RAYMOND

raymond-flameguy-powpack-full-cleanedupraymond-flameguy-powpack-face-cleanedup

Real Name: Raymond (presumably his surname (see comments))

Identity/Class: Unrevealed (see comments)

Occupation: Unrevealed;
    unemployed when last seen (along with some adventuring);
    presumably formerly an adventurer/super hero

Group Membership: None known
    (see comments)

Affiliations: The Elan, Friday the Kymellian smartship, Galactus (Galan), Invisible Woman (Sue Richards), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Nova (Frankie Raye), Dr. James Power impostor, Margaret Power impostor, Power Pack (Mass Master impostor, Lightspeed (Julie Power), Destroyer (Jack Power), Counterweight (Katie Power)), Franklin Richards

Enemies: Red Ghost (Ivan Kragoff) and his Super-Apes (Igor, Mikiho, Peotor), Star Stalker (Biawak), unidentified group of young men;
    (see comments)

Known Relatives: None;
    (see comments)

Aliases: "Grampa" (from a gang in Central Park);
    presumably Toro (see comments)

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly mobile throughout Central Park (and presumably beyond), Manhattan;
    he spent some time in Friday traveling through space and hyperspace, as well as in Four Freedoms Plaza and Power Pack's apartment;
    (see comments)

First Appearance: (Unidentified) Power Pack I#57 (July, 1990);
    (identified as Raymond) Power Pack I#59 (October, 1990)
    (see comments)
 
 

raymond-flameguy-powpack-aflame

Powers/Abilities: Raymond could be set on fire without any noticeable injury.

    He could project fiery blasts able to melt metal.

    He was able to rapidly adapt to extraordinary situations, such as being set on fire, flying through space in spaceship, encountering the massive and enormously powerful Galactus, and getting involved in a battle against superhumans (and super-simians).

    Even in his senior years, Raymond's first instinct was to try to protect younger people.

    Raymond presumably aged at some reduced rate (see comments).

raymond-flameguy-powpack-flameblast


Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 190 lbs.)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Gray (presumably darker in youth)

 

 

History:
(Power Pack I#57 (fb) - BTS) - Raymond spent years "hitting the bottle."raymond-flameguy-powpack-homelessbench

raymond-flameguy-powpack-homeless-face (Power Pack I#57) - As the Star Stalker (Biawak) began to materialize nearby, Raymond awakened after being passed out on a bench in Central Park with a liquor bottle by his lips. The disoriented Raymond quickly recovered his wits and became curious, and when a group of young men approached and expressed similar curiosity, Raymond's old instincts kicked in, and he told the "kids" not to worry, as he would protect him.

    The group was amused that the old apparent alcoholic thought he could protect him, and they instead knocked him down and poured his liquor on him. One of them lit his lighter and taunted him about being a hero and turning him into the Human Torch. When the Star Stalker fully materialized, the group fled.

    Following Power Pack's arrival and engaging the Star Stalker, the gang confronted Raymond again, asking if he thought they had forgotten about him. When he replied, "What else could I think when I see a yellow streak like that?" a couple of them held Raymond while another used his lighter to set Raymond on fire. After he burst into flames, the young men fled, and Frankie Raye, whose power as the Galactus Herald Nova had been drained by the Star Stalker, rushed over and drew the flames from him into her body, restoring her at least to her previous Human Torch form. She was surprised to find the man she had saved to be completely unharmed, and she hoped that Power Pack's smartship Friday could provide some explanation.

    Raymond meanwhile, upon seeing the flaming Frankie Raye thought, "Merciful Heavens. It can't be! Is it -- is it -- her? Well, one thing's for sure -- I don't want her finding out about me!"

    Frankie advised him that he was in great danger, if not from the hoods then from the battle between Power Pack and the Star Stalker, and she advised him to board the Kymellian smartship Friday for his own safety, telling him that they would talk later. Raymond planned to just play along until she was out of sight, but after she departed, the ongoing battle convinced him that he might indeed be safer aboard the ship and so he boarded it. As he approached the form of Franklin Richards, whose physical form was immobilized although his mind was still active, Friday spoke to him. When Friday followed Franklin's mental communication to take him to Galactus, Raymond was trapped aboard the ship. He continued walking around until he encountered the unconscious form of the alien Elan (aka the Infant Terrible).

