main imageSAM THORNE

Real Names: Sam Thorne

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Metro College football coach

Group Membership: Metro College faculty

Affiliations: Crystal (Crystalia Amaquelin), Darkoth the Death Demon, Empire Books, Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Lockjaw, Alicia Masters, Medusa (Medusalith Amaquelin), Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards), Whitey Mullins, Thing (Ben Grimm), "Big" Will Wingfoot, Wyatt Wingfoot

Enemies: Doctor Doom (Victor Von Doom), Gort, Harrison

Known Relatives: Belle Thorne (wife)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York City, USA

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#50 (May, 1966)

Powers/Abilities: Sam Thorne was a skilled college football coach and was an excellent football player when younger.

History: 

(Fantastic Four I#142 (fb) - BTS) - Years ago, Sam Thorne attended Metro College and was friends with Reed Richards.

(Fantastic Four I#143 (fb) - BTS) - While at Metro College, Sam Thorne was also a classmate of Victor Von Doom, who grew to hate Sam.

(Fantastic Four I#51 (fb) - BTS) - Sam Thorne was a football player and teammate of future Olympic decathlete, "Big" Will Wingfoot.

(Fantastic Four I#50 (fb) - BTS) - Some time after his football playing days, Sam became a promising all-star college football coach, coaching some of the all-time greatest football players. His reputation earned him comparisons to legendary Notre Dame football coach, Knute Rockne.

(Fantastic Four I#50) - Sam Thorne coached the Metro College football players during a practice, asking one of the players where their star quarterback, Whitey Mullins, was. Shortly thereafter, Coach Thorne noticed Whitey speaking with a group of girls in a car off in the distance. Walking up to Whitey, Sam asked Whitey what his deal was and if Whitey was too big to rub noses with the rest of the team. Despite Whitey's protests that he was just busy, Sam reminded Whitey that he had a responsibility to the other members on his football team. Whitey replied that he owed the team nothing and boasted that the Metro College football players were a bunch of scarecrows without him, accusing Sam of being a has-been himself. Before Sam could verbally retaliate, Sam's wife Belle arrived and asked why Sam had not benched Whitey for insubordination. Sam replied that Whitey was right and that without Whitey, the team would not win a game with a "has-been" as their coach. Belle quickly reminded Sam that he wasn't a has-been, but that he did need a team to win games. Sam replied that if only he had another real athlete on the team like he used to coach, he could retire with dignity.

(Fantastic Four I#51) - At the Kozy Kampus Koffee Shop, Coach Thorne broke up a near-fistfight between Whitey Mullins and new Metro College underclassman, Johnny Storm. Whitey quickly told Coach Thorne that the Coach might be able to tell him what to do on the field or in the locker room, but his fight with Johnny Storm outside of school was none of Thorne's business. Sam replied that as long as Whitey was on his football team, anything he did would be Coach Thorne's business. Once Whitey had stormed off, Johnny Storm apologized to Coach Thorne for any trouble he may have caused and Sam told him to forget it. Sam then asked Wyatt Wingfoot's name and upon learning that Wyatt was the son of Sam's old teammate Will Wingfoot, Sam asked how soon Wyatt could come to football practice. Wyatt quickly informed Sam that he had no interest in athletics and Sam returned to his seat at the Kozy Kampus, where he explained to his wife Belle whom he had just met. Belle attempted to make Sam feel better by telling him that there would be other players to help the Metro College team, but Sam replied that, since Sam and Will Wingfoot were once teammates, fate seemed to have sent Wyatt to Sam. Sam then told Belle that he had to convince Wyatt to play football.

(Fantastic Four I#61) - Coach Thorne was shocked, along with the rest of the Metro College football team, when Crystal and Lockjaw of the Inhumans teleported into the center of Metro College Stadium seeking Johnny Storm. A confused Sam began asking Wyatt Wingfoot what was going on and who Crystal was, but Wyatt told Sam he would explain later.

(Fantastic Four I#143 (fb) - BTS) - Doctor Doom sent a false class reunion letter to both Reed Richards and Sam Thorne, secretly plotting to humiliate Sam and lure Reed into a trap.

(Fantastic Four I#138) - Following Wyatt Wingfoot's graduation ceremonies from Metro College, Sam and Belle Thorne said hello to Johnny Storm, who commented that the ceremonies really seemed to be "Old Home Week". Johnny then mentioned that the last time he had seen Coach Thorne, Sam had been trying to recruit Wyatt to Metro College's football team. Sam commented that he never did manage to recruit Wyatt, but he was glad to see Johnny, as Sam had been trying to get a hold of Reed Richards. Before Sam could explain why he needed to get in touch with Reed, he was interrupted by another of Metro College's faculty, who told Wyatt Wingfoot that Wyatt's grandfather had called, asking for Wyatt to return home immediately. Wyatt then asked Sam and Belle to excuse him, as there seemed to be an emergency.

