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The newest incarnation of Firestorm is a bad, bad dude. He has arrived in Bedford, Colorado where he started using his ability to restructure molecules in increasingly disturbing ways. The Department of Defense has been called in to stop the Nuclear Man, and they have enlisted the help of Lorraine Reilly, the formerly active superhero Firehawk, who is also Ronnie Raymond’s ex-girlfriend.  

Firestorm has always been treated as a second tier hero at DC, but in reality, he is one of the most powerful characters in DC comics. He has the power to manipulate matter, literally turning anything into something else. Firestorm stories have been on the humorous side (turning a bus into a slice of cake), but also the tragic side (turning people into glass). Now, he is taking a villainous turn in the new Fury of Firestorm series by Jeff Lemire. 

As a big fan of the character, I was hesitant about the approach of turning him into a monster. But Lemire did it in a way that makes for the kind of exciting reading we love when a hero comes up against a seemingly unbeatable foe. The first issue succinctly catches readers up on Firestorm’s origin and makeup, and sets up the unsettling current situation.  

Artist Rafael De Latorre and colorist Marcelo Maiolo make subtle updates to Firestorm’s costume and faithfully recreate the original one for flashbacks. They also clearly define the differences between the two versions. The new one looks menacing and cold, while the flashback version has his fun, optimistic flair. 

There’s more to the story than what we see on the surface (no spoilers!) that gives Firestorm fans hope for a return to heroism. 

–Amanda Sheriff