Phineas Horton? Disney Just Officially Made a Forgotten Marvel Legend Into MCU Canon

*VisionQuest* has brought Dr Phineas Horton and his early synthetic man, JIM, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s story. The reference connects Vision’s account of artificial intelligence to a character from Marvel’s earliest comics, while a promotional image shows JIM as a flaming copper-coloured robot played by Paul Bettany.

Horton’s original Human Torch first appeared in *Marvel Comics* #1 in 1939, when the publisher was known as Timely Comics. His synthetic man caught fire when exposed to oxygen, later became able to control the flames and took the human identity Jim Hammond. The character also appeared as an Easter egg in *Captain America: The First Avenger*.