Human Torch

Jonathan "Johnny" Storm a.k.a. the Human Torch is an American superpowered adventurer. He was a high school student before he was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation when his older sister Sue Storm's boyfriend, scientist Dr. Reed Richards, took them and pilot Ben Grimm into space in the stolen rocket Marvel-1. The radiation mutated the group, transforming Johnny's entire body into a fiery, plasma-like state. Together, they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time, and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.
== History ==
Johnny Storm and his older sister, Sue, lived uneventfully on Long Island until their mother, Mary Storm, died in an automobile accident. Their father, Franklin Storm, a doctor, failed to save her. Despondent, Franklin descended into booze and gambling, eventually winding up in a penitentiary for murder. The children went to live with their aunt Marygay. Growing up in suburban Glenville, Johnny Storm was drawn to automobiles, despite his mother's death in a car accident, and became quite a mechanic at a young age.
While still a teenager, he selflessly rescued two of his friends from a burning building. No stranger to adventure, Johnny was nearly chosen as the human host of the demonic Zarathos, and was attacked by the legendary St. Germaine, who sought the power for himself. Johnny escaped the lure of Zarathos with the help of archaeologist Max Parrish, the uncle of Cammy Brandeis, on whom Johnny had a bit of a crush.
Following his sister, Johnny became acquainted with her boyfriend, scientist Reed Richards. Reed planned to embark on a mission on the first faster-than-light rocketship to reach an Earthlike planet called Spyre located 44 lightyears away. After looking through the advanced scanner that Reed used to find this planet, Johnny was overcome by an impulse to join the mission, feeling that something was waiting for him out there. Unbeknownst to Johnny, a denizen of Spyre named Kaila had also become affected by a similar sensation when she looked into the Earth from a similar device. Johnny pushed himself through strenuous training and became the youngest pilot in NASA.
While originally enlisted as backup pilot, Johnny joined Reed, Sue and fellow pilot Ben Grimm on an unauthorized space flight aboard the Marvel-1. After take-off, the ship passed through a storm of cosmic rays that caused the vessel to crash back to Earth. All four passengers were transformed by the radiation, with Johnny gaining the ability to envelop his body on fire. Calling himself Human Torch in tribute to the later hero Jim Hammond of the same name, the youthful Johnny found new adventure as part of the Fantastic Four, proving to be an invaluable if somewhat volatile member of the team.
== Personality ==
Reckless, quick tempered, impulsive, self-aggrandizing and vainglorious, but genuinely brave, bold, kind and honest.
== Powers and Abilities ==
Pyrogenesis: The Human Torch possessed the mental ability to control ambient heat energy and the physical ability to transform his entire body, or portions of his body into a fiery, plasma-like state of will. The cells of a normal human body convert energy from foodstuffs into a form of energy usable by the body, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Among other mutagenic changes, the cosmic ray bombardment triggered a specific genetic code rearrangement that caused the Human Torch's ATP production sites to generate a new form of energy containing molecule. (Reed Richards has dubbed this molecule adenine ribo-heptaphosphine, AR-HP.) This complex molecule not only provides ordinary bodily energy but contains large stores of latent chemical-bonding energies. Another favorable mutagenic change is his cells' ability to utilize this extra energy by converting it into a moderate-density, plasma-like state that is regulated by a subconscious mental field and can be modified by an act of will. When sufficient quantities of energy are consumed, the Torch unavoidably reverts to his solid state. After being overloaded by cosmic energy by Doctor Doom, Johnny's flames were powered by ambient cosmic energy and no longer required oxygen, but he could no longer deactivate them. Johnny was eventually able to return his powers to their normal levels.
* Pyrokinesis: The Human Torch can generate shapes composed of fire from any point on his body (he usually employs his hands to "sculpt" the flames, occasionally as a lasso to ensnare enemies). He can form fire into long streams, spheres, or even more complex shapes like letters in skywriting. These flames-objects will only remain their shapes as long as he concentrates upon them. The objects will only burn about 3 minutes before expiring unless the Torch continues to infuse them with energy. The temperature of these fiery projections is generally around 2,800 F (near the melting point of iron).
* Flight: The Human Torch's plasma has a high hydrogen content and is surrounded by an exuded cloud of mono-atomic hydrogen atoms. The hot cloud provides sufficient positive buoyancy for him to float. With mental stimulation of his flame, he can provide enough lift to carry around 180 pounds. By forming a jet from his feet, directed behind him, he can achieve a normal flight speed of 140 miles per hour, and accelerate up to supersonic speeds capable of catching up with faster beings such as the Silver Surfer while in the Earth's orbit. He can also discharge concussive blasts of heat most notably in the case of his human candle punch. After being overloaded with cosmic energy by Doctor Doom, Johnny's flight speed was increased to the point to where he could travel from Earth to the planet of Spyre in a short amount of time.
* Heat Manipulation: The Human Torch has the ability to mentally control the ambient heat energy within his immediate environment, even when he himself is not aflame. He can reduce objects' temperatures (if they are in a normal range for existing on Earth's surface) to about 30 F, raise them to several hundred degrees, or extinguish open flames. His radius of influence is about 80 feet. The heat energy he takes from the environment is absorbed into his own body. If he takes in a critical amount while he is not aflame, he will become aflame. There are unknown limits to the amount of flame he can absorb into his own body harmlessly while he is himself aflame.
* Superhuman Durability: The Human Torch is surprisingly, and extremely durable. He was able to shake off a punch from Gladiator, and has taken multiple punches from Namor.
* Immunity to Fire & Heat: The Human Torch is unaffected by heat and flames, including his own, even when part of him is aflame and the rest of him is not. His flesh cannot be scalded or burned by any heat source whose level is below that of his maximum output.
* Cold Resistance: Human Torch seems to have a degree of resistance to cold. When he was in Antarctica, all he could do was a jacket, a bathing suit, and some cowboy boots and even swam in the water of Antarctica - and he showed no signs of cold or discomfort at all.
== Appearances ==
* Fantastic Four: Transformania
Category:Characters