DC; $3.99  

The first issue of The Fury of Firestorm illustrated how powerful and dangerous the character truly is – particularly without the moral compasses of Professor Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond. It was revealed that the original duo are trapped inside the consciousness of the new Firestorm entity, who feels no remorse over killing people.  

Issue two tells Ronnie's updated origin story. It shows how his father was always working too much, and how often Ronnie spent on his own or trying to prove himself through his athletic abilities. He met Professor Stein at the University of Pittsburgh where Ronnie takes a job working with the brilliant scientist and their fate became intertwined.  

The Fury of Firestorm is part of DC's Next Level storytelling that features character driven stories and showcases some of the publisher's underutilized characters. This book is exploring key elements of the first Fury of Firestorm series, namely the relationship between Ronnie and Stein, and the period when the Firestorm matrix acted without a human's ethics and became a cold, unforgiving being.  

Much like the original creators, writer Jeff Lemire is making this story as much about the guys themselves as it is about the superhero persona. Readers have seen the frightening side of Firestorm, now they learn more about one half of the original matrix.  

Artist Rafael De Latorre and colorist Marcelo Maiolo subtly establish the differences between the past and present with small changes to the style and coloring. This effect produces the feeling of nostalgia in the flashbacks and tension in the present. There's also a really cool splash page in the middle of the book as an extra art treat. 

–Amanda Sheriff