    Having sensed how Frankie had become maddened/malevolent when she siphoned power from the Star Stalker via Reed Richard's Stimulator, Franklin mentally communicated with Raymond and Friday. He stated that it was fortunate that this man had joined them as they were going to need him to get the Ultimate Nullifier. Friday also added that the Elan's powers were dangerously out of control and could erupt at any moment.

(Power Pack I#58) - Aboard Friday traveling through hyperspace, Raymond was surprised to learn that they were traveling many times faster than the speed of light. He started to say it had been a long time since he was...and then he stopped and instead that he had never conceived of anything like this. He further considered that there were a lot of things he had not thought about in a long while and that seeing "this poor kid Franklin here makes me think of my own." He further stated that things weren't the way they used to be and that he would not have thought that his life would end up this way. When Friday asked what he meant, Raymond told Friday to look at him, and when Friday questioned whether he was troubled by his appearance, Raymond admitted that he was, although that was just the tip of the iceberg.raymond-flameguy-powpack-analysis

    Friday assured Raymond he could help him in that regard and instructed him to step into the adjoining chamber, Raymond asked for a haircut, a clean shave and some new clothes. Raymond was happy to step into the next chamber to avoid that dangerous energies being unleashed from the inert Elan's antenna. As Friday cut his hair, trimmed his beard, gave him a manicure and measured him for clothing, Raymond felt as if the years of decay were falling away and that maybe he would be able to do something with his life. Meanwhile, Friday scanned Raymond's form and informed Franklin that the readings were incredible and that he was a perfect candidate for its plan. His reading were quite similar to what it had scanned from Nova when she had reverted to her Frankie Raye form and that his systems seemed to contain considerable potential, as if he had the power level of one of Earth's super heroes.

     Cleaned up and his new suit, Raymond thanked Friday, noting that he felt like a new man and asking what was going on. Friday related how they needed his help to in seeking Galactus to obtain the Ultimate Nullifier. Friday then specified that it wanted to liberate Franklin's dream self that was trapped within his own body and allow it to enter Raymond's; Raymond approved, noting how he would do anything to save Earth, even if it cost him his life. Friday then proceeded, and Franklin and Raymond both shared Raymond's body, allowing Franklin to speak through it.

    Friday subsequently docked on Galactus' ship, and Raymond was astounded by its size before being confronted by Galactus himself. Subsequently reviving and regaining control of his powers, Franklin had his dream self tell Galactus that they needed the Ultimate Nullifier to save Nova. Fearing that any human could survive wielding the Ultimate Nullifier...

 (Power Pack I#58 (fb) - BTS) - ...Galactus instead gave him the Elemental Obliterator, and Franklin and Raymond returned to Friday, who began heading back to Earth via hyperspace.

(Power Pack I#58 - BTS) - When Friday congratulated Franklin, Franklin replied that he wouldn't have been able to do it without...at which point he realized he did not even know their ally's name.

    Back on Earth, the revived Elan used the Elemental Obliterator -- in order to spare Franklin the risk of using this weapon, either -- to drain off the malevolent energy that Nova had absorbed from the Star Stalker, and Power Pack combined their powers to transport the Elan to a safe distance from the Obliterator before it overloaded.

 (Power Pack I#58) - As the restored Nova departed to reunite with Galactus, Raymond quietly bade her farewell.

(Power Pack I#59) - Preparing to depart with Friday to drop Franklin off at the Powers' home before taking the Elan back to its world, Raymond assured Reed and Sue Richards that they would get Franklin there safely. He then introduced himself to Reed as "Raymond," telling him that he was sure that they would be meeting again. Reed silently considered that the couldn't help feeling that they already had met.

    Presumably on Elanis, Raymond and Friday were surprised to find that the Elan's parents had died before Friday and Power Pack had first encountered the Elan and that it had just gone there so he could pay his final respects. When Raymond expressed that he wished the Elan could communicate with them, the Elan spoke, telling them that they had shared his pain and made it easier. At Raymond's query, the Elan explained that he had waited until he had assimilated enough of their language to assimilate it. He then told them that he wanted to return to Earth and to become a member of Power Pack.

