Jan 26, 2011 13:40 GMT  ·  By
And then there were three of them: Human Torch has been killed from “Fantastic Four” comics
   And then there were three of them: Human Torch has been killed from “Fantastic Four” comics

Human Torch is no more: following many weeks of speculation, Marvel has gone ahead and killed one of the superheroes in the “Fantastic Four” comics. They will be known from now on solely as “Fantastic Three.”

As CoffeToday also points out, ever since Marvel announced back in December that one of the four superheroes would meet their doom soon, fans have been kept guessing as to who that may be.

In the issue that goes out on sale tomorrow, January 27, number 587 called “Three,” they will learn that the character in question is Human Torch.

His death is not a reason to feel bad, though, Marvel says. If anything, it’s a necessary step in the evolution of the remaining superheroes, who will now have to learn all over again which is their role in the comic-book universe.

“The death of The Human Torch is the first major move towards the exciting evolution of the legendary Fantastic 4 a necessary part of telling the story to go with these beloved characters as protagonists,” Tom Brevoort, vice president with Marvel, says in a statement cited by the aforementioned e-zine.

From now on then, the focus will be on the remaining three members of the group, Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman and The Thing.

“The story does not end here. The number 588, due out in February, shows members of the 4 surviving Fantastic how to discover their new roles in the Marvel universe,” Mr. Brevoort underlines.

There is also the question of when the Human Torch will be brought back to life, since there are several comics that have also killed a superhero – and bought it back shortly afterwards.

For instance, in 1992, Superman himself was killed in a fight with Doomsday – and he came back later. Similarly, Captain America met his end at the hands of a sniper in 2007. He too was brought back.

Therefore, fans of “Fantastic Four” really needn’t despair: Human Torch may be gone, but chances are it won’t be for long.