Database: Roster: Nova II

Frankie Raye

Frankie is the step-daughter of Dr. Phineas Horton, creator of the original Human Torch android. As a teen-ager, Frankie occasionally helped in her father's laboratory. While moving a drum of flammable chemicals, one of the floorboards broke causing the drum's contents to spill all over her. She immediately ignited, sending her step-father into a panic. The chemicals, however, were absorbed into her skin and gave her the ability to control fire, much like the original Human Torch her father built.

Dr. Horton gave Frankie a post-hypnotic suggestion to blot out that memory and it was not until years later, while dating Johnny Storm, the new Human Torch, that her memory block faltered. The powers that she now had control over once again allowed her to blanket herself in a plasma field and to mentally control any fires in the immediate vicinty. Mr. Fantastic analyzed her powers and offered her membership as a fifth member of the Fantastic Four.

One of earliest adventures with the FF was against Galactus. His herald at that time, Terrax, tried to defeat him on Earth. While Galactus won the battle, he lost much of his energy and announced that he would devour the Earth to satisfy his hunger. Frankie offered her services as his new herald if he spared her homeworld and Galactus accepted. He granted her the power cosmic and she immediately flew off in search of other satisfactory planets.

After spending several years as Galactus' herald, she began to question his motives and methods. Galactus then released her from servitude in favor of a new herald. She spent some time with another former herald, the Silver Surfer. They eventually tried to save Galactus once again from his newest herald, Morg, and in the process, Nova was killed.

Nova's Chronology