We finally got to meet Ronnie! He and the Professor are really good together, they really nailed that tbh. The art is pretty and I do wonder where they are going with this. The cover sus me out.
Spoiler version under the cut.
The "Huh" was really my thoughts on it tbh. But lets break this down so I can figure it out.
We finally got to see Ronnie and when I remember the author saying in an interview that he didn't think Ronnie had a personality/character arch I sat there and thought "Did we read the same comic?"
Let's compare notes here.
In the original version Ronnie was a sports guy, he was really good at that and that alone. He was good at Basketball and Football and even though his father was kind of living through him in the sports, he really was good at them. As someone who also does sports I saw a lot of people with that same thing going on, they didn't care for the sport but their parents made them, but eventually some did also love the sport. This made Ronnie very much represent this group, that does tend to get ignored because they "Have it all" and really show their struggle. And how he and his dad had arguments and such about it really brought the "Dumb Jock" into view as a person as well.
Anyways they got rid of that. Nothing special.
2. In the Original it started when Ronnie was in High School, and he didn't really know what to do with his life other than sports. He wasn't good at anything other than sports. But because of Firestorm he actually got really good at Chemistry! And eventually went into that in College! It was an over time thing where he relied on Professor Stein a lot at the beginning and it got to a point that he was good enough to be okay on his own!
In this we start in College. And the only reason Ronnie went into Chemistry was to impress a girl. (Doreen Day)
I do like how Ronnie admits to the Professor, that does sound like something OG Ronnie would do. And I love how Professor Stein decides to teach him anyway! He is a lot kinder than the start of OG Stein was. (But knowing he had an anterior motive kinda doesn't sit right with me)
3. The Protests outside the Nuclear Power Plant. OG Ronnie would be out there with them and accidentally joining a terrorist group just to get caught in the blast because HE CARES ABOUT THE ENVIROMENT.
This one doesn't know anything about the protest. And how the Professor talks about the protestors is just... Hm. Shows his hand a bit.
4. Ronnie protected the Professor from the blast.
Martin protected Ronnie from the blast.
I think the difference here is that we know Ronnie always put up a tough guy act, but when stuff hit the fan he would be the first to stand up for something or someone regardless of who they were.
But in this one he's just confused and doesn't understand whats going on. And the Professor has to protect his experiment, which could be why he protected Ronnie. Or he actually cared about the kid, but we don't know yet!
---
Anyways this issue was a lot of backstory. I see what they are trying to do, which is make Ronnie more relatable, but in doing so gets rid of the group that did relate to him.
I will say, even though this was a Ronnie backstory thing, it did focus on the relationship between Ronnie and Martin, which I always feel like Martin got left behind in the past, where here they are a lot more equal.
OKAY POSITIVE STUFF
Ronnie does seem very sweet, as he tries his best and Martin also is very kind. They are both very kind. I do think Ronnie and Martin's friendship before the Firestrom stuff happened was very well done. It showed them working together and Martin actually teaching him. They have a much better relationship than at the start of the OG comic, where they really only somewhat became friends after years of working together. (They "Admitted" they were friends after years of working together, even though they always looked out for on another.)
I think it is a well written backstory, but why did they have to get rid of Jock Ronnie!? Literally we could have both, just be like "I am only good at the ball game but the girl I like only likes smart guys- Looks at Cliff as a rival again-" Like why does he have to be bad at everything?
It still feels like Ronnie, but only like, half of Ronnie. Gotta wait for the next Issue to see if he has his Fight or Fight mentality. (You know the one, like he doesn't start a fight, But he'll end it. (Looks at Cliff.))
At least we have been blessed with a baby Ronnie
That cover though is still super sus. I don't trust it until I see the sketch or line are layers.
finally hopping back on making that full reading order for firestorm stuff and im just going through old issues to add how relevant each firestorm character is, and the first one i open up is just firestorm and blue devil having a chud-off in the middle of a busy freeway
Update: WOOOOOO I'M LIKE 90% SURE I HAVE EVERY FIRESTORM-RELATED ISSUE WHERE THEY AREN'T JUST STANDING IN THE BACKGROUND AND ARE RELEVANT TO THE STORY IN SOME WAY CATALOGUED. rn it's at 515 issues with ronnie, martin, jason, lorraine, and mikhail's appearances combined, gonna keep updating it though because. current firestorm run.
hiiii, so i made a thing. what with firestorm getting a new run being published in the year of our lord 2026, i decided to finally make a firestorm reading order that isn't a total pain to go through, with both a complete-ish list of 515 appearances, and a slimmed down list of just under 300 for main issues plus issues pertinent to status quo shifts. i can't guarantee it's perfect, but it probably beats sifting through league of comic geek's mobile interface or a shit ton of dcu chronology tabs. now you too can chuck this at your friends to try to get them to read about that freak whose hair is on fire. i will also be updating it regularly because. wow they're actually relevant again. crazy.
okay byeee (blows up)💥💥💥💥💥
probably not it since this interview is from 2011 so feel free to kill me with hammers, but it might be pertinent, old interview with brian clevinger about his plans for a firestorm run taking place after brightest day that got scrapped because of new 52 http://firestormfan.com/2011/09/01/brian-clevingers-firestorm/
Sometimes you get blown the fuck up in a nuclear plant with another guy and fuse into a superhero and develop a friendly/familial bond because you're both so isolated from most people in your life where you then start to bring out the best in each other, and you eventually become internationally wanted as your combined superhero persona because you've gotten so ride or die for each other. Also, fuck Doomsday Clock.
