Uncredited Writers: Stan Lee, Larry Lieber
Uncredited Artist: Jack Kirby
Uncredited Inker: Dick Ayers
Uncredited Letterer: Art Simek
I realise that I spent rather a lot of time in a post about Johnny crying 'Flame On' taking about these two panels, So, I decided to create a brand new category to chronicle the more unlikely uses of Johnny's flame powers. Flame duplicates, flaming lassoos, cold heat... they'll all be in here!Oh, and the title should be pronounced in a Northern accent. (For those of you from outside of the UK, the best I can give you is the accent employed by the cook, Mrs Patmore, in Downton Abbey)
What I love (and find exceedingly unlikely) about this one is the way that Johnny prefaces his actions with an explanation of his ability to control any nearby flames. This in itself is a little unlikely (and seldom seen again), but it in no way explains how he then causes the cigarette lighter to continue giving off thick black clouds of smoke (which must consume a vast amount of fuel) throughout the duration of his rescue. Controlling flame, yes. Providing inexhaustible amounts of fuel inside a small container? No.
And, thinking about it, wouldn't the lighter get unbearably hot after a few moments? Have you ever tried to hold down a lighter for more than, say, 15 seconds? It hurts!
Check out our coverage of Strange Tales #101 in our fifth episode: The Strangest Tales Of All
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