ATMO-WEB SUIT
Classification: Terrestrial technology
Creator: Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards)
User/Possessors: Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Human Torch (Jim Hammond), Hank Pym
First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#13 (April, 1963)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Atmo-Web Suit contains chemicals which release an artificial atmosphere around the Human Torch's body, permitting him to burst into flame while in airless space. However, there is a finite amount of chemicals within the Atmo-Web Suit which the flame can quickly exhaust; the Atmo-Web Suit supplies 30 minutes' worth of flame.
History:
(Fantastic Four I#13) - On a flight to the moon, the Human Torch donned an Atmo-Web Suit so that he could temporarily burst into flame while in space. Mid-flight, the Human Torch noticed another rocket and chose to investigate it, calling the Atmo-Web Suit his "chemical tuxedo." The Human Torch flew close to the other rocket and saw it was piloted by the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes, who had all just obtained powers through deliberate exposure to cosmic rays. The Human Torch flew back to the Fantastic Four's ship with his flame almost expended, returning to the craft before he could asphyxiate.
(Fantastic Four I#93 - BTS) - The Human Torch exited the Fantastic Four's craft to use his flame to fry a Skrullian saucer above the planet Kral.
(X-Men: Hidden Years I#8-9) - As the Fantastic Four and the X-Men ventured into space to combat a Z'Nox vessel, the Human Torch donned his Atmo-Web so he could flame on in space and battle the Z'Nox.
(Fantastic Four I#297) - The Fantastic Four ventured into space to make adjustments to Starcore One, which was in a decaying orbit. The Human Torch donned his Atmo-Web Suit so he could venture into space and assist in the repairs. When the Thing tried to end his life by allowing himself to drift away from the station, the Human Torch pursued him and pulled him back to Starcore but had expended so much of his flame in the suit that he nearly died; the Invisible Woman saved him by placing a force field bubble around him, then supplying him with an oxygen tank.
(Avengers West Coast I#57) - As the West Coast Avengers prepared to board Magneto's Asteroid M base from theri Quinjet, the Human Torch (Jim Hammond) complained "despite what some of the old stories about me might say," his powers were useless in outer space. Hank Pym presented Hammond with a copy of the Atmo-Web suit designed by Reed Richards which he himself had modified. With the Atmo-Web over his costume, the Human Torch was able to flame on and fly from the Quinjet and aboard Asteroid M.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.
As speculated by George Olshevsky in the Official Index to the Fantastic Four, the Atmo-Web Suit was probably being used behind-the-scenes in any story where the Human Torch flamed on in outer space without another explanation supplied, as in Fantastic Four I#93.
When Hammond referred to "despite what some of the old stories about me might say" in Avengers West Coast I#57, he was likely referring to the story in Human Torch I#33 with Kleezar in which the Torch flew all the way from Earth to Jupiter under his own steam-- er, flame. Not only was that done impossibly fast (faster than Hammond had ever been depicted before or since), there was no explanation for how he could have activated his flame in the void of space.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Atmo-Web should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#13, page 6, panel 2 (main)
Avengers West Coast I#57, page 17, panels 2-3 (worn by Hammond)
Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#13 (April, 1963) - Stan Lee (writer, editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Steve Ditko (inker)
Fantastic Four I#93 (December, 1969) - Stan Lee (writer, editor), Jack Kirby (penciler), Frank Giacoia (inker)
Fantastic Four I#297 (December, 1986) - Roger Stern (writer), John Buscema (penciler), Sal Buscema (inker), Don Daley (editor)
Avengers West Coast I#57 (April, 1990) - John Byrne (writer, penciler), Paul Ryan (inker), Howard Mackie (editor)
X-Men: Hidden Years I#8-9 (July-August, 2000) - John Byrne (writer, penciler), Tom Palmer (inker), Joe Sinnott (inker), Jason Liebig (editor)
First posted: 11/02/2026
Last updated:
11/02/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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