The Torch

Alex Ross reintroduces the original Human Torch and his sidekick Toro to the modern Marvel Universe in this 8-part miniseries. It's a complex story involving the Mad Thinker, A.I.M (Advanced Idea Mechanics) and the son of an escaped Nazi who created a panacea hidden in the jungles of South America. With the exception of some gaps as to how both the Human Torch and Toro both died at the hands of the Thinker, the source material is something I'm fairly familiar with. Although, I didn't know either one of these characters had died. But I pretty much can get behind all of this. What I don't understand is why is Dynamite Entertainment publishing this trade paperback and not Marvel?

I've attempted to Google for an answer. I don't really get a clear answer. I feel like a conspiracy theorist with a whole bunch of photos on a wall connected by strands of red string. From what I can determine, in 2008, Alex Ross worked with Dynamite to reintroduce a bunch of forgotten superheroes from the 1940s. That same year, Ross produced an Avengers/Invaders crossover FOR Dynamite! This miniseries brought Toro back from the dead. So in 2009, Ross produces this series which also brings the original Torch back as well.

Again, why Dynamite? I pretty much understand Alex Ross' timeline. But why Dynamite? Was Marvel in such dire straits that less popular miniseries such as these, which focus on Golden Age pre-Marvel heroes, were outsourced to other companies? I'd really like more info on this.

The Torch was a good read. It's not my all-time favorite read. But I didn't hate this. If anything, I learned more about the origins of the original Torch along with Toro. I always knew that the first Human Torch actually wasn't human. He was an android. What I didn't know until this book was that Toro WAS HUMAN! I had always assumed he was an android too. I thought the Torch was lonely and wanted a little brother (so something) and thus he created Toro. It turns out Toro was a mutant whose cells were affected by an early encounter with the Torch, giving the lad the ability to catch aflame. 

There's lots of cameos from some of your favorite Marvel characters. The Fantastic Four with their Human Torch. Prince Namor. And the original Vision. Not the Avengers member but a 1940s era Timely Comics hero who was an alien from an alternate dimension. It's a very Marvel heavy book. I still don't know why it's published by Dynamite...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #174

With the penultimate issue, a few loose ends are wrapped up before the epic finale.

For instance, Michael Badilino gets vengeance against Diabolique for the death of one of the members of his meta-human task force. 

Then the courses of Lunatik and the Silver Surfer finally converge on a no-holds barred battle. The stakes- the lives of a tribe of peaceful inhabitants of some random planet and the Surfer's surf board.

Nick Fury and his Agents of SHIELD are back in action for the third straight issue. This time around, A.I.M. has gotten its hands on a Shi'ar spacecraft. Should Advanced Idea Mechanics uncover the secrets of this ship, it could very well tilt the balance to A.I.M. against SHIELD in the battle for global freedom. So it's up to Fury to steal the ship or destroy the whole base. Or both! You know, a normal Sunday afternoon for the good Colonel. 

Lastly, it's a mixed up time caper with Excalibur, Moon Boy, Devil Dinosaur and those extra-dimensional bounty hunters from Technet! 

This issue was a lot of fun. The Lunatik story ended up being some sort of ersatz trilogy. It was good to finally see evil like Diabolique get what was coming to her. The Nick Fury story was 24 pages of action and adventure crammed into 8 little pages. And once again, the Excalibur crew play fast and loose with space-time!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.