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Firestorm
Ronnie Raymond as depicted in Firestorm the Nuclear Man #3 (May 1978).
Art by Al Milgrom.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceFirestorm #1
(March 1978)
Created byGerry Conway (writer)
Al Milgrom (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoRonald Roy "Ronnie" Raymond
SpeciesMetahuman
Team affiliationsJustice League
Power Company
Extreme Justice
Abilities
  • Ability to rearrange the atomic and molecular structure of matter
  • Can alter the density of objects, including his own body, and render them intangible
  • Can project bolts of nuclear energy
  • Flight
  • Absorb explosive force and radiation into his body harmlessly
  • Enhanced strength, endurance, and resilience
  • "Quark vision"

Ronald "Ronnie" Raymond is a character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. He is one of several characters called Firestorm and is normally fused together with Martin Stein or Jason Rusch. He first appeared in Firestorm the Nuclear Man #1 (March 1978), and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Al Milgrom.[1][2]

Ronnie Raymond has made several appearances in DC-related media, such as The Flash, in which he is portrayed by Robbie Amell.

Publication history

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The first Firestorm series was short-lived, canceled abruptly in a company-wide cutback (the "DC Implosion" )[3] with #5 (the first part of a multiple-issue story) the last to be distributed, and #6 included in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade. Writer Conway added Firestorm to the roster of Justice League of America. This led to a series of eight-page stories in the back of The Flash (with art by George Pérez), and a revival of a monthly Firestorm comic in 1982. The Fury of Firestorm (later called Firestorm the Nuclear Man) lasted from 1982 until 1990. A new Firestorm title starring both Ronnie and his successor, Jason Rusch, was launched in 2011. The series, The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men was written by Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver and drawn by Yildiray Cinar.

In Firestorm the Nuclear Man #1 (March 1978) Ronnie Raymond is named for the very first time when Martin Stein calls him "Ronald"; later, Raymond introduces himself to Doreen Day and Clifford Carmichael as Ronnie; afterwards, while Martin Stein refers to him only as Ronald, everyone else calls him Ronnie. In Who's Who in the DC Universe #8, his name is listed as Ronald (Ronnie) Raymond, originally Ronald Rockwell.[4] The same pattern continues in Firestorm (vol. 2) until John Ostrander takes over with Fury of Firestorm #58 and continuing through to the series finale in issue #100, he has everyone refer to him as Ronald or Ron, except for family and friends.[5] In Who's Who Update '88 #1, he is also listed as Ronald (Ronnie) Raymond.[6] In Who's Who in the DC Universe #10, Martin Stein is listed as Firestorm and the entry refers to Ronald as "Ron Raymond".[7] In Extreme Justice #4 and for several issues after that, he is the supermodel known as "Ron Ray".[8] In Firestorm (vol. 3) #6 and in later issues, he is referred to as Ronnie Raymond.[9] Most recently in the DC Comics Encyclopedia (ISBN 0-7566-4119-5, 2004), he was listed only as Ronnie Raymond.

Fictional character biography

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The original Firestorm was distinguished by his integrated dual identity. High school student Ronnie Raymond and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Martin Stein were caught in an accident that allowed them to fuse into Firestorm the Nuclear Man. Due to Stein being unconscious during the accident, Raymond was prominently in command of the Firestorm form with Stein a voice of reason inside his mind, able to offer Raymond advice on how to use their powers without actually having any control over their dual form. Banter between the two was a hallmark of their adventures.[1] Stein was initially completely unaware of their dual identity, leaving him concerned about his unusual disappearances and blackouts, but Ronnie was eventually able to convince Stein of the truth, allowing them to bond as separate individuals rather than as parts of a whole.

