Human Torch (3rd Series)

    (Marvel, 2003-2005)
™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.

Here’s another Marvel “manga” title without much manga. Oh, the Skottie Young art is manga-influenced, but it’s no different from what appears in a lot of current Marvels.

Traditional fans will, no doubt, have bones to pick with this retcon of Johnny Storm, but, then, 15-year-old girls wouldn’t have much use for the pesky kid brother from Fantastic Four #1. This Johnny is loaded with attitude, absolutely convinced of his own cool, and just waiting for something to happen to make it apparent to everyone else.

Super-powers do the trick, after which he struts and poses all the more, until it all goes horribly wrong and he has his first real “accident” with fire. There’s undeniably cool stuff here, like Johnny retelling the first FF adventures in “What I Did Last Summer” mode (and subsequent denial he and his family are super-heroes), but there’s a major disconnect between the smart script and sometimes-awkward art. (Then, there’s the ugly, almost unreadable logo.)

— S.A. Bennett / Comics Buyer‘s Guide’s Reading Room
Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist
#1

June, 2003
Cover Price: $2.50
8 copies available from $1.49 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#2

July, 2003
Cover Price: $2.50
5 copies available from $1.25 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#3

August, 2003
Cover Price: $2.50
2 copies available from $0.90 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#4

September, 2003
Cover Price: $2.50
2 copies available from $2.00 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#5

October, 2003
Cover Price: $2.50
5 copies available from $2.25 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#6

November, 2003
Cover Price: $2.50
5 copies available from $1.92 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#7

January, 2004
Cover Price: $2.50
6 copies available from $1.70 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#8

February, 2004
Cover Price: $2.99
8 copies available from $0.35 		Karl KeselJoe Dodd
#9

March, 2004
Cover Price: $2.99
2 copies available from $5.00 		Karl KeselSkottie Young
#10

April, 2004
Cover Price: $2.99
5 copies available from $1.25 		Karl KeselJoe Dodd
#11

May, 2004
Cover Price: $2.99
9 copies available from $2.50 		Karl KeselHoward Porter
#11 (Newsstand Edition by Howard Porter)

May, 2004
Cover Price: $2.99
1 copy available for $39.98 		Karl KeselHoward Porter
#12

June, 2004
Cover Price: $2.99
5 copies available from $2.25 		Karl KeselPaco Medina
Book #1


Cover Price: $7.99
1 copy available for $5.53 		Karl KeselSkottie Young