Along with Replicus and the Crypto-Man, the Thermal Man filled out a trio of deadly man-made constructs that gave the mighty Thor more trouble than they probably should have (as opposed to the Growing Man, whose incredible growth reflected the impact of whatever force was used against him and thus had him well matched against a powerhouse like Thor). But like the Crypto-Man, who went on to face the Hulk and was indirectly responsible for the death of Jarella, and Replicus, who showed up over 30 years later for a rematch with the Thunder God, the Thermal Man got enough of a boost from battling a high-profile character like Thor to be taken out of mothballs and used in other stories. In battling Thor, the Thermal Man, like his brothers in armor, definitely started at the top; but, receiving a two-issue build-up before cutting loose in the third, it may be fair to say that he overstays his welcome in his first appearance.
Aside from his bulk, which begins mainly at his upper body and has been mimicked by other characters, there's little in terms of design that the Thermal Man brings to the table--and granted, there's little argument that Thor has battled larger and far mightier foes. The Thermal Man's primary weapon is of course his thermal blast which he emits from his eye apertures, rays which appear to carry both incredible heat and a concussive force--the latter of which he can also emit from "fingers" which look like they were lifted from the Beetle. Needless to say, he's also capable of great strength--and his outer shell can withstand not only mortar fire but Asgardian steel, as well as a direct hit from Thor's hammer. And while it makes no sense to you or I that Thor can challenge Galactus with his hammer yet fail to shatter the likes of the Thermal Man into bits and pieces, that's nevertheless the story we've been given for our 15¢, folks. For what it's worth, artist Jack Kirby doesn't pull his punches with the Thermal Man's scenes; it's just that the character itself isn't what you might call inspired.
Formidable, however, seems to be another matter. Just how tough is the Thermal Man? Does he rate as an opponent for the God of Thunder? Just ask the harried N.Y.P.D.--they'll take all the help they can get!
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