Issue(s): Men's Adventures #28 (Human Torch story only)
Cover Date: Jul 54
Title:
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Dick Ayers - Penciler
Dick Ayers - Inker

Review/plot:
Credits on this issue are a bit speculative; UHBMCC knows nothing about this issue at all while the GCD only tentatively lists Stan Lee but seems confident about Dick Ayers on art.

The story is introduced as "a story of terror... terror that swept a country! A world! Terror that turned a thinking people into a terrified mob, an instrument of destruction, molded to viciousness and intolerance! This is a story that could happen... tomorrow!". The plot is very much in the Twilight Zone genre that will be the basis of a lot of Marvel's output during the early 60s.

The Earth has an alien encounter. Human Torch and Toro investigate and find that the aliens are friendly.

Unfortunately, the people of Earth are afflicted by a cosmic plague.

The aliens are here to help cure it, but of course the Earthlings find their arrival suspicious. In a scene that anticipates anti-mutant hysteria, when the Torches try to convince the crowd of the aliens' good intentions, the mob quickly turns on them and points out their non-human nature.

That's something we haven't seen much of in the Golden Age.

Ultimately the aliens give up the cure even as they are beaten to death.

The story ends with the Torch saying that "man must learn humility".

An unusually progressive story for the anti-commie period.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Super-Heroes #17