I wonder if this mini is a bit of damage control, as while REBIRTH has been kept under wraps, solicits for SPOTLIGHT and some other bits hinted at the original Human Torch being reborn. It would follow from a CA Brubaker story so it would make narrative sense. It does puzzle me that if that is what Marvel is doing, they would have ANOTHER mini based around the same character. Granted, that sort of logic has never stopped them with, say, Wolverine.
Jim Hammond's had the "Human Torch" name since the 40's, so it's his name to keep if he wishes.
My only caveat is making a big deal about the "rebirth" of a robot character since robots can always be rebuilt anyway. Is there a "quest" for a key part or something? Even Optimus Prime returned in the last season of the G1 TRANSFORMERS cartoon (after his death in the movie). Anyone with any experience in comic fiction knows that robots are essentially eternal, they can be resurrected with a new body or a download or whatever. I suppose Jim Hammond was a bit ahead of his time, as he was enough of a "synthesoid" that he even had blood, which is near Data (from ST: NEXT GENERATION) level in terms of robots. But, given that THE TWELVE has gone nowhere, I don't mind the idea of some more 40's characters being dusted off. DC's gotten a lot out of some crusty JSA members, after all (JSA still outsells a slew of other DC books right now).
Carey's work is...okay. I've read some of it, albeit more of his Ultimate FF stuff than anything, and he's usually fine, although he has his misses. Alex Ross' talent has been eclipsed by his ego for a few years now, but one supposes with his past work and praise, it isn't too unusual. I'll probably just wait for the Brubaker REBIRTH series, though.
