Human Torch

''The Human Torch of Earth-616 is commonly referred to as the Golden Age Human Torch, thus being the main Human Torch that appeared throughout the Golden Age of Comic Books. This wiki follows the Human Torch only throghout the Golden Age.''

Origins
The original Human Torch began his existence in 1939 in the laboratory of Professor Phineas T. Horton, one of the pioneers in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics. The culmination of Horton's research was an android who mimicked virtually all of the functions of a human being, including independent thought, but was composed entirely of synthetic materials.

The one flaw in the android's design concerned the photoelectric solar cells which covered every square inch of his body and served as his power source. The cells were too volatile and caused the epidermis of the android to burst into flame upon contact with air but without harming the android itself.

Horton revealed the Torch's existence to the public at a press conference in November 1939, at which he demonstrated how the Torch would burst into flame if he introduced a small amount of oxygen into the transparent container in which he was confined. The news media proclaimed the Torch to be a potential menace, and so Horton buried the android in his supposedly airtight tube within cement until such time as he could find a way either to prevent the android from bursting into flame or learn how to control its flame.

There was a slow leak in the tube, however, and eventually enough oxygen entered so that the android's flame ignited explosively, permitting him to escape. Wreaking havoc in innocent exploration of his environment, the android, inaccurately dubbed the Human Torch, soon realized the panic he was causing and, unable to control his flaming power, doused his flame in a swimming pool. In his infancy, the Human Torch was duped by a crook named Anthony Sardo into committing crimes. Realizing what he was doing was wrong, the Torch confronted Sadro and during the fight was doused in Nitro Glycerine which was the catalyst that allowed him to control his flame from that point on.

In attempting to bring Sardo to justice, the criminal was killed in battle. When Horton suggested that the two use his powers to obtain fame and fortune, the Torch rejected this idea leaving Horton's home a flaming inferno which seemingly killed the scientist, however he would resurface later alive and well.

1940s
In the year 1940, the Human Torch began earning a reputation for himself as a champion of justice. He had a number of solo adventures including a clash with Martians, mad scientist Dr. Manyac and others. He gained an early ally in a police officer named Johnson and began using the name "Jim Hammond" as an alias. The Torch soon decided to take up a job as a New York police officer.

After a number of assignments the Torch became lonely, the Human Torch sought out Professor Horton and asked for his advice. Horton told him of Fred Raymond, an Asbestos expert and his wife Nora. Both were terminally ill and raising their son Thomas "Toro" Raymond. Going to visit the Raymond home to learn what Horton was alluding to, the Torch found the Raymond's being terrorized by the criminal known as Asbostos Lady. The Torch fought off Asbestos Lady and her minions. Noticing that Toro had slept through the entire battle, the Raymond's told him how their son was apparently immune to fire. After the meeting with the Raymond's the Torch soon left vowing to keep a secret eye on them in case Asbestos Lady threatened them again.

Soon after his induction into the police force, the Human Torch had the first of many clashes with the Atlantean mutant known as the Sub-Mariner. Their battle raged across New York City and eventually the Sub-Mariner gained the upper hand when trapping the Torch in an air tight contained. Ultimately the Sub-Mariner was convinced to let the Torch go and leave by police woman Betty Dean.

The Torch soon began to question what it was like to be human and sought out his creator. Finding an old photograph in the ruins of the place of his birth, the Torch visited a former colleague of his "father", Fred Raymond, and decided to visit his family again. By this time Fred was distraught over the fact that his wife Nora was deathly ill and that his son Thomas had gained mysterious flame powers. Somehow thinking the Torch was to blame, Raymond ordered the Torch to leave his home.

Toro
The Torch soon found himself working with an unlikely ally, the Sub-Mariner to stop an invasion of Imperial Japanese forces who were attempting to dig a tunnel to Alaska. This alliance proved to be short lived as the Sub-Mariner soon attacked New York City again, but was brought down by the Human Torch and Captain America.

Hearing a radio report about the death of Toro's parents in a train wreck, the Torch, he suspected the work of Asbestos Lady and rushed to Toro's aid after hearing he was adopted by a local circus owner. On the way, the Torch was confronted by Asbestos Lady and her minions who managed to douse his flame and toss him into a tanker filled with water. Despite being trapped in water, the Torch was able to flame on part of his body to create enough heat for the steaming water to burst open the tanker. Asbestos Lady and her men attempted to escape but were captured by the Torch and turned over to the police.

The Human Torch soon was reintroduced to Thomas Raymond, at Pop's Circus as Toro the Flaming Boy. When the circus strong man Samson stole a Rayon Gun, the Torch and Toro teamed up to return it.

