Marvel; August 1981
Cover by John Byrne and Terry Austin

Title: “Mission for a Dead Man!”
Synopsis: The Human Torch goes on a mission to clear the name of a deceased lowlife – and runs into Hammerhead instead!

Writer: John Byrne
Artist: Byrne

Review: For his second issue as writer/artist on the Fantastic Four, John Byrne decides to take a little side trip with this solo outing featuring the Human Torch. It’s another fine done-in-one tale (even if it feels more like a Batman story), but an odd pick for a creator trying to put his stamp on a team book. After a strong debut in Fantastic Four #232, it would have been nice to see Byrne continue to develop his take on the team dynamic here. But, again, it’s a fine story, and the art, as expected, is strong.

Grade: A-

Second opinion: “The highlight came at the beginning of the issue with a Torch vs. Thing fight.” – Comics Coast to Coast #1 (1982)

Cool factor: With back to back strong issues, Byrne gives notice his run on Fantastic Four might be something special.

Notable: This issue’s “Bullpen Bulletins” explains why there are two different styles of cover price boxes on then-current Marvel comics: If the cover price and issue number are in a diamond, the book was distributed via the direct market; if they are in a rectangle, it was distributed via the traditional newsstand system.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 20p British variant of this issue, as well as a Marvel Legends reprint. According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.

Character quotable: “We’ve all taken as much of your itching and groaning as anyone could expect us to…” – The Human Torch, to his buddy, the Thing (Itching and groaning? Really? Well, the Thing does have a rather noticeable skin condition.)
A word from the writer/artist: “I still want the Torch to be fundamentally the star of the book, simply because he’s the flashiest character. But I’m trying to avoid the kind of favoritism that I bestowed upon, say, the Wolverine in the X-Men or the Scarlet Witch in The Avengers.” – John Byrne, in Amazing Heroes #1 (June 1981)

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