| Human Flame | |
|---|---|
 The Human Flame as depicted inJustice League of America (vol. 2) #21 (July 2008); art byCarlos Pacheco. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #274 (December 1959) |
| Created by | Jack Miller (writer) Joe Certa (art) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Michael Miller |
| Team affiliations | The Society |
| Abilities | Formerly: Use of a specialflamethrowing suit Cybernetic enhancements Implanted miniaturized flamethrowers in hands, mouth, forehead and belly Currently: Molten, radioactive body Ability to increase his mass and density Ability to create and command flames |
TheHuman Flame (Michael Miller) is asupervillain inDC Comics' mainshareduniverse. He is mostly known as an enemy ofMartian Manhunter.
He first appeared inDetective Comics #274 (December 1959), and was created by Jack Miller and Joe Certa.
The character was not used again for 48 years before reappearing inFinal Crisis. The writer,Grant Morrison, explained why they picked such an obscure character:[1]
With The Human Flame, I wanted a Martian Manhunter villain, and I couldn't find a really good one. Then, looking through the oldShowcase Presents books, I discovered this stupid guy called Mike, who declared himself to be The Human Flame. And he wore a homemade costume with six nipples that shot flames. So I just thought this is a great way to start this book because the idea is that Libra gives all the villains a very simple choice, he says, 'Follow me and I'll give you your heart's desire'. And that's it. And some of the villains naturally say, 'Prove it'. So the Human Flame is one of the first to fall in with Libra and he says, 'If you can get revenge on my old enemy, who has had me stuck in jail for the last five years, I'll follow you anywhere'. I needed a small-scale dumb guy, who could make very big waves and open the book with a shock moment and The Human Flame fit the bill.
Human Flame is featured in theFinal Crisis tie-inFinal Crisis Aftermath: Run!, written byLilah Sturges with art byFreddie Williams II.[2][3][4]
Michael Miller, the Human Flame, was a minor villain who, early in his career, was captured by theMartian Manhunter and incarcerated. He was the first actual supervillain the Manhunter faced.[5]
After this one-off appearance, he was not seen in publication for nearly fifty years. In 2008'sJustice League of America (vol. 2), he was seen robbing a bank, leading to a reluctant confrontation withRed Arrow andHawkgirl. It was stated in this issue that, in-universe, eight years had passed since his arrest inDetective Comics #274.[6]
InFinal Crisis, the Human Flame enlists withLibra and theSecret Society of Super Villains. As a reward for joining the Society, Libra promises the Human Flame power and his heart's desire: "revenge against the Martian Manhunter". Libra kills Martian Manhunter with his flaming staff while the Human Flame looks on, his wish having been the first granted by Libra.[7]
The Human Flame is given a new upgraded suit by Libra that contains theAnti-Life Equation, turning him into a mindless drone known as a Justifier. Libra uses the Human Flame, among other Justifiers, to persuadeLex Luthor to swear allegiance toDarkseid or be turned into a Justifier.[8]
In the limited seriesFinal Crisis Aftermath: Run!, the Human Flame is pursued by theKyrgyzstan mafia, the villains that Libra enslaved duringFinal Crisis, and Justice League membersJohn Stewart andFirestorm.[9] His costume is badly damaged during a fight with the mob, and the Human Flame seeks outHeat Wave, hoping to purchase one of his signature flamethrower guns. Heat Wave refuses, denounces the Human Flame as "pathetic", and gives him a harsh beating. Wounded and unable to afford health care, the Human Flame visitsGeneral Immortus who turns him over toProfessor Milo. Milo fixes his injuries, and adds cybernetic parts, including flamethrowers in his chest, mouth and arms. To ensure the Human Flame's loyalty, Immortus has his flamethrowers rigged to cause intense pain whenever he uses them.[10]
The Human Flame later attempts some freelance jobs, stealing from a bank with the help of Seductress (one of the augmented henchmen and lover of Immortus himself) and swaying her to his side, but he is quickly discovered and charged with treason by Milo and Immortus, who try to shut down his powers with a remote control. With Seductress rushing to his aid, the Human Flame is able to escape, destroying the remote but injuring himself in the process.[11]
Human Flame discovers that his new cyborg body has regenerative abilities that fix the broken jaw suffered during his escape. He fights his former allies successfully, killing them all until Immortus shuts down his powers with a secondary, wireless remote. The Human Flame regains his powers by sheer will, badly burning Immortus. He tortures Milo to get further augmentations to put him on par with the Justice League and everyone else wanting vengeance against him. Milo sends him toS.T.A.R. Labs to get himself infused with atomic energy in a new experimental process. There, Human Flame and Seductress are attacked by a Hyper-Griffin, alerting a lone scientist who agrees to give Human Flame the energy infusion to dispatch the Hyper-Griffin, although the energy infusion is temporary unless Human Flame can reach a nearby nuclear power plant and bathe in its energies. Despite the risks, he leaves Seductress behind and manipulates John Stewart into dunking him in the main reactor.[12][13]
Despite the magnitude of the explosion, so powerful that the heroes barely manage to contain it, the Human Flame emerges as a fiery, radioactive being able to increase his mass and density. Calling himself the Inhuman Flame, he rampages through the city until he increases his mass to such a degree that he becomes immobile. Firestorm,Red Tornado, and John Stewart take him to outer space, tethered to a heat-dispersing rod to sap his powers.[14]
In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books calledDC Rebirth, which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior toThe New 52 reboot. Human Flame was seen at a western hotel where theLegion of Doom VillainsMixer was being held.[15]
Black Manta's former Manta MenDevil Ray worked with Human Flame and his henchmen Red and Orange before betraying and killing him to obtain his technology and taking Red and Orange in.[16]
In his initial appearance, the Human Flame has no powers, but wields several flamethrowers. InFinal Crisis, he is transformed into a cyborg with flamethrower implants, and later into a fiery humanoid who can increase his mass and density at will.