The Human Torch (Jim Hammond) was one of the first characters created in the modern day "Marvel Universe" having first appeared in Marvel Comics #1, published by Timely. In 1940, he got his own ongoing series kicking off with "The Human Torch Comics #2", the elusive first issue actually being Red Raven Comics #1.
The first issue of the series was titled "Red Raven Comics", but issue #2, 3 & 5 (June '42) actually have NO numbers on the covers, but ONLY have the season of the year they were released.
#2 of the series says "FALL NUMBER" <1941>
#3 of the series says "WINTER NUMBER" <1941>
#4 of the series says "No. 3" & "SPRING NUMBER" <1942>
#5 (June 1942) of the series says "SUMMER NUMBER" <1942>
#6 (Sept 1942) of the series says "No. 5" & "FALL ISSUE" <1942>
Issue #4 of the series is actually 3rd issue of "The Human Torch Comics" title, and says "No. 3" on the cover and was the first attempt to renumber the series to the "The Human Torch Comics" title.
Issue #5 (June 1942) of the series, 4th issue of "The Human Torch Comics", has no number on the cover.
The 6th issue of the series (Sept 1942), on the cover it says "No.5" & "FALL ISSUE" and is second, and permanent, effort to renumber the series to the "The Human Torch Comics" title. The numbering continues from here until the end of the series at issue "No. 38", thus giving the "The Human Torch Comics" title 38 issues, but 39 issues to the series. The renumbering effectively ignores the first issue if the series titled "Red Raven Comics".
The comic ended in 1954, but due to the fact that the first 29 issues were published at a quarterly rate, only 39 issues of the series (38 issues of "The Human Torch Comics") were printed from between 1941 to 1954.
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