FIREPROOF NATIVES

Classification: Terrestrial humans (African)

Location/Base of Operations: Africa

Known Members: None

Affiliations: Sub-Mariner

Enemies: Human Torch (Johnny Storm)

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#9 (December, 1962)

Powers/Abilities: The members of this tribe formerly possessed a potion which rendered them immune to flame. They could not be harmed or even feel pain from fire, and could swallow flames down their throat. They also possessed spears which had been dipped in a flameproof potion.

History: (Fantastic Four I#9) - While the Sub-Mariner feigned the production of a movie for the Fantastic Four (during which he sent Mr. Fantastic to a Mediterranean isle to battle Cyclops), he sent the Human Torch to Africa to film scenes against a local tribe. However, Namor had arranged for the natives to attack the Torch when he arrived.

When the natives threatened the Torch, he flamed on, expecting it to frighten them, but they were unfazed, and tried to attack him. He began to fly away, but ran out of flame too soon and fell to the ground. The natives followed him, and brought him back to their village where they placed him in a bamboo cage. As the Torch watched, they prepared their potion and ingested it, showing off their immunity to flame while the Torch watched.

Having regained his strength, the Torch burned through the cage, and flew away. The natives claimed that they would seize him again and slay him, but the Torch continued flying into a nearby volcano, which he set off. The eruption of the volcano caused the natives to evacuate their village, and the lava destroyed all of their potion.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.

John Kaminski dubbed this group the "Asbesti tribe."

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Fireproof Natives should not be confused with:


Images taken from:
Fantastic Four I#9, page 15, panel 5


Last posted: 09/11/2005
Last updated: 00/26/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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