INHUMAN TORCHInhuman Torch

Real Name: Unrevealed (possibly Inhuman Torch)

Identity/Class: Terrestrial android (synthezoid)

Occupation: Engine of destruction

Group Membership: None;
    formerly Nazi party of New Berlin

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Toro (Thomas Raymond)

Known Relatives: Sigmund Fell (synthezoid, “father”), Gremlin (“uncle”)

Aliases: “Flame that cleanses and devours,” “Bomb that walks” (epithets from Sigmund Fell)

Base of Operations: New Berlin, near Achocalla, Bolivia

First Appearance: The Torch#6 (March, 2010)

Powers/Abilities: The Inhuman Torch was able to envelop himself in fiery plasma - over 1800 Celsius or 3200 Fahrenheit - and control flame from hundreds of yards away, absorb flames into himself, control any flames in his vicinity, and reduce or intensify heat sources even in the absence of fire.  

    He also possessed an unrevealed level of superhuman strength, able to toss tanks through buildings (aided by his mastery of heat). 

    A near-perfect human simulation, he had the capacity for creative intelligence, but limited self-motivated activity as he followed his single-minded purpose to destroy other things.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'6"; see comments)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 320 lbs.; see comments)
Eyes: Unrevealed (glowing red while active; black while inactive)
Hair: None

History:
Deactivated(The Torch#6) - The synthezoid Sigmund Fell created the Inhuman Torch as the culmination of his grandfather (the original Sigmund Fell)’s work in recreating Phineas Horton’s artificial man. The Inhuman Torch was meant to be an improvement on Jim Hammond (Human Torch), but was as flawed as all of Fell’s New Berlin synthezoids (based on prototype Horton cells), as the Inhuman Torch would burn on contact with untreated breathable air. 

    The Thinker was brought in to solve this design flaw.

(The Torch#7) - Rather than rely on the anti-pyrotics in the air of New Berlin, Thinker modified the membranes of the Horton cells in the Inhuman Torch’s body to allow for intracellular fusion and burning over 1500 degrees Celsius without being consumed. Fell then began a series of tests to discover the extent of the Inhuman Torch’s capabilities, but after the initial tests, the Inhuman Torch grew bored and ignored Fell to continue his purpose: To burn everything and everybody that can burn (see comments). 

    Breaking out of Fell’s reinforced compound, the Inhuman Torch began a path of destruction through New Berlin, killing many New Berlin Nazi soldiers.

(The Torch#8) - Hammond and Toro (having received a counter-agent to the anti-pyrotics from Thinker) attacked the Inhuman Torch, but the Inhuman Torch absorbed all of Hammond’s active flame, then threw Toro through a building with enough heat to melt bricks. Hammond offered the Inhuman Torch a chance to learn about humanity, but was rebuffed. Turning instead to punches, the Inhuman Torch was surprised to learn the Human Torch could hurt him with sufficient heat. Increasing to his highest levels, Hammond overloaded the Inhuman Torch’s ability to process heat, solidifying him into a statue-like state in the streets of New Berlin.

Comments: Created by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, Mike Carey, and Patrick Berkenkotter.

    The Sigmund Fell of the 1940s was presumably human, and and he was also presumably the first Sigmund Fell. His “son” (name unrevealed) was a synthezoid who believed himself to be human. His “grandson” (also a synthezoid) was also called Sigmund Fell, but it is unclear if there was a suffix (such as III). The original Fell was never shown, but it was revealed in The Torch#5 (2010) that he hired Nora Raymond (Toro’s mother) to steal prototype Horton cells (artificial stem cells that copy and adapt as needed), and in Avengers Assemble#1 (2010) that he had Nazi agents steal a prototype solar gem (a microcomputer that could power and house artificial intelligence) from Phineas Horton at the 1939 World’s Fair. Reverse-engineering Horton’s technology, Fell created both the Gremlin and the synthezoids of New Berlin.

    The synthezoid Sigmund Fell and Thinker thought the Inhuman Torch was superior to Hammond in every way. Presumably that means with practice he could fly, create flame objects, and do other things Hammond could do, though his single-mindedness may have kept him from experimenting. Both scientists thought the Inhuman Torch could burn hotter than Hammond and had “no upper limit.” Clearly, Hammond (who had previously burned hot enough to overload Robert Reynolds/Sentry) could out-burn the Inhuman Torch.