After the accident, Firestorm took to defending New York City from such threats as Multiplex and Killer Frost. The 1982 series began with the teenaged Raymond adjusting to his newfound role and later delved into the issue of the nuclear arms race. The Fury of Firestorm slowly developed the lives of Raymond and Stein, as the teenager struggled with high school and moved towards graduation and the scientist found a life outside the lab after learning about his bond with Raymond. A second nuclear hero, Firehawk, was added as a love interest for Firestorm in 1984. In the same year, the character of Felicity Smoak was introduced, initially having a combative relationship with Raymond, but eventually becoming his stepmother following her marriage to his father Ed.[10][11] The series also tried to create a sense of fun, something that Gerry Conway felt was missing during his years writing Spider-Man;[3] the banter between Raymond and Stein contributed to this. Upon graduation from high school, Raymond entered college in Pittsburgh, where Stein had been hired as a professor. Afterward, together they searched for a cure for their bond.

When Conway left the series in 1986, John Ostrander (with artist Joe Brozowski) began writing the Firestorm stories. His first major story arc pitted Firestorm against the world as he attempts to make the United States and the Soviet Union destroy their nuclear weapons.[12] Firestorm and Pozhar are fused after being hit by a nuclear bomb and transformed into a new Firestorm controlled by Stein's amnesiac mind.[13][14][15]

The Firestorm form with Arkadin proved to be a transitional phase, as in 1989 Ostrander fundamentally changed the character of Firestorm by revealing that Firestorm was a "Fire Elemental". Firestorm now became something of an environmental crusader, formed from Raymond, Arkadin and Svarozhich, a Soviet clone of the previous Firestorm, but with a new mind.[1] New artist Tom Mandrake would create a new look to match. It was during this phase that Firestorm meets Sango and the Orishas, the elemental gods of Nigeria.

By the series' 100th issue, Stein learned that he was destined to be the true Fire Elemental and would have been were it not for Raymond also being there by circumstance. Raymond and Arkadin were returned to their old lives, and Stein as Firestorm was accidentally exiled to deep space in the process of saving Earth. He thereafter spent many years traveling through space as a wanderer, returning to Earth only rarely.

After the transition to the elemental Firestorm, all of the main characters from the series vanished from the comics for some time after the cancellation of the Firestorm comic in 1990. Raymond eventually returned in the pages of Extreme Justice.[16] Raymond, at the time undergoing treatment for leukemia, regained his original powers after a chemotherapy session. It took the combined might of the Justice League led by Captain Atom and the returned elemental Firestorm to restore Ronnie's health. Firestorm began to appear regularly in a number of DC titles, though lacking the guidance and knowledge necessary to use his skills wisely. Firestorm joins a backup Justice League team as well as Power Company.

In Identity Crisis, Ronnie is killed by Shadow Thief, with Jason Rusch succeeding him as Firestorm.[1] In Blackest Night, Ronnie is revived as a Black Lantern and kills Gehenna. In Brightest Day, Ronnie is fully resurrected by the Life Entity and works with Jason to stop Deathstorm from destroying the universe. Deathstorm kills Stein during the battle, and the Life Entity refuses to resurrect him.[17]

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Ronnie Raymond is a high school football player and is uninvolved with Martin Stein.[18] During a terrorist attack on their school, Ronnie and his classmate Jason Rusch obtain Stein's "God Particle" and gain the ability to transform into separate Firestorms.[19]

In Doomsday Clock, Doctor Manhattan informs Ronnie that Stein deliberately transformed the two into Firestorm to study metahumans.[20] Despite this, the two continue to work together until Lazarus Pit resin corrupts the Firestorm matrix and causes Stein to age rapidly.[21]

Powers and abilities

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Main article: Firestorm (character) § Powers and abilities

Other versions

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In other media

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See also: Firestorm (character) § In other media

Television

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Robbie Amell as Ronnie Raymond/Firestorm with Victor Garber as Martin Stein in the background