Something that I think would be interesting is Deathstorm, the Earth-3 Firestorm, being weaker than Firestorm. He is not Martin Stein fused with Ronald Raymond, he is Martin Stein fused with Ronald Raymond’s corpse. They are not two people working together and combining their abilities, it is just one evil mad scientist. So when they fight Firestorm kicks Desthstorm’s ass!
That would be amazing to see, Mad Scientist Stein is such an amazing idea. Also I like how Deathstorm usually needs some iteration of a dead Ronnie Raymond to work (if I remember correctly, please tell me otherwise)
But yeah, Firestorm would kick Deathstorms butt lmao.
I really liked it, the story line so far is really interesting and I can't wait to see where it's going to go! The art is amazing and I really liked one very specific few pages as it really showed the people making the comic really do love Firestorm. I have high hopes for this one!
Go read it!
Firestorm has classically had bad sales, so if you can, please buy a copy!
Now the Spoiler thoughts under the cut!!!!!!!!!
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
ALRIGHT. SPOILER TIME!
DUUUUUUUUDE-
Okay so, this went over my head, but my friend who also ready it was like "Book of Genesis ref" right at the beginning, which like- Cool!
I like Lorraine Rielly's intro, I like how she makes jokes(?):
I like how she messes with them! :)
We also get confirmation that the different version of Firestorm have already happened!
Which, I'm really happy about tbh! I thought they may go for a full reboot (Like new 52) BUT THEY DIDN'T! It feels more like a continuation but with a step to the left, so we aren't 100% sure of all the events that happened, but you can still ref the old comics to get more context on whats going on!
Also from this line up and the fact Lorraine lives alone, I'm shooting for this being around College age Ronnie.
I love how Lorraine immediately defends Ronnie. Its said they are currently Ex's, so I wonder what happened there!
It's also confirmed that it's only Ronnie in there, which is interesting because I always felt the era Ronnie was there alone to be one we never got to see a lot of. I mainly remember Extreme Justice as the main point there.
Anyways, time for some HORRORS
This Firestorm is a contender for WTF HOW TF WHO LET YOU BECOME SO BEEFY!? As he does this-
Didn't even have to snap JESUS-
Anyways, the long and short of it is that RONNIE ISN'T IN THE DRIVERS SEAT.
But where is Ronnie? You may ask- WELLLLL
He is in lala land.
I actually really love this, this is 100% something trapping Ronnie's mind here, but what really got me was the fact that this entire section is in the old art style!? I FLIPPEN LOVE THAT-
And you wanna know something that makes this even better????
Throughout the entire comic, it has perfect lines, and perfect coloring, but in this section you can actually see where the lines go out of the panel or some coloring mistakes as if it was hand colored!
I love this.
Now your probably wonder wtf happened to Ronnie-
WELLL YOU SEE-
The long and short of it basically is that the Matrix is Sentient.
mhm
Oh no.
I actually really like this, because in the original series and all this was just hand waved away. "Yeah the Matrix doesn't like the Professor anymore, so it haaas to be Ronnie and Jason." - "Oh the Matrix doesn't like seeing Ronnie and Jason fight and it could destroy the universe if they do"
Casually.
But I like how they took 2 things we never really explored, and made it main plot.
Now things I noticed;
Lorraine had a panty shot... But we also see naked Prof Stein so like... Equal Opportunity.
We get 2 pages of Ronnie and I can't wait to see more. I like his outfit, I may have accidently wore something similar to the Comic Book Store and only realized when I cracked it open to read in the car.
Theory Wise;
I think this is the Matrix talking to Ronnie, but the reason they stopped was because he locked Ronnie away in the mind space.
I also think that the reason he boke free a little isn't by accident, it could be because Lorraine is there???
Idk he's crashing out, but it could have happened with the Professor and him stopped talking?? Considering Martin is naked and burning things I feel like the man is also crashing out about the Matrix.
I can't wait to see the crazy stuff that's going to be revealed.
Final Thoughts:
I love it. I like how they took stuff from the other series and added to it. It really feels like a love letter. The art is amazing, I love the older style being used to show the illusion Ronnie is trapped in. I love the mind space and how spooky it looks. I cannot wait for the next Issue.
And one last thing, this is my favorite part in any Firestorm (any tbh) Comic- The little guys.
We only for 4 in this first issue, but I love these lil dudes.
If you could make a live-action Firestorm show would you use Cliff Carmichael aka the Thinker? If so: how?
I love how Cliff Carmichael becomes the Thinker!
If I were to do it in Live-Action, I think he wouldn't really become the Thinker until way later, but he would be growing as an antagonistic force throughout the entire show.
I think I would set him up to be a final season villain. At the beginning he's just a guy who doesn't like Ronnie, as time goes on his hatred grows and when they are in college it's because of what Cliff did to his own cousin when he tried to kill Ronnie and the fact that Cliff goes to jail is what really gets it. For people who didn't read the comics, they would think "THIS! This is Cliff's final battle with Ronnie" but in reality, it's really what started the end.
I do like the idea of making the viewers think that, because it's so unpersonal of an ending for the two, but I think that's was really elevates it, Ronnie is done with Cliff, but in reality, Cliff is just getting started! It's the end of his petty attacks and the start of something much much more deadly.
