Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Fantastic Four #18! The Human Torch is perhaps the strongest member of the Fantastic Four in terms of the raw power he can summon and manipulate through his cosmic-ray-induced mutation alone. Johnny Storm isn’t as smart as Mr. Fantastic, or as physically strong as the Thing, or as resourceful/tactical as the Invisible Woman, but when it comes to pure, unadulterated power, the Human Torch has them all beat. And now, the Human Torch’s powers have just been totally redefined, not because of anything he’s done, but because of what he may be capable of doing.
In Fantastic Four #18 by Ryan North and Carlos Gómez, the Fantastic Four are fighting for their lives and the lives of every living thing on Earth, as a barrage of invisible asteroids is raining down on the planet, with no obvious way of stopping them. However, being the world’s greatest superhero team, the Fantastic Four quickly come up with a solution. By combining the Human Torch’s powers with those of the Invisible Woman, the Storm siblings are able to create a super laser that shoots blasts at the speed of thought.
The planet-destroying asteroids are destroyed, and the Fantastic Four can rest easy knowing that they once again saved the world. While they celebrate, SHIELD makes a note that the Fantastic Four are finally starting to experiment with power-combinations that result in immensely powerful attacks – something SHIELD had been accounting for for some time. In fact, readers get a glimpse of the other power-combos cataloged in a top secret SHIELD file that the FF can presumably pull off (but haven’t tried yet), including a new ability that the Human Torch can actually do solo: ultraviolet incendiaries.
Related
Fantastic Four Officially Debuts the Team’s Perfect MCU Villain
The Fantastic Four is about to make its MCU debut, leading many to wonder who their villain will be. Well, Marvel Comics just debuted the perfect one!
The Human Torch Can Create Invisible Fireballs
SHIELD has reason to believe that Johnny Storm should be able to not only create and throw fireballs (which fans have seen from him before), but also make those fireballs invisible to the naked eye. The reason he’d be able to do that is due to the fact that Johnny controls every aspect of the cosmic fire that he can summon, including the light it gives.
It was the photons Johnny produced in this issue that made it possible for Sue to use her powers to create the super laser. So, if Johnny has the ability to control his fire’s light as opposed to just its heat, then he can make it ultraviolet, i.e. invisible. If the Human Torch can master this ability, and learn to throw invisible fireballs at his enemies, then the Fantastic Four’s villains won’t stand a chance, as they’ll be hit with deadly attacks they literally won’t see coming.
The Fantastic Four is Building on the Idea of the ‘Four-Are-One’ Archetypal Being
Defenders #4 by Al Ewing and Javier Rodriguez
Residing in the Fourth Cosmos and acting as one of the templates of heroes and villains that are personified in the Marvel Universe, the ‘Four-Are-One’ is an archetypal being that exists opposite its cosmic counterpart, ‘One-Is-Four’. Based on the evidence offered in this Defenders issue, the ‘One-Is-Four’ represents the Hulk, while the ‘Four-Are-One’ represents the Fantastic Four. Those heroes are the physical manifestation of these cosmic archetypes, which not only link the Fantastic Four to the Hulk, but also the Fantastic Four to each other in a deeper, more meaningful way.
While the Fantastic Four have always been a cohesive unit, it seems they’re now truly embodying the ‘Four-Are-One’ archetypal being in a more literal sense, as they are combining their powers to create attacks that are beyond powerful. However, even separately, the Fantastic Four are currently growing in strength within Marvel canon, including and especially the Human Torch, who now has an all-new ultimate power to strive for.
Fantastic Four #18 by Marvel Comics is available now.
