Real
Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Industrial Saboteur;
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Formerly Liquigas (employer)
Enemies: The Avengers (Beast/Hank McCoy, Captain
America/Steve Rogers, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Jocasta, Scarlet Witch/Wanda
Maximoff, Vision/"Victor Shade," Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wonder Man/Simon
Williams), Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Liquigas
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Pyron the Thermal Man
Base of Operations: New Jersey
First Appearance: Avengers I#206 (April
1981)
Powers/Abilities: Pyron possessed the ability to control flame for a variety of effects. He could control the progression of a raging inferno, preventing it from spreading in any direction but that which he desired. He could project and generate flames, the extent of which is unknown, although it was sufficient to melt the titanium steel frame of the android Jocasta. He could siphon the flame from other sources into himself. He used this power to render Johnny Storm, the second Human Torch powerless in his presence. He transformed geysers of water into steam and then pillars of fire. He may have possessed superhuman strength and durability, as he caught Captain America's shield with a single hand. He possessed vulnerability to flame retardant, as well as to energy attacks, such as Jocasta's eyebeams. Most beings were unable to get close enough to him to launch any attack.
Height: 5'10" (by estimation)
Weight: 165 lbs. (by estimation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Black
History: (Avengers I#206 (fb) ) - Pyron was originally an industrial saboteur, who frequently used explosives to destroy competitors of his employers. His life changed when he was hired by the Liquigas Company to torch a chemical complex. He planted thermite explosives on some of its chemical tanks, but found out too late that Liquigas had preset the explosives to explode prematurely, killing him as well in order to eliminate any witnesses.
(Avengers I#206) - The chemicals and the fire combined to somehow mutate the saboteur into Pyron, who then took control of the fire and directed it towards the Liquigas Company complex in order to gain revenge for their treachery. The Avengers arrived on the scene to stop him, but most proved unable to even approach him. Iron Man overloaded his cooling units and was trapped within a deep freeze state. The Vision was unable to return to normal density without risking instantaneous incineration. Captain America, the Beast, Jocasta, the Scarlet Witch, and Wonder Man donned "super-dense asbestos" fire resistant suits to confront him, but were rapidly overpowered and faced death by fire. The Wasp managed to get close enough to Pyron with another asbestos suit, then exited the suit in her tiny form, flying right next to him, and hurling a chemical foam capsule into him. The foam instantly seeped into his pores and incapacitated him, as well as conveniently snuffing the entire inferno as well. Pyron was incarcerated, and agreed to testify against his former employers at Liquigas. The Wasp was most concerned about how she would explain her heat burn to her husband Hank in December.
Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo, Gene Colan and Dan Green.
Pyron was a powerful foe, and he almost certainly retains some or all of his power. He certainly has reappearance potential if anyone (Kurt, Erik, Roger...) is interested.
Apparently it was only the element of surprise that allowed the Wasp to get close enough to him. It's hard to believe Wonder Man, Jocasta, or anyone else in the fire resistant suit couldn't have gotten close enough to him to hit him with the capsule. It made a nice one issue story when I eleven years old.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Pyron the Thermal Man is not to be confused
with:
images: (without ads)
Avengers I#206, p15 (main image)
Avengers I#206, p1, pan3 (human face, recolored to remove green tint
using depowered images on final page of issue as color reference)
Avengers I#206, p16, pan2 (burning face)
Appearances:
Avengers I#206 (April, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Gene Colan
(pencils), Dan Green (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
First Posted: 09/08/2001
Last updated: 10/17/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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