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Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Immortal Thor #16! There has been some debate among Marvel Comics fans for decades over which superhero was the first to exist in the Marvel Universe. When one looks all the way back at the first comic ever released by the publisher, they’ll see that three superheroes were introduced at the same time, meaning any one of them could have been considered ‘the first’. However, after 85 years, Marvel officially names its first ever superhero.
In The Immortal Thor #16 by Al Ewing and Jan Bazaldua, Thor is attacked by the Radioactive Man and the rest of the Thunderbolts, who are assisting in the God of Thunder’s arrest following the fourth wall-shattering events of the previous Immortal Thor storyline. However, before their battle, the comic takes fans to the origin of Marvel Comics history, comparing the original superheroes with those of today, charting the path of Midgard’s ‘mortal gods’. And the first hero in Marvel history is revealed to be the Human Torch.
The Immortal Thor #16 highlights the fact that Midgard was unique in the Ten Realms due to its mortal population. Most of the other realms are home to beings of divinity and magic, which are not inherent to life on Midgard. However, humans have proven their place among the Ten Realms with their ability to create their own gods in the form of superheroes. And now, fans know that the first superhero – the first god – humanity ever created was Jim Hammond aka the Human Torch.
The Human Torch Beat Out Two Other Contenders for the Title of “Marvel’s First Hero”
All 3 Heroes were Introduced in 1939’s Marvel Comics #1
The three main superheroes featured in Marvel Comics #1 are the Human Torch, Angel, and Namor the Submariner. That’s why there has been fan debate for decades over which superhero was technically the first one, as these three all debuted at the same time within the same comic. But, now it’s confirmed that the Human Torch beat out the other two for the title of “Marvel’s First Hero”, which is something that was teased right from the start.
In Marvel Comics #1, the first story that was told was the tale of the Human Torch, meaning he was the first superhero Marvel Comics fans were ever introduced to. Many simply believed that was more of a technicality, and not a definitive statement from Marvel that the Human Torch was actually its first hero. However, with the additional confirmation from The Immortal Thor, it’s clear that the Human Torch’s placement in the lineup of stories in Marvel Comics #1 was no accident.
Why the Title of Marvel Comics’ First Hero Didn’t Go to Another Original Character: Namor
Namor the Submariner is Chronologically Older than the Human Torch – Why Isn’t He 1st?
Namor the Submariner wasn’t just born in the early 1920s (making him many years older than Jim Hammond, who wasn’t created until the late 1930s), but he is also a naturally-born superhero – a mutant, to be exact. So, since he appeared in Marvel Comics #1, is older than the Human Torch, and was born with superpowers, why isn’t Namor Midgard’s first hero? Well, that can be answered in two ways: he wasn’t a ‘god’ created by humans, and he wasn’t originally a hero.
Namor became a hero when he joined in the fight against the Nazis during WWII, but originally, he attacked humans and tried to create a war between humans and Atlantians. Plus, The Immortal Thor was highlighting how humans were able to create heroes, not charting the history of natural mutations found on Midgard, and the first legitimate hero the humans created was the Human Torch.
After 62 Years, the Fantastic Four’s Oldest Ally Finally Gets His Own Superpowers
The Fantastic Four have had a great number of allies in Marvel, but one stands above the rest as perhaps their oldest – and he just got superpowers.
There’s a reason fans have been debating who Marvel’s first hero was for decades, and that debate may very well continue. However, those who believe Jim Hammond was the publisher’s original hero have the backing of The Immortal Thor, which explicitly names the Human Torch as Marvel Comics’ first ever superhero.
The Immortal Thor #16 by Marvel Comics is available now.
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