FLAME THROWER

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human technology user (fringe character)

Occupation: Arsonist

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Human Torch (Johnny Storm)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: His own private lab

First Appearance: Hostess Twinkies ad "A Hot Time In The Old Town" from Marvel Premiere I#53 (April, 1980) and other issues in that month

Powers/Abilities: Flame Thrower did not appear to possess superhuman powers of his own.

    Flame Thrower's weapon of choice was a flame thrower. It is unrevealed if he had any other fire-based weapons.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'11")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 175 lbs.)
Eyes: Unrevealed (see comments)
Hair: Unrevealed (see comments)

History:
("A Hot Time In The Old Town" (fb) - BTS) - Flame Thrower sent a threat to the newspapers, promising to send the city up in smoke.

("A Hot Time In The Old Town") - Making good on his threat, Flame Thrower unleashed a massive conflagration which threatened several buildings. Flying to Flame Thrower's secret (see comments) lab, the Human Torch confronted the abominable arsonist and tossed down a pack of those tasty Hostess Twinkies. The perverted pyromaniac was overwhelmed by the golden sponge cake and creamy filling, which allowed the Human Torch to capture the fiendish firebug.

Comments: Created by an uncredited creative team (see comments below).

    Flame Thrower's lab isn't specifically stated to be a secret one, but it seems unlikely he'd threaten to burn down the city, then set a load of fires, if his location was public knowledge (though he is the kind of guy to get beaten by confectionery, so maybe he is that dumb). But if it was a secret lab, then how did the Torch find him so easily? - Loki 

    Flame Thrower was mentioned in the Appendix to the Fantastic Four Encyclopedia.

    You can get the whole story, and some clever commentary from Seanbaby's The Hostess Page. It might not meet with the Comics Code Authority's approval, so kids, ask your parents before checking that out! --Snood

    Back Issue#130 by TwoMorrows Publishing reveals that the writer of most of the comic book Hostess ads was ad agency copywriter Tony Macchia, although it speculated that Len Wein and Marv Wolfman may have written some of the earlier ones. As for the artists, the ads varied but many were "penciled by Sal Buscema or Ross Andru, with John Romita, Sr., George Tuska, Gene Colan, Gil Kane, Dave Cockrum, and Marie Severin among the Marvel Marvelites drawing some of the others. Even then-newcomer Frank Miller drew two of them!"  --Proto-Man

    Flame Thrower's eye & hair color are impossible to determine, as he was never seen without his goggles and headgear on. --Proto-Man

Profile by John Kaminski.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Flame Thrower has no known connection to:

• Flame - of the Plug-Uglies--Avengers I#366
• Flame (Hrinmeer) - a wicked elf--Thor I Annual#18
• Flame - arsonist who fought Dazzler--Dazzler I#23
• Flame - of the Chaste--Daredevil I#296
• Heat-Ray - formerly Blockbuster, another professional arsonist--Captain America I#258
• Hotshot - another fiery villain, who was defeated by Spider-Man through the use of a Hostess Fruit Pie--Hostess Ad
• Pyro - Brotherhood of Evil Mutants member--X-Men I#141
• Wildfire--Power Man I#32
• or any other villains with flame fixations

Appearances:
"A Hot in the Old Town" Hostess ad (April, 1980) - uncredited creative team

First posted: 04/13/2005
Last updated: 03/28/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

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