The Flame (comics)
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The Flame was a fictional superhero that appeared in comic books published by Fox Feature Syndicate. The Flame first appeared in Wonderworld Comics #3 (July 1939). He was created by writer Will Eisner and artist Lou Fine.
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[edit] Background
The Flame's secret identity was Gary Preston. When Gary was a baby, his father Charteris Preston worked as a missionary in China. The elder Preston was washed away in a flood, but managed to save baby Gary by placing him in a basket. The basket was washed downstream to Tibet, where Gary was rescued by a group of lamas. They raised Gary in the lamasary, where they trained him in their mystical ways. Through this training, Gary gained the ability to control fire and temperature, including his own body temperature. He also gained the ability to travel from place to place by materializing inside of flame (even a match flame). When he reached adulthood, Gary returned to America to fight crime as the Flame. In 1940 the Flame was joined by a female sidekick, Flame Girl.
[edit] Publication history
The Flame first appearance was in Fox's Wonderworld Comics #3, dated July 1939. The Flame gained his own title in the summer of 1940; it ran for eight issues. He was one of the titular Big 3, appearing in that title alongside Blue Beetle and Samson.
The Flame's final appearance was in January 1942, when all three titles were canceled.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Due to his training, the Flame had the ability to control fire and heat. He could raise his own body temperature to point where he could burst into flames, or melt bullets. He could control and direct any flame in his presence. He could also teleport from place to place by appearing inside of any fire source, no matter how small. The Flame's one weakness is water, which can severely weaken him
The Flame carried a small, pistol-sized flame thrower.
