Johnny Storm's Human Torch Mustache Ends

Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, has shaved off his polarizing mustache after three years. The change occurred in Fantastic Four #15, released earlier this month, which serves as the team's 65th-anniversary special.

The mustache first appeared in Fantastic Four (2021) #3. Its removal in the latest issue was given a humorous and heartfelt farewell within the story itself. The Fantastic Four's classic blue-and-white costumes have seen little variance over the years, with even the upcoming Midnight Fantastic Four horror series keeping the team's look largely the same. This makes Johnny's mustache, a rare design change, stand out more.

A Meme Meets Its End

The mustache became a significant meme within Marvel Comics fandom, with many fans expressing they were repulsed by it. The character's clean-shaven return was even joked about by Spider-Man in another comic, where Peter Parker told Ghost-Spider it was now safe to visit the Baxter Building. The source notes that without the mustache, Johnny's vanilla, blonde-haired look doesn't have much going for it when he isn't engulfed in flame.

The facial hair's departure was not subtle. The issue's official solicitation text teased, "PLUS: Johnny’s mustache saves New York City?!"

The Mustache's Noble Sacrifice

In the story, the mustache's removal is pivotal. Johnny burns it off to deceive and defeat the supervillain Nicholas Scratch. He then delivers a eulogy for his lost facial hair. The rest of the team reflects on its significance, with Reed Richards even suggesting to Sue Storm that he might grow one himself.

The report notes that the mustache's climactic sacrifice is celebrated in the anniversary special, proof of how iconic it became as a signature look. The issue is an extra-large adventure described as spanning centuries of history and a universe of scientific progress, featuring classic artwork by Jack Kirby, John Buscema, John Byrne, and Steve Epting presented in new ways. Fans can track the team's future adventures in our fixtures section and see how this change fits into the larger Marvel universe in our stats and standings pages.

Legacy and Release

The issue, Fantastic Four #15 (LGY #741), is out now. The Screen Rant report concludes by stating the comic is out now and finishes with a list of franchise adaptations, including video games like Fantastic Four (1997) and (2005), and films.