Human Torch Comics #33

Jul 30

Jul 30 Human Torch Comics #33

The Ray of Madness

The Earth is suddenly affected by a series of strange animal attacks that increase in numbers over the course of days. Leading scientists begin examining the phenomenon and deduce that some kind of ray being fired from the planet Jupiter is the source of the problem. During a meeting with scientists and government officials they conclude that the ray must be stopped as it will soon affect humans before too long. Attending the meeting is Captain America who contacts his friend the Human Torch, the only man he believes is capable to carrying out the mission of flying to Jupiter and stopping the source of the ray. Captain America meets with the Torch and explains the situation and the Human Torch agrees to take on the mission despite the risks and the uncertainty that he will be able to make it back to Earth safely. At Laguardia airport the Torch bids farewell to Sun Girl and Captain America before flaming on and flying into space.

Meanwhile, on the planet Jupiter a race of Jovians led by Keezar detect the Torch's approach their Pool of Madness, the source of their power. In order to maintain their survival, the Jovians agree to hide back in the rocks and wait and see what this threat is that approaches them. Soon the Human Torch arrives on Jupiter and is soon besieged by Jovians. When the Human Torch tries to explain to them the effects the Pool of Madness is having on the Earth, Keezar scoffs at him and orders his minions to destroy the Torch. However they can the area is struck by meteors, killing all the Jovians but Keezar. When Keezar attempts to attack the Torch flames on and uses his flame powers send the nearby fire waters loose which flood the area and drown Keezar, ending his threat then uses his flame powers to destroy the Pool of Madness.

The Human Torch then makes his way back to Earth wondering if his flame will last. On Earth, Captain America and Sun Girl observe the Torch's return through a telescope. As the Torch enters Earth's atmosphere his powers being to fade causing him to fall to the Earth. Seeing this Cap and Sun Girl rush to his rescue. Captain America manages to catch the Torch and save him from a fatal fall. With the Torch safe, Sun Girl proclaims both the Torch and Cap as the bravest heroes alive.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Sun Girl, Captain America

Continuity Notes

While the narrative refers to him as "Steve Rogers", the Captain America in the story this is actually Jeff Mace. As explained in Avengers #4 and What If? #4, Steve Rogers went missing in action in 1945. In order to cover up Captain America’s disappearance the government had others pose as Captain America.
This has a number of impossibilities, primarily to do with the plot point that the Human Torch manages to fly to Jupiter using his flame powers alone. The first impossibility is the fact that the Human Torch could not flame on in space as there is no oxygen. As established in Marvel Comics #1, the Torch requires oxygen in order to be able to use his flame. The second problem with this plot would be the length of time the Torch can remain aflame and how fast he can travel. At normal levels the Torch can only maintain his flame consistently for 16.5 hours and can fly at a speed of 700 MPH. The distance between Earth and Jupiter is 93,000,000 miles. Even if the Torch could sustain his flames indefinitely in space it would have taken him 5535 days (or roughly 15 years) to reach Jupiter from the Earth. The other issue is the fact that the Torch cannot fly fast enough to reach escape velocity from Earth's gravitational pull. Clearly the writer of this story was limited by what was known about outer space circa 1948 and all these inconsistencies can be chalked up to creative license.
Lastly, Keezar and his minions are depicted as beings that originate from the planet Jupiter. this planet sustaining life and having a solid surface can be chalked up to our knowledge of the planets in our solar system in 1948. That said, these are not the first aliens that claim to live on planets in our social system. Although there is no explanation for these creatures, typically Marvel explains away these situations as the aliens using the staging ground for an invasion as opposed to actually living on the planet. The best example are the Kronans, aka the Stone Men from Saturn, that appeared in Journey into Mystery #83.

Horror Hotel

At the Hotel Walton things are peaceful until one day one of the patrons rushes out of his room claiming that it is haunted. His claims puts everyone in a panic and they begin rushing out of the hotel convinced that it is haunted. The Human Torch spots the frighten mob fleeing the hotel and growing larger as more people outside begin to panic. He flames on and flies down to the scene and manages to get people to calm down and not to panic while he goes inside and investigates the claims that the hotel is haunted. However before he can, what appears to be a giant ghoulish face begins to appear in one of the windows and begins to grow starting the panic again. The Torch quickly defuses it by attacking the face with his flame powers revealing it to be nothing more than a balloon. He once more urges people to remain calm and enters the hotel to investigate.

Inside the Torch finds the materials that cause the "ghost face" to inflate while the man responsible watched from the shadows. While the Torch is otherwise distracted, the man attacks him knocking the Torch out with the butt of his gun. Then in order to complete his revenge carries to the Torch out to the roof just as police officers arrive at the scene. Calling out to the crowd below, the man tells them that he is going to throw the Torch to his death. However as the Torch falls he comes around and is able to flame on just in time to save himself.

As the man tries to flee, the Torch melts a hole in a nearby water tower causing a spray of water to knock the man out. When the police arrest him, the owner of the hotel recognizes him as an former employee he recently fired. The Torch tells the owner that he hopes in the future that he keeps calm when there is trouble.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch

A Jinx for Georgie Jenks

Georgie Jenks grew up in a poor family that was plagued with bad luck. His mother was superstitious and raised her boy to fear all omens of bad luck, such as Friday the 13th, black cats crossing your path and the like. As a child his bad luck prevented him from making friends, as an adult it prevented him from keeping a stable job or meeting a nice girl. After suffering a blow at to the head at a dance, Georgie decides to take a walk. Passing by a jewellery store he spots a charm and in his dazed state believes that it will grant him good luck. He breaks the shop window and steals the charm but trips over a black cat. When a beat officer shows up Georgie manages to flee the scene and gets to the nearby docks where he sneaks aboard a ship heading to sea.

Meanwhile, the Sub-Mariner is out looking for Black Mike and his gang. The gang gets the drop on the hero and knocks him out. Tying Namor up, they sneak aboard the vessel as well with Namor as his prisoner. Later, Georgie comes across the Sub-Mariner and unties him. The pair then fight off Black Mike and his gang and easily round them up, even as they are all tossed overboard. After Black Mike and his men have been taken away, Georgie decides he should fess up to his own crime and Namor accompanies him. The Sub-Mariner speaks on the boys behalf telling the judge that he was invaluable to the capture of Black Mike. The judge decide to be lenient and releases Georgie into Namor's custody. Later, Georgie takes his girl Margie out for a dance and finds to his delight that he has kicked his bad luck obsession.