Issue(s): Marvel Team-Up #26
Cover Date: Oct 74
Title: "The fire this time...!"
Credits:
Len Wein - Writer
Jim Mooney - Penciler
Frank Giacoia & David Hunt - Inker

Review/plot:
Thor and the Human Torch team up to fight off an army of Lava Men.

They rally up a group of moloids to help them out.

At one point "lame" Donald Blake leaps all the way up a giant machine in a single bound to retrieve his cane.

This whole incident has been manipulated by a trio of crystal-ball smoking silhouettes. Years later, this will turn out to be part of the "They" story that resolves in Hulk #238-243. Of all the They stories, this one makes the most sense, since Tyrannus, like the Lava Men and the Moloids, is a resident of the Swiss cheese-like Subterranea that exists underneath Marvel's Earth.

I like the idea of an ongoing Marvel Team-Up book that doesn't always feature Spider-Man. I guess the Human Torch was Marvel's second most popular character? In any event, it doesn't really stick and of course the book mainly remained a Spidey team-up book.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• The Avengers fought the Lava Men in Avengers #5
  
• The Mole Man seemingly died in Marvel Team-Up #17.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

It looks like Dr Blake got at least 12 feet of air on that plot-induced leap.