The future leader of the Frightful Four debuts in this story, but he’s a pretty different character.
In this story, he’s portrayed as a magician who uses real magic and technology.
He gets jealous of a crowd reaction to a TV clip about the Human Torch’s adventure in Strange Tales #101, so he decides to go f#!k with Johnny Storm.
He starts by pretending to be him–making him a criminal–much like Chameleon did in Amazing Spider-Man #1. Then, he lures him by playing to his ego…
…And finally, he traps him in a steel closet.
Johnny is keeping his real identity a secret, for now. I didn’t remember Johnny having a secret identity.
Human Torch defeats Wizard by displaying new powers.
(Just kidding: Invisible Girl is there to help–she’s making the pictures “float” in air.)