Monday, May 3, 2010

The Firestorm Revelation...

Okay, here goes...I’m a Firestorm fan. In fact, Firestorm may actually have been the first in-comic-book-discovered DC hero that I found awesome.

For some inexplicable reason, I’ve only mentioned Firestorm once in passing on this blog and equally as worrisome is the fact that one of my few comics-loving offline friends had no idea I was a Firestorm fan. We’re talking about friends since the early 90s here...Strange.

Firestorm and Human Torch, dynamically drawn by Adam Kubert.

This little disclosure session was brought on by Firestorm’s...er...Ronnie’s return to the ranks of living heroes. Basically, I’ve always seen Firestorm as a hero with a lot of promise and someone who should always be on the shortlist for Justice League membership.

Speaking of which, if we ever get a JLA (the big guns) and JLI (Booster and co) co-existing on a permanent basis, Firestorm should have membership on both teams (in an “inter-team liaison” capacity).

Just bear with me out for a minute while I attempt to explain my thinking.

Some of you might rightly point out that if such a situation came about, J’onn would be the natural choice for inter-team liaison since he has history with both incarnations.

Such a point has merit, but Captain Atom will likely lead the JLI and he has never seen eye to eye with J’onn on League matters. That won’t be a smooth relationship and will likely be seen by Cap as some elitist interference from on high.

Okay, so why Firestorm? Well, it has to do with Firestorm’s new status (both Jason and Ronnie being Firestorm) and the way both are being written (so far). Since Ronnie is a frat boy-ish, brash dude now and Jason is more mature, Ronnie should take control while at JLI and Jason should take the wheel at JLA. Sure, Batman didn’t exactly make Jason feel at home when he was on the team, but at least he didn’t get one-punched. Ronnie might not be so lucky. Also, Ronnie didn’t cover himself in glory when he last followed Captain Atom’s orders. Maybe Ronnie has something to prove to Cap? Of course, I’m assuming Ronnie and Jason will be able to do the “You like it there, so you drive” thing. Big assumption.

Another thing, I liked Martin Stein as the floating head, but the Jason-Ronnie combination presents a lot of possibilities in terms of commentary. Firestorm is one of the characters that can get away with saying one thing while thinking another on a continual basis and not be thought of being disingenuous, because it’s two people in there. Add to that both Ronnie and Jason are opinionated (although in different ways) and a comic writer has got Firestorm-other-interaction gold. I mean, I get the feeling that Ronnie and Jason admire or dislike or are indifferent to different leaguers.

Of course, they have a lot of fall-out to work through before any of this could happen...

6 comments:

  1. I actually had the first few issues of Firestorm, way back with the character(s) was first introduced. I wish I knew what happened to those issues. :-(

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  2. Always happy to find another Firestorm fan! Interesting theory about Firestorm being the bridge between the JLA and the JLI. To be honest, I think Firestorm might be a bit too powerful for the JLI. Most of the JLI members were mid-range in powers. Firestorm is definitely a high-level powerhouse. Even though Captain Atom (another high-level powerhouse) was a member of the JLI, he never really cut loose while he was there. Just my two cents.

    Regardless, I find your theory interesting. I love me some Firestorm and I love me some JLA (any incarnation).

    By the way, I run a Firestorm blog. Please feel free to stop by anytime.

    http://firestormfan.com

    The Irredeemable Shag

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  3. I think seeing Firestorm as a liasion would be an interesting role, and I like that idea. Firestorm is a character whom I know little about, and want to like, but just haven't read enough of his appearances to appreciate him yet. (But his costume is a little too much for me...the puffy sleeves....!) Having two characters share the same body seems awkward to me, especially considering how they were fighting with each other last month? And how are they going to work Professor Stein into the matrix, if at all?

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  4. Hi people,

    Sorry for the deathly silence yesterday…I guess I’m finally living up to my ‘one or twice weekly, irregular posting’ billing in my profile.

    Sea, I have the same problem with old Firestorm issues, though I don’t go back that long when it comes to Firestorm (mid to late 80s at the earliest). Maybe this is also a symptom of my Firestorm malaise I’d been experiencing since the mid 90s.

    Shag, I’ve come across your scholarship on the internets before. Mostly your other blog, though. I’ll drop by the firestorm site (again) soon. I’m glad you liked the liaison idea. Your concern about Firestorm being more powerful than the other JLI members is noted…Although, should Cap be the only capable of lighting a fire under the JLI? Firestorm could like a giant lens on both teams.

    Liss: Puffy sleeves…Yes, I’m also not big on that small (somewhat draping) costume detail, but at least they aren’t frilly sleeves that extend over his hands in lace :) Yes, the ‘fighting each other’ part was the fall-out to which I was referring. Blackest Night did quite a number on any potential teamwork Jason and Ronnie would be able to muster in the immediate future. I think Stein is so happy not to have Ronnie as a “co-inhabitant / meld-partner / fusion-friend” that he’ll go out and buy everyone a round at a bar / coffee shop he never got to frequent when he was part of the nuclear man or he’ll start doing radical research that’ll putting back into Firestorm’s life (but not his body).

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  5. Shag, you know, I wanted to comment on your Emerald Infringement post on your Once Upon A Geek blog, but I thought you-know-who would sue me (especially since this blog is called what it is) :)

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  6. "but at least they aren’t frilly sleeves that extend over his hands in lace :)"

    I think I'd like that better! Or at least, not on Firestorm, but there needs to be another hero out there rocking the 18th century/Austin Powers look.

    I can't help but feel that so many fans are going to be unhappy with Brightest Day. After all the promise of Blackest Night, I feel like it's going to fall flat for many people. Or maybe I'm just too much of a pessimist.

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