    New Berlin is a city of synthezoids inside a mountain in Bolivia under a virtual sky. The residents were raised to believe Germany had recently won World War II. All residents would burn fatally on contact with normal air (without the anti-pyrotics in New Berlin’s artificial atmosphere), but presumably all residents received a version of Thinker’s treatment, allowing them to leave New Berlin in the future. Hammond estimated there to be “millions” of synthezoids in the city (apparently including those in the one holding cell for prisoners).

    Sigmund Fell's synthezoids all thought of themselves as (and acted like) humans, but the Inhuman Torch seemed to be aware of his artificial nature. Regardless, when asked to identify his purpose, he said he wanted to burn things. When Fell went to test him before giving him a mission, IT grew impatient and decided to begin his mission without permission. When in the city, he burned soldiers and buildings along, determined to cause more destruction. When he was confronted by Hammond, he said he wanted to burn things because they could be burned. The only time he talked about anything other than burning (or about things that could make burning happen), was right before Hammond deactivated him when he briefly pleaded for his life.

    Jim Hammond is 6'3" and 300 lbs. Inhuman Torch is slightly taller and "better" according to Thinker and Fell, but also made from a more primitive base model. I would estimate him to be 6'6" and likely heavier than Hammond. Given his artificial nature and the rest of the stuff I just wrote, it's hard to estimate exactly. I would guess around 320 lbs.

    This profile was completed 8/12/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Kevin Garcia.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Inhuman Torch has no known connections to:

Sigmund Fell (synthezoid)Sigmund Fell in UniformSigmund Fell

    Fell was a genius who could build technology to anticipate and out-do Thinker’s technology (detecting threats to Thinker’s secret base before the Thinker’s security systems could and blocking the Thinker’s teleportation technology). All weapons in New Berlin were programed to electrify anyone who tried to use them against him. When it was clear the Inhuman Torch could destroy New Berlin, Fell transmitted all of his files to Remote Server Epsilon at an unrevealed location.

    Believing himself to be the human grandson of the original, Sigmund Fell managed the flawed synthezoids of New Berlin, who also believed themselves to be human. Fell allowed some among the populace to dissent, giving enemies for his loyal followers to push back against. He would recycle any dissenters who caused too much trouble to make new synthezoids. Fell created the Inhuman Torch to improve on the work of his grandfather and Horton, but needed Thinker to complete the project. 

    Fell betrayed Thinker, and after the Inhuman Torch rebelled, Fell left New Berlin for the first time, discovering (as Thinker theorized) that Fell was a flawed synthezoid as well. Fell burned in the open Bolivian air.

-- The Torch#5-8

Freya Schwartz

Freya Schwartz    Schwartz is a synthezoid with all the capabilities of a normal human, but who would quickly burn to death upon contact with normal, breathable air.

    A flawed synthezoid who believed herself to be a human in a world in which Germany recently won World War II, Freya Schwartz idolized English culture based on books and records she found (presumably left by Fell to sow limited distrust in the populace). She joined (or formed) a resistance force in New Berlin, and met the Human Torch (Jim Hammond) and Toro (Thomas Raymond) while carrying a placard for the Kit Kat Club. After New Berlin Nazi soldiers arrested the three of them, she learned from Hammond and Toro that her life was a lie. 

    After the Thinker helped them escape from captivity, she grabbed a soldier’s gun and fired on other soldiers while Hammond and Toro fought the Inhuman Torch. After the destruction of Fell and the Inhuman Torch, and the deaths of most Nazi soldiers thanks to the Inhuman Torch’s rampage, Schwartz said she and her resistance members would help rebuild New Berlin and reeducate the remaining populace. She hoped to one day see the world.

-- The Torch#7-8

images: (without ads)

The Torch#7, page 22 (Inhuman Torch main image)
The Torch#8, page 17, panel 2 (Inhuman Torch defeated by the Human Torch and deactivated)
The Torch#6, page 14, panel 4 (Sigmund Fell's head)
The Torch#6, page 14, panel 3 (Sigmund Fell in uniform)
The Torch#8, page 22, panel 6 (Freya Schwartz)

Appearances:
The Torch#6-8 (2010), Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, Mike Carey (story), Patrick Berkenkotter (artist)

First Posted: 09/17/2021
Last updated: 09/16/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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