Taking in Toro as his ward, teaching him how to use his powers. The Human Torch and Toro clashed with many foes foes such as the Brain, Blackjack, the Hag, Dr. Smart, and arsonist Hawk Rivers. By this time, Toro had allied himself with a members of Bucky's Sentinels of Liberty fan-club to form the Young Allies. The Torch often worked along side Captain America to assist the Young Allies and get them out of trouble.

The Invaders
On December 7th, 1941 American authorities learned of a joint attack on American soil by Nazi, subersive Atlantean and Nazi forces. One of these attacks was on Pearl Harbor, and the Human Torch and Toro were sent on this mission to help turn back the invasion. It was a day that would stand in American history as the aftermath would end with the United States officially entering World War II. So horrified by the senseless destruction caused by the Japanese forces, the Human Torch and Toro fought back in the days following the attack on Pearl Harbor, attacking Japan directly slaying Japanese Admiral Nodope in the process.

Returning to the United States, on December 22, 1941 the Human Torch and Toro were assigned on in secret as part of the security for Dr. Anderson, one of the men involved in Operation Rebirth the experiment the created Captain America. When Anderson was captured by Nazi spies and forced to use his knowledge to empower their agent Master Man. Tracking Anderson to the secret Nazi lab, the two heroes were to late to stop the empowerment of Master Man. The super-strong Nazi easily bested the two heroes and the Nazis fled after shooting Dr. Anderson. Rushing Anderson to a hospital, the Torch and Toro soon met with Captain America and Bucky.

Realizing that the Nazis were plotting to attack a ship carrying British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the United States they rushed to the scene. There with the assistance of the Sub-Mariner, the heroes stopped the Nazis and when Master Man's powers failed him captured the villain and turned him over to the authorities. After his rescue, Winston Churchill suggested that the group band together, suggesting they call themselves the Invaders. In the aftermath of that battle, President Roosevelt officially sanctioned the group.

With the Invaders, the Torch clashed with foes such as Brain Drain, U-Man, and Basil Frankenstein creation. When the Invaders were captured by the Red Skull and brainwashed, Bucky formed the Liberty Legion to counter his friends, eventually freeing them from the Skull's control.

Returning to England with the Invaders, the Torch clashed with Baron Blood, and fell in love with Jacqueline Falsworth. He eventually rescued her from Baron Blood but she did not seem to see his feelings for her. Following Baron Blood's destruction she required medical attention.Rushing Jacqueline to a military hospital, and blood transfusion from the Torch empowered Jacqueline and she then joined the group as Spitfire. The Invaders then clashed with the Face, but were rescued by Goldstein who managed to transform himself into the Golem of Jewish lore, and the Crusaders.

Soon after the Crusaders incident, the Invaders were given a headquarters in England within Big Ben. Torch, Cap and the Sub-Mariner were then given a mission to capture three Nazi agents: the Hyena, the Shark and Agent Axis. The Torch was dispatched to capture the Hyena, but was captured by the villain who extracted some of the Torch's blood to use to empower Nazi agents. Before the Hyena could eliminate the hero he was teleported away by the cosmic being known as the Grandmaster. Finding himself transported to Nazi occupied France with Captain America and Sub-Mariner, the three heroes were used in a cosmic competition between the Grandmaster and the future warlord Kang and pitted against three of the modern era Avengers, Yellowjacket, Black Panther and the Vision. The Avengers easily defeated the three wartime heroes thanks to the Vision's phasing powers. As the Avengers attempted to explain to the three Invader what was happening they were whisked back to their own time. The Grandmaster then returned the Invaders back to where their three foes had met and easily defeated them. The Torch recovered his stolen blood. The Torch's memories of his battle against the Avengers soon faded from his memories.

Post World War II
Though the original Captain America and his sidekick Bucky were seemingly killed in action, secret replacements for them served alongside the Torch and the rest of The Invaders in the All-Winners Squad during the postwar years. In 1949 American criminals seeking to destroy the Torch obtained a chemical known as Solution X-R from Soviet intelligence. One criminal sprayed the solution over the Torch and Toro, dousing their flame and paralyzing them. The criminals then buried the Torch beneath the Nevada desert. However, the criminals had accidentally chosen to bury him beneath a future atomic testing site.

1950s
In December 1953, the blast of an atomic bomb dropped on the site freed the Torch, and the radiation reactivated his flame. The Torch resumed his crimefighting career and his partnership with Toro. In 1955 the Human Torch sensed that the radiation from the bomb was causing him to lose control of his flame, and that he would eventually "die" by burning himself out. After bidding farewell to Toro, the Torch flew to a desert in the western United States where he tried to destroy himself by overloading his solar cells in a single burst of maximum output flame. The Torch succeeded in burning himself out and plunged to earth to lie insensate.