YOU WON’T BELIEVE How Human Torch REALLY Handles Anger

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The “Fantastic Four Fanfare” comic book series offers an inventive take on Marvel’s iconic superhero family, as each installment focuses on a solo adventure featuring one of the team members. The roster of talented creators assembled for this series is quite impressive, with veterans like Mark Waid, Alan Davis, and Sara Pichelli – who have previously worked on Fantastic Four stories – joining the lineup. Interestingly, both Davis and Pichelli launched separate Fantastic Four series that centered around the team re-entering the Marvel Universe following their time in other dimensions. The debut issue showcases a delightful assortment of tales.

Title #1 of Fantastic Four, penned by Mark Waid, Alan Davis, and Andrew Wheeler, illustrated by Ramon Rosanas, Alan Davis, Sara Pichelli, colored by Neeraj Menon, Matt Hollingsworth, and Federico Blee, and lettered by Joe Caramagna, offers intriguing glimpses into the character of The Human Torch.

How does Human Torch handle the Thing’s court order to control his temper?

The initial tale unfolds like a traditional back-and-forth of playful mischief between the Thing and the Human Torch, but with an unexpected twist: The court has mandated that the Thing must restrain his anger for a full week. Unsurprisingly, the Human Torch perceives this as an opportunity to tease the Thing relentlessly for seven days, going so far as to have a whole filing cabinet filled with folders brimming with prank ideas at his disposal.

The narrative employs a humorous layout reminiscent of vintage pin-ups from the 1960s (think “A Marvel Masterwork Pinup”), featuring the Torch’s amusing weekly pranks instead. Waid and Rosanas seem to enjoy concocting these unconventional pranks for the Torch to play on his friend. Interestingly, there’s a delightful twist involving a time machine that culminates in a final pin-up where Johnny learns a lesson.

How does Johnny sacrifice himself for the team?

In the upcoming tale, Alan Davis assumes both writing and illustration duties for the Fantastic Four (it’s worth noting that Davis typically collaborates with an inker. However, he might be self-inking or Hollingsworth could be working directly from Davis’ sketches. Regardless of the process, the artwork is exceptional), as they embark on a classic subterranean escapade involving the encounter of peculiar characters.

As a gamer immersed in this epic tale, I must admit the journey isn’t exactly groundbreaking, as our protagonist, Johnny, seems more focused on echoing past escapades than crafting new ones. However, what truly grips me is Johnny’s internal turmoil, the weight of guilt gnawing at him for not adhering to the mission’s guidelines, which he believes has put his team in jeopardy. In a moment of unwavering courage, he decides to step up and sacrifice himself to protect them.

Now, Johnny isn’t your average gamer character; he’s a ball of flame. So when the inevitable explosion happens, you’d think he’d be safe, right? But he doesn’t know that, so his selfless act is nothing short of heroic.

The art, though, is just AMAZING, and it’s always great to see new Davis artwork.

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2025-05-13 07:51