Comic Book Journal

Or how not to introduce a new/old superhero to the DCU.

This week I’m getting a preview sample of Boomerang on my satelite dish. And among the shows I’ve been watching during a stroll down memory lane is the Superfriends.

The later seasons featured better animation, better story, and a more solid relationship with DC Comics, who used this opportunity to introduce young viewers to the subject of today’s column: Firestorm.

In the comics, Firestorm bounced from title to title. As the merged personalities of college student Ronnie Raymond and college professor Martin Stein, the superhero played a large role in the worlds-shattering Crisis of Infinite Earths, established Martin Stein as a powerful fire elemental on the level with Swamp Thing. As a solo Firestorm, Ronne Raymond played small but fan-favorite “reserve” roles in many Justice League-oriented titles for the next decade.

After two failed attempts, DC vowed to return Firestorm to the limelight in 2004, catching on to Firestorm’s fanbase. They did so but when the first issue debuted, there was A. Completely. Different. Person. Under. The. Mask.

Rusch wasn’t a bad choice for Firestorm - like Kyle Raynar he would develop into an interesting facet of the DCU soon enough. But in addition to the entire lack of explanation surronding the original Firestorm’s fate, Rusch was also saddled with something far worse - bad dialogue.

Comic writers always talk about how unrealistic someone like Luke Cage talked back in the 80’s - calling baddies “jive turkies” or belting out “Sweet Christmas!”, but Rusch’s dialogue was just lazy. Writer Dan Jolley seemed to cut and paste African American-associated slang into the dialogue - even when it disrupted the entire flow. Imagine someone repeated saying “Yea, that’s what I’m talking about!” even when it has no bearing on the current situation whatsoever.

Luckily, now, Firestorm seems to be doing a lot better. Jason has returned from his own Crisis bonded with Martin Stein, and he’s found himself a better writer - Dwayne McDuffie, whose credits include Damage Control, Justice League as well as the founding and editing-in-chiefing of Milestone Comics, the company behind Static Shock.

As you might expect, Dwayne McDuffie does a lot better on Firestorm.

I can’t come down too hard on Dan Jolley though. What you have to understand about major comic books is it’s rarely the writer’s choice, and the upper ranks of DC Comics have a grand as vision as their Marvel competitors to work towards in every single title.

Still, I’m happy to report one of my favorite heroes is seeing better days. And for proof, I include an oft-forgotten quote of the day from Firestorm, The Nuclear Man:

Martin Stein: Good work, Jason. Now we have to ascertain how to escape this wormhole.

Firestorm: I sort of figured we’d try walking out the way we came in, professor.

Martain: Oh, okay.

Until next time!