FRED RAYMOND
Real Name: Fred Raymond
Identity/Class: Human (potential latent Inhuman, see comments)
Occupation: Fire-proofing expert
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Phineas Horton
Enemies: Asbestos Lady (Victoria Murdock)
Known Relatives: Nora Raymond, Thomas "Toro" Raymond (son), Elaine Raymond (daughter)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: New York City, New York
First Appearance: (Seen, name unrevealed) Human Torch Comics#2/1 (September, 1940); (name revealed) Invaders I#22 (November, 1977)
Powers/Abilities: Fred Raymond is an expert fire-proofer with specializations with asbestos.
Height: Unrevealed (5'11", by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (185 lbs., by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History:
(Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - A known fire-proofing expert who'd experimented
with improving asbestos, Fred Raymond was honored to get the chance to
work with Phineas Horton, who at the time was working on developing the
Human Torch. One day, Thomas collapsed, ill from being around asbestos
so frequently. He left Horton's employ and soon married Nora Jones,
herself wrestling with a long-term illness due to radium
experimentation.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14 - Toro entry (fb) - BTS) - Thomas and Nora went on their honeymoon to Mexico, and found themselves entertained by the bullfights.
(Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - Thomas and Nora had a son who they nicknamed Toro.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14 - Toro entry (fb) - BTS) - They chose the name Toro due to the bullfights in Mexico, a private joke between them.
(Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - As Toro aged, Thomas and Nora kept themselves alive by secretly taking medications, though Toro never realized that they were ill. As Thomas got older, they realized he was resistant to flame, able to grab baked potatoes out of an open fire and even saving a neighbor's pet from a house-fire.
(Marvels Project#6 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Fred was questioned by the government about his work with Horton.
(Marvels Project#6) - Jim Hammond showed up at the Raymond home, seeking information on Phineas Horton, and Fred seemed nervous that the government would try to question him again. As they spoke, Nora, who was bedridden with illness, called out in shock as Toro had burst into flame, though it didn't hurt him. Hammond rushed away in shock.
(All-New Invaders#8 (fb) - BTS) - For years, the Human Torch believed that Toro was a mutant. He only later learned that he had latent Inhuman abilities from one of his parents.
(Invaders I#22 (fb) - BTS) - Asbestos Lady and her men, including Larry, broke into the Raymond home and threatened to kill Nora unless Fred joined the Asbestos Lady in researching the criminal possibilities of asbestos. Just then, the Human Torch burst through the window, defeating the villains and sending them running. Toro slept through the entire thing, and Thomas and Nora told the Human Torch about their son's powers. Years later, Fred got the news that Nora only had weeks to live. Instead of telling Nora, Fred planned a vacation for the family.
(Human Torch Comics#2/Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - The Raymonds planned a trip to the country aboard a train, and Fred yelled at the family to hurry so they didn't miss their departure. The train rounded a corner and smashed into a tree on the tracks (placed by Asbestos Lady for revenge), and Fred and Nora were killed, though Thomas survived.
Comments: Created by Carl Burgos.
For years, Toro believed he was a mutant who emulated the skills of Jim Hammond, the Human Torch, because of exposure to the cells from the Human Torch that his parents had helped work on. Later, it was discovered that he actually had energy manipulation skills, and that his latent power set allowed him to emulate Hammond. Decades later (after being restored to a younger age), he actually underwent Terrigenesis and increased his power set. So he inherited his Inhuman genes through either his father or mother, or both.
In The Torch#1, Toro tries to visit his sister, Elaine, but she has retired. This is the first and only mention of Elaine that I could find, so it's possible that Fred and Nora had another kid?
This profile was completed 05/09/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Fred Raymond has no known connections to:
Nora Raymond
(The Torch#2 (fb) - BTS) - Nora Jones worked as the research assistant for Phineas Horton for four years, from 1929 to 1933, even co-authoring a paper for him. During the entire time, she received payments from a German-American industrialist, Kenneth Laumer, a man with ties to pre-war Germany.
(The Torch#6 (fb) - BTS) - Laumer had Nora pass some of Hammond's research on to her.
(Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - Nora Jones, as a scientist, grew terminally ill due to exposure to radium during an experiment. In time, she married Fred Raymond, a man who was sick from experimenting with asbestos.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14 - Toro entry (fb) ) - Thomas and Nora went on their honeymoon to Mexico, and found themselves entertained by the bullfights.
(Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - Thomas and Nora had a son who they nicknamed Toro.
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14 - Toro entry (fb) ) - They chose the name Toro due to the bullfights in Mexico, a private joke between them.
(The Torch#2 (fb) ) - When Thomas was young, Nora emphasized that he needed to focus on his education above all else. Laumer showed up at her home one day with demands.
(Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - As Toro aged, Thomas and Nora kept themselves alive by secretly taking medications, though Toro never realized that they were ill. As Thomas got older, they realized he was resistant to flame, able to grab baked potatoes out of an open fire and even saving a neighbor's pet from a house-fire.
(Marvels Project#6) - Nora, who was bedridden with illness, called out in shock as Toro had burst into flame, though it didn't hurt him. Thomas and his ally Jim Hammond rushed into the room.
(All-New Invaders#8 (fb) - BTS) - For years, the Human Torch believed that Toro was a mutant. He only later learned that he had latent Inhuman abilities from one of his parents.
(The Torch#6 (fb) - BTS) - In 1940, operatives put pressure on Nora to turn intel over on Laumer, who was a German spy. She agreed, feeling guilty for her part in betraying the country.
(Invaders I#22 (fb) - BTS) - Asbestos Lady and her men, including Larry, broke into the Raymond home and threatened to kill Nora unless Fred joined the Asbestos Lady in researching the criminal possibilities of asbestos. Just then, the Human Torch burst through the window, defeating the villains and sending them running. Toro slept through the entire thing, and Thomas and Nora told the Human Torch about their son's powers. Years later, Fred got the news that Nora only had weeks to live. Instead of telling Nora, Fred planned a vacation for the family.
(Human Torch Comics#2/Invaders I#22 (fb) ) - The Raymonds planned a trip to the country aboard a train, and Fred yelled at the family to hurry so they didn't miss their departure. The train rounded a corner and smashed into a tree on the tracks (placed by Asbestos Lady for revenge), and Fred and Nora were killed, though Thomas survived.
(The Torch#6 (fb) - BTS) - It was hinted that mysterious operatives related to the Laumer case may have had a hand in Nora's death.
--Human Torch Comics#2 ([The Torch#2 (fb)], [6 (fb)], Invaders I#22 (fb), Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14 (fb), Invaders I#22 (fb), Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14 (fb), The Torch I#2 (fb), Invaders I#22 (fb), Marvels Project#6, [All-New Invaders#8 (fb)], [The Torch#6 (fb)], [Invaders I#22 (fb)], Human Torch Comics#2/Invaders I#22 (fb), [The Torch#6 (fb)]
images: (without ads)
Marvels Project#6, p6, pan5 (main)
Marvels Project#6, p7, pan2 (face)
Invaders I#22, p5, pan4 (the Raymond family)
Marvels Project#6, p7, pan4 (Nora)
Appearances:
Human Torch Comics#2/1 (September, 1940) - Carl Burgos (writer/artist), Joe Simon (editor)
Invaders I#22 (November, 1977) - Roy Thomas (writer), Jim Mooney (penciler), Frank Springer (inker), Roy Thomas (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#14 (March, 1984) - Mark
Gruenwald (writer), Josef Rubinstein (penciler), Andy Yanchus (inker),
Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Saga of the Original Human Torch#2 (May, 1990) - Roy Thomas (writer),
Rich Buckler (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
The Torch#2 (December, 2009) - Alex Rossk, Jim Krueger & Mike Carey
(writers), Patrick Berkenkotter (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Marvels Project#6 (April, 2010) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Steve Epting (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
The Torch#6 (May, 2010) - Alex Rossk, Jim Krueger & Mike Carey
(writers), Patrick Berkenkotter (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
All-New Invaders#8 (September, 2014) - James Robinson (writer), Steve Pugh (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
First Posted: 09/01/2021
Last updated: 08/29/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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