DC; $3.99  

The Firestorm matrix is out of control. It has trapped Pittsburgh and is planning to destroy the city atom by atom. In the last issue, Professor Stein tried to use a device that would break through the matrix's control. Lorraine attempted to reach Ronnie who has been buried deep inside of the matrix where he is reliving Firestorm's early adventures. 

In his dream world, Ronnie, Stein, and Firehawk take on Plastique and Bolt, who are causing their usual brand of mayhem. In the real world, the Firestorm matrix is meeting Lorraine and Stein on the street for what could be a devastating fight.  

The Fury of Firestorm was originally meant to be a six-issue series, so some of the story threads reach conclusions (with the door wide open for more tales). Jeff Lemire has written a Firestorm comic that shows the superhero's near-limitless capabilities. It's not the first time that a comic has taken Firestorm to the dark side, but Lemire does so without giving the matrix any remorse.  

In this version of Firestorm, Professor Stein orchestrated the accident and intentionally turned himself and Ronnie into Firestorm. As a big fan of Firestorm, I'm not happy about that. But it does make for a good story. We see Stein trying to justify what he did, and we witness Ronnie's heartbreak over the betrayal. It adds weight to their shared story and definitely fits into DC's Next Level line that makes tweaks to established characters.  

All of the action and emotional impact are delivered beautifully by artist Rafael De Latorre and colorist Marcelo Maiolo. The Firestorm matrix has a downright unsettling presence, while Ronnie's flashback dreams evoke the style of the original limited series and the longer second volume. Their character work shows how the situation is impacting them personally, grounding the story for readers.  

–Amanda Sheriff