The rumor mill churning out yarns of upsetting news from within the industry indicates that a blooming Spider-Man and Human Torch love story has been nipped in the bud by the raging war between Sony and Marvel. Like all stories that could have been great if only the politics of juggernauts hadn’t interfered in the middle, the two characters that have been known to have a great equation in the Marvel comics could have actually brought alive that dynamic to the screens.
Also read: All 12 of the Spider-Man Multiverse Films Ranked
Sony Throws a Wrench in Marvel’s Spidey-Johnny Plans
For years, the fragile contractual agreement that has allowed Marvel to conduct a side gig with Sony’s Spider-Man IP has been treading on increasingly thin ice with each additional outing of the web-slinger. And even though Sony has seemed liberally sympathetic to the audience’s plight to have one of Stan Lee’s greatest creations walking through the corridors of MCU’s Avengers HQ, the production house may just as easily withdraw their deal the moment Marvel starts getting greedy.
As of now, the immensely successful solo Spider-Man trilogy has been a blessing for Marvel and Sony combined. However, comic lovers would know that no Spider-Man story is complete without the snarky presence of the Human Torch in it. Since the latest arc puts Peter Parker in a post-high school era where the young superhero takes on the world alone, the timing is just perfect to introduce the two best friends to each other.
Considering the Fantastic Four are gearing up for their MCU debut as well (which incidentally will not be an origin story), the occasion warrants Spidey coming across the walking matchstick in his outing across the neighborhood. If true to the source material, Peter Parker could also bump into Johnny Storm when the latter appears as a guest lecturer at Parker’s college. However, it seems as though Sony is intent on not giving Marvel any more ammunition to progress the narrative of the character, though to what end, remains a frustrating mystery.
The Tenable Friendship of Spider-Man & Human Torch
In the comics, the friendship between Spider-Man and Johnny Storm is one for the ballads. Having first encountered each other in Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963), the duo got off to a rocky start that soon, through inadvertent twists in the narrative, made the superheroes great friends and confidantes. Through the decades, the two endured ups and downs in their relationship and grew as best friends, so much so that the comic issues published during the ’70s almost made the two attached at the hips.
Also read: Why Fantastic Four Chose Daredevil Over Spider-Man as Marvel’s Greatest Superhero
Over the years, Spider-Man developed a familial bond with Johnny Storm (and by extension, the Fantastic Four) and the duo even headlined the first issue of Marvel Team-Up in 1977. An important aspect of their friendship was defined by Spidey hiding his true identity from Johnny Storm who however knew Peter Parker separately. When the web-slinger did reveal his civilian identity, the two grew closer as friends and partners-in-crime as it had given them a better understanding and insight into each other’s lives.
Through deaths, resurrections, epic battles, and great losses, the pair held true to each other and to this day, maintain a friendship that rivals even the greatest BFF stories in the comic world, one that is sure to ignite envy in the core of Deadpool’s Wolverine-smitten heart.
MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy is available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: Twitter