(Power Pack I#61 (fb) - BTS / Power Pack I#62 (fb) - BTS) - When Friday and her passengers (Raymond and the Elan) exited hyperspace near Earth, heading for the New York apartment building that was home to Power Pack, a burst of enormous destructive energy sent by the Red Skull struck Friday.

(Power Pack I#61) - Friday crashed into Power Pack's apartment building, apparently knocking out Raymond and the Elan in the process.

(Power Pack I#61 - BTS) - Reed and Sue Richards arrived on the scene, and Sue lifted off the collapsed roof while Power Pack got everyone out.

(Power Pack I#61) - When they arrived, Raymond feared that Friday had perished, but the Elan sensed Friday's intelligent and isolated Friday's central core, after while the Elan flew/levitated with Raymond to safety.

(Power Pack I#61 - BTS) - The group arrived at Four Freedoms Plaza where Reed worked to restore "Alex Power" (secretly a pseudoplasm creation of the Technocrat; see comments) who had seemingly transformed into a Kymellian form until the Red Ghost's shapeshifting baboon, Igor, sprayed Reed with knockout gas.raymond-flameguy-powpack-face-upset

(Power Pack I#61) - Meanwhile, Raymond and the Elan had stayed with the mentally unstable "Margaret Power." Hearing the commotion, Raymond asked the Elan to try to calm her while he checked out what was happening.

(Power Pack I#62 (fb) - BTS) - The Elan made himself appear to be James Power, which soothed "Margaret" so she fell back to sleep.

(Power Pack I#61) - Finding the lab destroyed, Raymond saw the orangutan Peotor launch a large chunk of metal debris at Power Pack. With Jack have used up his "Destroyer" energy, Raymond projected flames that melted the debris and prevented it from striking the kids. However, the gorilla Mikiho then pounded the ground, causing further debris to land on and immobilize the kids.

(Power Pack I#62 (fb) - BTS) - While the Elan posed as a super-powered James Power and engaged the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes until Power Pack was recovered, Raymond returned and watched over Margaret.

(Power Pack I#62 - BTS) - When Power Pack threatened to overwhelm the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes, he had Igor take the form of Margaret Power.

(Power Pack I#62) - Realizing that it didn't make sense for Mrs. Power to be there, Franklin sent his dream self to check on the room where she had been resting at Four Freedoms Plaza. Finding Raymond watching over her sleeping form, Franklin returned to tell Power Pack that it wasn't really Mrs. Power, after which he took control of the Red Ghost's body, which apparently also caused Igor to revert to his true form, confirming the deception. With the Red Ghost unable to turn intangible, "James Power" punched him out.

raymond-flameguy-powpack-farewell     Soon after, Sue Richards asked Raymond how he fit into this whole picture, and while he told her that the details of his life would not be of interest to her, Franklin commented that something about Raymond reminded him of his uncle Johnny (the Human Torch). Replying that Franklin just had a playful imagination, Raymond realized that Franklin's instincts were too good, and he decided that it was time to part ways...

    Raymond than gathered the Power Pack kids and told them the the time had come to move on as he had other responsibilities. "Alex" asked him if they would see him again, and Raymond told him to count on it.

    As he departed, Raymond silently considered that it was foolish of him to believe he could re-enter a world filled with super heroes but that when he was a boy, it was different. Feeling that the world had changed too much for him to ever fit in, he resolved to return to the only other world he knew, "the world in which those wonderful kids first discovered me."

    And Raymond was never seen again...OR WAS HE!!!

Comments: Created by...hmmm...
    Michael Higgins and Tom Morgan presumably intended this character to be Toro, who was created by Carl Burgos.

    Vague references to a past life and adventure and demonstrations of fire-powers may generate a list of possible characters (perhaps a few) that this homeless man was intended to be. Adding the name Raymond narrows it down pretty tightly...I'm not aware of other "Raymond" fire-based beings beyond Toro. And then the appearance of Ann Raymond (Toro's seeming widow in Power Pack I#60) is too coincidental to ignore. He also referenced being a super hero as a boy.
    In Power Pack I#62, as Raymond parted ways with Power Pack, an editorial caption stated, "We'll see Raymond again in the future, of that you can rest assured!"
    This senior Raymond was not seen again.

