JAPANESE HUMAN TORCH

CREATED BY: SNAKEBITE CORTEZ & JOSHUA ORTEGA

MASTER MASK BY: DIGGER T. MESCH

MASK BY: DIGGER T. MESCH

STORY BY: JOSHUA ORTEGA

PICS BY: RJ LAMENDOLA

Japanese Human Torch

The original Human Torch was first sighted at the Fudoin Temple in Hiroshima, shortly after the bombing by Allied Western forces during World War II. He emerged from the temple, glowing like unearthly fire, and was sighted by several survivors of the attack. Rumor has it that he was able to help those with radiation sickness by absorbing the radiation into his own body (though there is no scientific proof that this did occur, just first-hand accounts of survivors and witnesses).

The "Human Torch," as he was called, was active in the area for roughly one week, then his glow suddenly went out, and soon after, he died of radiation poisining. His real name is still unknown to this day.

It was a strange coincidence to say the least, especially considering that the temple was one of the very few structures that survived the nuclear holocaust in 1945, and there are ancient records that indicate "a burning man" emerging from the temple in the 14^th century...a "fire samurai" who defended the temple from invaders, and disappeared shortly therafter.

Recently, following the devastating Sendai quake and tsunami, there have been reports of a new "Human Torch" emerging from the temple yet again. Once again shrouded in mystery, this new Human Torch is said to be a survivor of a reactor meltdown in Fukushima. His final wish was to visit the Fudoin Temple, in honor of Japan's fallen soldiers.

He did.

And he emerged as something else entirely.