Video games

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Miscellaneous

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Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears in the Justice League Unlimited tie-in comic.[41]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Wallace, Dan (2008), "Firestorm", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 123, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
  2. ^ "'The Flash': Robbie Amell Cast as Firestorm". Variety. 9 July 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Conway, Gerry. "Nuclear Reactions: Just Your Average Hot-Headed Hero," The Fury of Firestorm #1 (June 1982).
  4. ^ As seen in Who's Who in the DC Universe #8 (October 1985)
  5. ^ As seen in Fury of Firestorm #58 (April 1987)
  6. ^ As seen in Who's Who Update '88 #1 (August 1988)
  7. ^ As seen in Who's Who in the DC Universe #10 (June 1991)
  8. ^ As seen in Extreme Justice #4 (May 1995)
  9. ^ As seen in Firestorm (vol. 3) #6 (December 2004)
  10. ^ Wilson, Matt D. (July 1, 2013). "Gerry Conway Starts Blog Aimed At Fair Compensation For DC Character Creators". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Gerry Conway, the writer who co-created the character with artist Rafael Kayanan in a 1984 issue of Firestorm.
  11. ^ "Felicity Smoak" "Comicvine", Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  12. ^ Firestorm (vol. 2) #64. DC Comics.
  13. ^ Firestorm (vol. 2) #67. DC Comics.
  14. ^ Firestorm (vol. 2) #68. DC Comics.
  15. ^ Firestorm (vol. 2) #69. DC Comics.
  16. ^ Beatty, Scott (2008), "Extreme Justice", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 117, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
  17. ^
    • Blackest Night #2 - #4 (August - October 2009). DC Comics.
    • Blackest Night #8 (March 2010). DC Comics.
    • Brightest Day #0 - #4 (April - June 2010). DC Comics.
    • Brightest Day #6 - #7 (July - August 2010). DC Comics.
    • Brightest Day #10 - #12 (September - October 2010). DC Comics.
    • Brightest Day #15 - #18 (December 2010 - January 2011). DC Comics.
    • Brightest Day #22 - #24 (March - April 2011). DC Comics.
  18. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  19. ^ The Fury of Firestorm the Nuclear Men #1 (September 2011). DC Comics.
  20. ^ Yaws, Jay (March 6, 2019). "Doomsday Clock #9 review". Batman News. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  21. ^ Ray, Aaron (January 31, 2023). "Lazarus Planet: Legends Reborn #1 review". Batman News. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  22. ^ JLA: The Nail #2–3
  23. ^ Countdown: Arena #1–4
  24. ^ Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew! #14
  25. ^ Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #1 (June 2011)
  26. ^ "The Justice League Watchtower: The Greatest Story Never Told". Jl.toonzone.net. Archived from the original on May 9, 2007. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  27. ^ "Ronnie Raymond Voice - Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved March 17, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  28. ^ Sands, Rich. "Winter Sci-fi Preview" TV Guide; November 23, 2009; Page 31
  29. ^ Cairns, Bryan (May 19, 2015). "Amell Teases Wedding Bells, Tragedy & Matter Manipulation in "Flash's" Season Finale". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  30. ^ Abrams, Natalie (January 4, 2016). "Robbie Amell is returning to The Flash — but there's a twist! Actor to appear as Deathstorm". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  31. ^ Abrams, Natalie (January 12, 2017). "The Flash: Robbie Amell returning in season 3!". Entertainment Weekly.
  32. ^ Agard, Chancellor (November 30, 2021). "Robbie Amell returning to 'The Flash' in season 8". EW.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  33. ^ Abrams, Natalie (March 28, 2017). "'The Flash': 13 most shocking moments from Team Flash's trip to Earth-2". EW.com. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  34. ^ Francisco, Eric (February 10, 2016). "'The Flash' Goes to Earth-2 for Opposite Day and It's More Than a Novelty". Inverse. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  35. ^ Bucksbaum, Sydney (April 14, 2022). "'The Flash' star Robbie Amell breaks down that shocking Ronnie twist: 'It's going to be bad'". EW.com. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  36. ^ Thomas A. Dreyfuss [@Thomas_Dreyfuss] (July 18, 2016). "Picked up the special SDCC issue of TV Guide. Love the #JusticeLeagueAction article and info" (Tweet). Retrieved July 15, 2024 – via Twitter.
  37. ^ "Firestorm / Ronnie Raymond Voice - Justice League Action (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved March 17, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  38. ^ Paul Dini (writer); Doug Murphy (director) (November 27, 2016). "Nuclear Family Values". Justice League Action. Season 1, Episode 6. Cartoon Network.
  39. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  40. ^ Eisen, Andrew (June 9, 2014). "Characters - LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  41. ^ "Justice League Unlimited #16 - Smashing Through the Snow! (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
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