Four.

[sherkahn]

ComicBookResources has the teaser / announcement of some rumblings as the 50th anniversary of a certain Marvel mainstay title draws near.



From the article:


Marvel is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publication of "Fantastic Four" #1 with a new image teasing at the possible return of the Human Torch to the Marvel Universe. The image consists of a shot of the Fantastic Four's icon set against a satellite photo of the Earth with a date of November 2011 at the bottom. Listed at the top is the project's creative team -- last names only -- of Hickman, Epting, Di Giandomenico, Yu and Dalrymple. While the first two are obviously referring to the team of Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting, the creative duo behind the Death of the Human Torch storyline, the other names seem to indicate an interesting artistic line-up of consisting of (presumably) Farel Dalrymple, Leinil Francis Yu and Carmine Di Gianomencio.



My opinion?

Too soon. It takes away the impact and value placed on Johnny's sacrifice and absense. (Has it been a year already?)

As to the how?

My guess: Lyja the Skrull who was left in the Negative Zone disguised herself as a Annihilation bug and ate him whole, then smuggled him elsewhere.

Comments

[aaron_bourque]

Yawn.

[icon_uk]

Could be indicating Frankie "Nova" Raye's return from space (if she's currently alive herself) to become a new, female, Human Torch.

[aaron_bourque]

But that would require using Frankie Raye, or acknowledging her existence.

[stubbleupdate]

Like they did last year with Heralds?

[greenmask]

I don't remember exactly how that mini ended but I do remember that I liked it. A continuation would be good.

[biod]

And here I thought I was the only one to remember her.

[icon_uk]

Remember scans_daily's golden rule "It's never just you".

[darkknightjrk]

I'm thinking it's either Johnny's return, or maybe they're going to acknowledge Fantastic Four #600 in some shape or form.

[cypherfdp]

Oh what the fuck. Poor show, Marvel.

[thanekos]

so /co was half right: it's Johnny Storm who's coming back to Earth.

[naebler]

I don't think Johnny is returning yet. Honestly we're probably going to just see them returning to the Fantastic Four with another one in his spot now.

Course I'm going to be honest, the inner fanboy in me would LOVE to see them bring in the original human torch. The one from the Invaders. Then again I feel that he was pretty forgotten in this day and age. However I will concede I thought it was cool that they had him cameo in First Avenger.

[drmcninja]

I felt like I was the only one to notice that. That was really freaking cool.

[bruinsfan]

While I'm a fan of the original, I think it would be far too painful for the FF, particularly Sue, to have a blond guy with the code-name and powers of the Human Torch on their team while still dealing with their grief for Johnny. Bringing in Spider-Man (or alternately She Hulk) to fill out their roster makes a lot more sense character-wise.

[doomisay]

Johnny was always going to stay dead for only a year. Because the 12th issue of "FF" is/will/would be the 600th issue of Fantastic Four.

[stillanerd]

I don't mean to be the snarky know-it-all that I usually am, but if Johnny Storm is indeed returning in November, why should any of us be surprised? Had the original numbering for Fantastic Four continued after the death of the Human Torch, we would be up to issue #600, coincidentally enough, this November. This year is also, as the news blurb reminds us, the Fantastic Four's 50th Anniversary. Having Johnny Storm back and thus reuniting the Fantastic Four only makes sense in that context, even though it does come across as being "too soon." Besides, considering how Johnny Storm's death was depicted, there was plenty of wiggle room to suggest he may not have in fact died--including the fact that we never saw his corpse on panel. To be fair, maybe while quite a few fans predicted that Marvel would do something like this with the Human Torch's death, it's another thing to see something like it actually happen.

[https://profiles.google.com/Luis.eScO.2/posts?hl=en&tab=wh]

yea I thought it was more likely that Johnny was captured then killed by the negative zone natives so him being alive isn't far fetched to me.

[crazycomiccult.blogspot.com]

I'm hoping that it's misdirection and Johnny's not really coming back. I'm hoping that maybe just maybe Marvel won't be that predictable.

[lucky_gamble]

let me get over the shock

[nomadicwriter]

Hickman's already said in an interview that he's writing a special 96 page issue for the 50th anniversary issue. And the way they've been strategically double-shipping FF on alternate months, the November issue should be FF #12, AKA Fantastic Four #600.

I would say there's a 100% chance that the issue will have Johnny Storm in it, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to be returning to life in the current timeline. With four artists listed, I'm assuming we're getting Epting doing a current day FF story and the others on one or more backup stories celebrating the classic team.

[drmcninja]

That's what I'm thinking too. Flashback stories are most likely. One year is still almost nohting for Marvel, they usually stay dead longer than that. This is just a fake out.

[pyrotwilight]

I'm gonna guess the 600th issue won't have Johnny return to life but have the FF find something that implies he's alive or lost somehow in reality.

[mullon]

Maybe She-Hulk is rejoining the team.

[drmcninja]

Ugh, hated that. She felt out of place to me. They have one crazy strong member, having her was redundant. I felt like it limited them a little bit.

[arbre_rieur]

"They have one crazy strong member, having her was redundant."

But she joined to replace the Thing.

[crabby_lioness]

No body = no death. We all know that.

[auggie18]

Your theory sounds adorable.

[arbre_rieur]

Can an entire year really be considered too soon? In TV terms, it'd be the equivalent of being gone an entire season.

[zenbro]

He Is Fire, He is Life, He is Phoenix. Yadda yadda yadda.

[hyperactivator]

Am I the only one who remembers the lady who was impregnated with Johnny's son and then time traveled in the last annual?

[thatnickguy]

What if they had the original Human Torch android join? =D

[q99]

-
Too soon. It takes away the impact and value placed on Johnny's sacrifice and absense. (Has it been a year already?)-

Seriously. What is with the ending popular interrum character fill ins so soon?

Everyone knew Bucky, Dick, and Spider-man would be replaced by Steve, Bruce, and Johnny eventually, but that doesn't mean you can't spend more time during the gap when everyone loves 'em.

[r0b666]

Gee. So NOT surprising.

Marvel renumbers Cap in time for his 600th issue then renames the series and gives him another number #1 to coincide with the movie.

When DC does the same with their numbering for Action Comics and Detective for their 1,000 and 900th issues will anyone be surprised?

And don't even get me started on the characters taking over other's books and numbering (Hercules, Black Panther, Hulks)

Not to mention Marvel killed off the Human Torch in the first place because Chris Evans played him in the FF movies and they had the new Cap movie to promote. They were afraid of confusing people because clearly no one can realize they are two different characters

It's the same reason they killed off Bucky all of a sudden right before the movie.I understand wanting Steve Rogers starring as cap in the comics to coincide with the movie, but letting editorial control creative tends to lead to bad stories and forced resolutions.

So they killed off the Human Torch for a year, started in a new direction and are probably going to junk it for their 50th anniversary.

Whoop de fucking do.