    18-19 years later, in Avengers/Invaders#12 (August, 2009), Captain America (James Barnes; formerly Bucky and both formerly and later the Winter Soldier) accessed the Cosmic Cube, wished his longtime friend alive again, and Toro was revived, his youth restored but his memories up to the end of his life intact, and the Vision (Aarkus) offered to guide him in readjustment.

   Per the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#12 (March, 2010)'s Toro entry:

    Between Toro's death and resurrection, an elderly man called “Mr. Raymond,” with powers similar to Toro’s, surfaced and observed the adventures of the young Power Pack team; Raymond may have been Toro, having survived Thinker’s explosion and reverted to his true chronological age, thus existing independently of the “resurrected” Toro, but this remains unconfirmed.
    --Actually, I think he was only called "Raymond," rather than "Mr. Raymond," but regardless, he is a presumed to be some incarnation of Toro until proven otherwise.
    Further, it may be that when the Cosmic Cube restored Toro, it actually reverted the senior "Raymond" to a younger age.
    However, the truth is out there. I'd like to see the issue resolved in-story--Snood.

    Per the Torch#1, Toro was born May 6, 1924. If Raymond was indeed Toro, in his 1990 appearance, he would have been 66-years-old.  Courtesy of our friend the sliding timescale, however,  as of 2026 when I write this profile, the appearance would have occurred 6-7 years ago in Marvel Time, making him like 96-year-old, and aging close to a year with each year as real time rolls on.
    As a superhuman...mutate, mutant, Inhuman, etc., it's certainly feasible that Toro may have aged at a reduced rate.
    Now, how was Ann Raymond, Toro's wife, so young when she was presumably of comparable age to her husband? Maybe the "Horton cells" that impregnated his body (or something about his abilities/nature) were transferred into her by direct contact? Or, maybe she just happened to be something other than baseline human.

    The characters of Alex/Mass Master, James and Maggie Power of Power Pack I#56-62 (and other appearances between those issues) were later ret-conned into being pseudoplasmic creations of the Technocrat. Check out that profile for discussions on all of that.
    I guess it could be that Raymond was a creation of the Technocrat, too, but you'd think Friday would have detected that during the detailed analysis, plus, it was just happenstance that Raymond got involved with Power Pack at all.

   This profile was completed 01/08/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event.

    Thanks to Jesus Angel for reminding me when James Barnes restored Toro to life.
    Thanks to David Zuckerman for reminding me of Toro's birthday/age.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Raymond presumably has some connection (as discussed in the comments) to:


images: (without ads)
Power Pack I#57, pg. 9, panel 1(lying on park bench);
          panel 3 (homeless face);
       pg. 16, panel 4 (set aflame);
    #58, pg. 7, panel 2-5 (Friday scanning Raymond);
       pg. 10, panel 1 (cleaned-up; full);
          panel 6 (half-decent oblique face) - replace if find something better);
    #61, pg. 21, panel 6 (face, distressed);
          panel 7 (projecting fiery blast)
Appearances:
Power Pack I#57 (July, 1990) - Michael Higgins (writer; with a plot assist by Seth Kruchkow), Tom Morgan (penciler/inker) with Andy Mushynsky (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Power Pack I#58-59 (September-October, 1990) - Michael Higgins (writer; with a plot assist by Seth Kruchkow), Tom Morgan (artist), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Power Pack I#61 (January, 1991) - Michael Higgins (writer; with a plot assist by Seth Kruchkow), Tom Morgan (artist), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Power Pack I#62 (February, 1991) - Michael Higgins, Steve Buccellato (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Mike Rockwitz (editor)

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#12 (March, 2010) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer/coordinator), Mike Fichera, Markus RAYMOND, Mike O'Sullivan & Madison Carter (coordination assistants), Stuart Vandal, Sean McQuaid, Michael Hoskin, Mike O'Sullivan, Ronald Byrd, Mike Fichera, Madison Carter, Rob London, Gabriel Shechter, Eric J. Moreels, David Wiltfong, Jacob Rougemont, Chris Biggs, Rich Green, Kevin Garcia, Jeph York, & Mark O'English (writers), Brian Overton (copy editor), John Denning & Alex Starbuck (assistant editors), Mark D. Beazley (editor, special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editors)

First posted: 09/04/2026
Last updated: 08/26/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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