After 3 Years, Fantastic Four Debuts New Human Torch Design With Hilarious Tribute

Published Aug 31, 2026, 11:01 PM EDT Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Superhero iconography is only as malleable as artists and character designs are willing to stretch it in terms of creativity, and some drastic wardrobe changes are more successful than others; for example, Spider-Man will always revert to his red-and-blue costume due to its popularity and singular recognizability, while the Fantastic Four has, more or less, stuck to their blue-and-white costumes with little variance. That’s not to say there haven’t been great alternate Fantastic Four costumes, such as the exceptional all-white Future Foundation design, but their suit designs haven’t ever been too wild or zany. Even in Marvel Comics’ upcoming Midnight Fantastic Four series, all four Fantastic Four characters—Mister Fantastic’s Reed Richards, Invisible Woman’s Susan Storm, Human Torch’s Johnny Storm, and Thing’s Benjamin Grimm—look largely the same as their original counterparts, though it’s possible we’ve not yet seen a glimmer of the horrors that await readers in Marvel’s new publishing line dedicated to horror. In the meantime, a look that has long graced (or blemished, depending on your opinion of it) Johnny is suddenly gone, maybe for good, and it’s been given a funny yet heartfelt farewell. R.I.P. Johnny Storm’s Mustache Johnny first debuted his polarizing mustache in Fantastic Four (2021) #3. Now, three years later, Johnny was suddenly seen with it shaved completely at the end of Fantastic Four (2025) #15, which was released earlier this month and is the latest issue of Ryan North’s current Fantastic Four run. This mustache was a gigantic meme in the Marvel Comics and Fantastic Four communities, with many fans expressing that they were repulsed by it. Amusingly, the mustache had remained a signature part of Johnny’s look, which is arguably not all that interesting when he isn’t engulfed in flame. And, admittedly, without the mustache, his vanilla, blonde-haired look doesn’t have much going for it. Spider-Man has already had an opportunity to make a joke of it, as Peter Parker tells Ghost-Spider that it’ll be safe to go to the Baxter Building because Johnny shaved his mustache. It’s Officially The End Of An Era For The Fantastic Four’s Human Torch The issue concludes with this mustache’s climactic and noble sacrifice, and for it to be celebrated in the Fantastic Four’s 65th anniversary special is proof of how iconic it’s been as a signature look for Human Torch in the last few years. The solicitation for Fantastic Four #15 read as follows: 65th ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR! It’s the 65th Anniversary of the Fantastic Four, and to celebrate, we’ve got an extra-large, extra-fantastic adventure for you, starring everyone’s favorite adventurers, spanning centuries of history and a universe of scientific progress! The Fantastic Four have been defeated: With their personal arrows of time reversed, they’re careening into the past with no hope of salvation – unless a complete stranger can find out what they need. But even if she does, that will only get them halfway home, because there’s still a threat in the present that’s waiting to kill them – and that’s IF they can arrive there alive! This is one issue you won’t want to miss – because you’ll have to wait 65 years for ANYTHING like it. PLUS: Johnny’s mustache saves New York City?! FEATURING CLASSIC IMAGES BY JACK KIRBY, JOHN BUSCEMA, JOHN BYRNE AND STEVE EPTING SEEN IN AN ENTIRELY NEW WAY! It’s hysterical that this solicit was hardly being hyperbolic, as Johnny’s mustache (or lack thereof, rather) is literally what saves the day. Johnny gives a eulogy for the mustache after burning it off to deceive and defeat Marvel supervillain Nicholas Scratch, and the Fantastic Four reflect on how much it meant to him, with Reed going as far as to volley the idea of him growing a mustache now to Sue. Fantastic Four #15 (LGY #741) is out now. TV Show(s) The Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes Video Game(s) Fantastic Four (1997), Fantastic Four (2005) First Film The Fantastic Four First TV Show The Fantastic Four Cast Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby The Fantastic Four is a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel's success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years, Fantastic Four has been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.