(Fantastic Four I#142) - Wyatt Wingfoot and Johnny Storm arrived at Metro College Stadium, where Johnny informed Sam Thorne of recent events involving Reed Richards having to use an anti-matter blaster against his own son Franklin. Saddened to hear of the events, Sam commented that if it meant anything, he was sorry about Reed and Johnny's family. Angry that Sam was sorry for Reed despite Reed's usage of the weapon, Johnny furiously reminded Thorne that Franklin was his nephew. After Sam tried to explain that Reed did not seem to have a choice in using the weapon, Johnny stormed away. Wyatt apologized to Sam for Johnny's outburst, commenting about how he was not sure why Johnny felt the need to tell Sam about recent events. Sam told Wyatt that Johnny seemed to just want someone he respected, who also knew Reed, to agree with Johnny. Sam then explained to Wyatt that he did not seem to be that person Johnny needed to agree with him and commented about how it was odd that Sam would be seeing Reed in a few days for their Metro College class reunion, which Sam and Reed were both invited to.

(Fantastic Four I#143) - Sam, Belle, Reed Richards and Medusa arrived for the class reunion, only to learn that Doctor Doom had lured them into a trap. Reed quickly ordered Sam and Belle to safety but Doom turned his guns on the Thornes, prompting Reed to shield them with his body. Medusa then took the fight to Doom, disengaging the guns with her hair. Doom soon captured Mr. Fantastic and Medusa via a trap door, prompting Sam to fight back against Doom himself. Doom announced his plans to humiliate Thorne and blasted him with his finger-blaster, stunning the coach. Thinking Doom had killed Sam, Belle became frantic but Doctor Doom assured her that Sam was only stunned. Doom then departed with Belle, claiming that they had much to talk about and while he had originally planned to discuss his plans with both Belle and Sam, he could not do so with Sam stunned. Doom then explained to Belle that the reason Sam and her were invited to his trap was because of Doom's hatred of both Sam and Reed. He then led Belle further into his lair, revealing that he had built the entire city block to his specifications some time ago as an American base for his plots against the Fantastic Four. Belle soon noticed that Reed Richards was returning to consciousness and Doctor Doom took that time to explain his entire plan to use his Vibration Bomb to alter the minds of those he despised, forcing them to serve Doom. Doom then placed Mr. Fantastic and Medusa in captivity alongside his prior captives, the Thing and Darkoth the Death-Demon.

(Fantastic Four I#144) - After regaining consciousness, Sam remained by Belle's side near Doctor Doom, remarking about Doom's plan failing when one of Doom's lackeys reported that he had lost track of Doom's Seeker robot. When Doom then boasted that no one could stop Doom's victory to his other captives, the Human Torch, Wyatt Wingfoot and Alicia Masters, Sam accused Doctor Doom of being insane. Doom then watched as the Human Torch and Wyatt Wingfoot failed to escape and announced to Sam how useless it was to defy Doom. Shortly thereafter, Doom transformed his lair into a spaceship and rocketed the entire city block into space, preparing to join his launched Vibration Bomb in space to unleash its full power beam. The Human Torch quickly grabbed Sam and Belle Thorne, and together with the other captives, the heroes exited the lair as it took off. Sam, Belle, and the others then watched as Darkoth caused Doom’s lair to collide with the Vibration Bomb, destroying it and foiling Doctor Doom's plans.

(Marvels: Eye of the Camera I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Sam Thorne wrote a book entitled Life on the Gridiron, which was published by Empire Books.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.

In Fantastic Four I#51 and Fantastic Four I#61, Sam Thorne's last name was misspelled as "Thorpe".

Also, in Belle Thorne's first appearance, she had reddish brown hair, but in her Fantastic Four I#138 appearance (which was "four years later," according to the topical reference in the story), Belle's hair had become gray and she wore glasses. When Belle was next seen in Fantastic Four I#142-144, she had returned to reddish brown hair and no longer wore glasses. My guess is that she decided to dye her hair and get some contact lenses. Sam and Belle were middle aged in their first appearance so it's possible that Belle had went gray during Wyatt Wingfoot's college years, as Sam had graying temples by then too.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Sam and Belle Thorne have no known connections to

Belle Thorne

Belle ThorneBelle Thorne

Belle Thorne was Sam's faithful wife. She was one of the few lured by Doctor Doom, who sought vengeance against Sam Thorne and Reed Richards. Doom later kidnapped her, but she was rescued by Sam and Johnny Storm.

 

 

 

 

--Fantastic Four I#50 (51, 138, 142-144

images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#144, p19, pan4 (Sam Thorne, main image)
Fantastic Four I#50, p15, pan6 (Sam Thorne, headshot)
Fantastic Four I#144, p19, pan4 (Belle Thorne, main image)
Fantastic Four I#50, p15, pan6 (Belle Thorne, headshot)

Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#50 (May, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (art), Joe Sinnott (inks)
Fantastic Four I#51 (June, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks)
Fantastic Four I#61 (April, 1967) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Jack Kirby (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks)
Fantastic Four I#138 (September, 1973) - Gerry Conway (writer), John Buscema, Joe Sinnott (art), Roy Thomas (editor)
Fantastic Four I#142 (January, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), Rich Buckler (pencils), Joe Sinnott (embellishes), Roy Thomas (editor)
Fantastic Four I#143 (February, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), Rich Buckler (pencils), Frank Giacoia (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Fantastic Four I#144 (March, 1974) - Gerry Conway (writer), Rich Buckler (pencils), Joe Sinnott (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Marvels: Eye of the Camera I#2 (February, 2009) - Kurt Busiek, Roger Stern (writers), Jay Anacleto (art), Tom Brevoort (editor)

Last updated: 10/22/14

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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