New promo material for the MCU's next project confirmed that the Marvel Universe, just like the real world, has its fair share of creepy fan bases. The concept of fandom remains a mystery, both within the biggest fictional universes in entertainment and in the real world. Now, as the MCU moves into Phase 6, that concept is blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.
Marvel Studios shared new promotional material for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, featuring Joseph Quinn's Johnny Storm/the Human Torch. Specifically, it highlights an ad for the public in the Fantastic Four's universe (outside of Earth-616) to join the "Flaming Hearts Fan Club," which seems to be a fan club celebrating the Human Torch's efforts as a superhero.
Shared on Instagram, the ad features an image of Quinn's Johnny Storm alongside a call for fans to "Join the Flaming Hearts Fan Club" and "Keep the flame alive," although applications are said to be closed on the poster.
Utilizing countless fun puns and fire-based wording, the ad teases how the world has gone "Storm crazy" and that fans have a chance to get "free goodies" with a lifetime membership in the fan club "devoted to the hero that has set all our hearts ablaze." Those goodies are said to include a biography (with "confidential" facts about Johnny), two big photographs of the fiery hero, and more:
The ad later goes into all of the perks of being a member of Johnny Storm's fan club, including a "Special free bonus" of two big homemade stickers celebrating the fandom:
Ads like this reaffirm Johnny's place as the most popular member of the Fantastic Four, which is consistent with how he's been depicted in past iterations of this story. In one of the movie's official posters, Quinn sits next to a table with an issue of Teen Living magazine on it, which features Johnny on the cover.
One of the movie's trailers also puts Johnny in the spotlight, courtesy of a Coppertone sunscreen ad showing him teasing fans with his body while flames erupt from his back.
The ad also included the following description:
"When Johnny Storm first claimed the hearts of millions as the Human Torch, fanfare around the heated hero exploded. The very first Johnny fan club, the Flaming Hearts, launched the day after the Fantastic Four’s first heroic mission and amassed thousands of loyal members. This ad marked their first major fan outreach. While admittance to the Flaming Hearts is now closed, fans all over the world continue to find ways to share their Johnny Storm love together."
This fan club seems to be inspired by real-world clubs for celebrities in the entertainment world, which tend to dominate pop culture for long periods of time. While the Fantastic Four's team members have their own marketing material, Johnny takes things even further with his fan club, putting him on his own level of fame apart from the team.
Quinn will join Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the leading actors in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Marvel Studios' first Phase 6 movie. Together, they will team up to face the MCU's iteration of Galactus, who puts their universe in danger of being destroyed ahead of the quartet's upcoming interactions with the Avengers. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will debut in theaters on Friday, July 25.
How Johnny Storm's Popularity Impacts the Fantastic Four
Johnny's popularity as the most popular member of the Fantastic Four is no surprise, particularly after Chris Evans' version of the character embraced that fame in both of his Fantastic Four movies. As the franchise embraces new kinds of merchandising opportunities in the real world, Marvel will look to continue that trend within the story itself by all means possible.
What will be interesting is whether Johnny's impressive levels of celebrity will affect the team, which is teased to have a rock-solid dynamic after having already worked together for a few years. Footage has shown plenty of positive interactions with his sister, Sue, while teasing the rest of the team on occasion and still giving the air of confidence he is best known for.
While conflict is sure to be a part of this story, given how close this team is as a family, not much drama has been teased from Johnny's side of the story in the way fans have seen from the team's other live-action movies.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
