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
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  • 1
    #1
    Jun 2003
    Cover: $2.50
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    7 copies from $1.49
  • 2
    #2
    Jul 2003
    Cover: $2.50
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    5 copies from $1.25
  • 3
    #3
    Aug 2003
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    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    2 copies from $1.49
  • 4
    #4
    Sep 2003
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    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    3 copies from $2.75
  • 5
    #5
    Oct 2003
    Cover: $2.50
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    6 copies from $2.75
  • 6
    #6
    Nov 2003
    Cover: $2.50
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    6 copies from $1.92
  • 7
    #7
    Jan 2004
    Cover: $2.50
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    7 copies from $1.92
  • 8
    #8
    Feb 2004
    Cover: $2.99
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Joe Dodd
    7 copies from $0.35
  • 9
    #9
    Mar 2004
    Cover: $2.99
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    1 copy for $2.00
  • 10
    #10
    Apr 2004
    Cover: $2.99
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Joe Dodd
    3 copies from $1.04
  • 11
    #11
    May 2004
    Cover: $2.99
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Howard Porter
    7 copies from $2.06
  • 11/NS
    #11 Newsstand Edition
    Newsstand Edition with cover by Howard Porter
    May 2004
    Cover: $2.99
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Howard Porter
    1 copy for $39.98
  • 12
    #12
    Jun 2004
    Cover: $2.99
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Paco Medina
    3 copies from $2.06
  • Bk 1
    Book #1
    Cover: $7.99
    W: Karl Kesel  ·  A: Skottie Young
    Collects #1-6; ca. 2005
    1 copy for $5.52