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Spider-Man and Human Torch have been friends for years — but for a long time, the latter had no idea who the Wall-Crawler really was.
One of the most notable figures in Spider-Man’s life, the Human Torch has long been one of the most consistent allies the Wall-Crawler has. The pair even recently made sure to spend Halloween together in Fantastic Four #37 by Dan Slott, Dono Sanchez Almara, Nico Leon, and Joe Caramagna, with Peter Parker trying to cheer up Johnny Storm after a series of devastating personal failings.
Spider-Man and the Human Torch have long been incredibly close friends within the hero community — but for most of their time together, the latter actually had no idea about Spider-Man’s true secret identity.
The Human Torch and Spider-Man first met all the way back in Amazing Spider-Man #1 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, when the pair threw down as part of Spider-Man’s “audition” to join the Fantastic Four. They didn’t part on good terms but, the Human Torch ended up having a huge influence on the young Wall-Crawler, who was inspired by a speech by Human Torch to not give up his heroic career. Eventually, the pair became increasingly close, even deciding to make the Statue of Liberty their typical hang-out spot. They would go on to playfully bicker and prank each other over the years. In time, the two grew closer and closer — without Spider-Man ever revealing his true identity to Johnny.
Still taking his identity as a serious secret, Peter kept Johnny in the dark about his identity for years, even when he had to approach the Fantastic Four for help. To his credit, Johnny never pushed Peter on revealing his identity — but always took the chance to poke fun at the hero for it. It wasn’t until the events of Spider-Man/Human Torch by Dan Slott and Ty Templeton that he revealed his true identity to Johnny. The limited series focused on different periods in the two heroes’ lives, with an extended focus on their friendship. The final issue of the limited series took place in the early 2000s, shortly before the events of Civil War and while Peter was working as a science teacher at Midtown High. Johnny was once more invited to speak to the students of the school, much as he had done years earlier.
However, Carmine Villanova of the Maggia Crime Family tried to bring down the Torch as revenge for arresting his son years earlier. With no other option to get around the armed criminals, Peter was forced to quietly reveal his identity to an incredulous Human Torch. Working together, the pair overcame the criminals and later reunited at the Statue of Liberty, so Spider-Man could explain everything. The Human Torch explained how he’d always considered Peter’s life to be perfect — with a mind that could rival Reed Richards, a loving family in his Aunt May, and beautiful love interests around every corner. Spider-Man can only laugh when he learns Johnny has always thought of Peter as having “Parker Luck” — unknowingly referencing Peter’s habit of referring to his consistently bad luck with the same name.
But with the truth out in the open, Spider-Man and Human Torch were able to openly become closer friends, with the limited series even ending with the pair (and their respective families) having a night together at the Baxter Building. Although the Human Torch (along with most of the rest of the world) lost their knowledge of Peter’s secret identity following the events of One More Day, he was among the earliest people Peter revealed his identity to afterward. Since then, their friendship has been an even more present part of their lives, with the two even briefly becoming roommates during the period when Spider-Man served alongside the Future Foundation. But it still stands out that one of Spider-Man’s most important heroic allies had no idea who he was under the mask for years.
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