors
Johnny Storm was the most popular member of the Fantastic Four in the early 1960s by a wide margin, which is why Marvel gave him his own strip in Strange Tales while the team book was still running. He is the teenager in a family of adults, and sixty years of writers have kept that dynamic because it gives the group its friction.
Key issues and milestones
- Marvel Comics #1 (1939) - The original Human Torch, an android built by Professor Horton, in Timely's first publication.
- Strange Tales #101 (1962) - Johnny gets his own solo feature, the first Fantastic Four character to carry a strip alone.
- Fantastic Four #4 (1962) - Johnny finds an amnesiac Namor in a Bowery flophouse and restores his memory, reviving a Golden Age character.
- Fantastic Four #587 (2011) - The death of the Human Torch, an issue Marvel shipped in a sealed black polybag.
Carl Burgos created the original 1939 Human Torch as an android who burst into flame the moment he touched air, which made him a horror character before he was a hero - Marvel's first breakout star was, technically, a monster.
Collecting Human Torch through the years
Johnny's collecting story is inseparable from the Fantastic Four's, with one exception: Strange Tales #101 is his own first solo, and it is a genuinely collectible Silver Age book in its own right. The 1939 android Torch from Marvel Comics #1 is a separate character entirely, which confuses newcomers constantly and occasionally shows up mislabelled in listings. Early 1960s Strange Tales issues were printed for a general anthology audience and saved far less carefully than the superhero titles, so high grade is scarcer than the era suggests.
Read Human Torch comics on VeVe
VeVe also runs a digital comic store, separate from its collectible drops. Search it for Fantastic Four comics Single issues we checked on 25 September 2026 ran from US$3.99 to US$8.98, so a new collector's US$10 credit covers one outright.
Human Torch on VeVe
VeVe has released a Human Torch figure alongside digital comics covering Fantastic Four #1 through #10. Flame effects are the obvious hook for the sculpt - a fully flamed-on figure is one of the hardest things to produce physically and one of the easiest to render convincingly. The comics release the whole opening run rather than cherry-picking a single key, which is unusual and worth noting.
A Human Torch figure, and digital comics of Fantastic Four #1 through #10. Check the drop calendar for upcoming Marvel releases - drops sell out in minutes, and reminders keep you ahead of them.
New to digital collecting? Start with what VeVe is and why first appearances are the rookie cards of comics.
Before you collect Human Torch
- Claim your free US$10 - new collectors start with credit toward a first piece, no card required.
- Is VeVe legit? - our honest review, including the parts VeVe would rather we skipped.
- How to start on VeVe - signup through first drop, step by step.
- Are VeVe collectibles worth it? - who genuinely enjoys this hobby, and who should pass.
Human Torch collector FAQ
Where can I buy Human Torch digital collectibles?
Human Torch digital collectibles release on VeVe through scheduled drops and the in-app marketplace. A Human Torch figure, and digital comics of Fantastic Four #1 through #10.
What is Human Torch's first appearance?
Human Torch first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 (1961). Johnny Storm debuts with the rest of the team in the issue that started the Marvel age, taking a name Timely had used in 1939.
Are Human Torch collectibles on VeVe officially licensed?
Yes. Every Marvel collectible on VeVe is produced under official license with the rights holder - that licensing is the core difference between VeVe and unlicensed NFT projects. More on licensed vs unlicensed.
Are Human Torch digital collectibles NFTs?
Technically yes - VeVe collectibles are NFTs recorded on blockchain for provenance. In practice they work like licensed digital collectibles: bought in-app with a custodial wallet, no crypto knowledge needed. How VeVe NFTs actually work.