When is a final issue not a final issue? When you’re a six-issue mini-series that gets extended to nine due to sales and critical reception. The announcement came after a couple of issues, so it’s likely the creative team knew before they put this chapter to bed. Will that good news have affected the ending? Let’s take a look at the issue…
The final (or not) chapter begins with Professor Martin Stein confronting the rogue Firestorm.
With the sentient Firestorm Matrix distracted, Martin is able to press a button, bringing about a moment that recalls the beginnings of the original Firestorm.
The real world fades and we’re with Lorraine and Ronnie, glowing after a night together, but they’re quickly interrupted.
They confront Bolt and Plastique as Firehawk and Firestorm, but when Bolt throws his lightning at the merged Ronnie and Stein, his reaction isn’t as expected.
A massive blast from Ronnie and the scene changes again.
The nostalgic adventure is gone, replaced by the reality of the mindspace that’s been keeping Ronnie prisoner since the Firestorm Matrix gained sentience. Seeing the Professor for the first time since learning he groomed him to become half of a hero created as part of a sinister government project, Ronnie loses it, attacking his former friend and mentor.
Alone, kept distracted, Ronnie’s been unable to find the heart of the prison, the place he might confront the Firestorm creature, but together with Lorraine and Martin, he manages it.
The fury of Firehawk is formidable, but she can’t win alone. She needs Ronnie and Martin to come together
Angry as Ronnie is, he knows Martin is right.
And with that, Ronnie and Martin are back in control, and the restored Firestorm’s first act is to thank the woman who has fought so hard for him.
Martin agrees that a sacrifice must be made.
Firestorm flies into the sun, but would that destroy a nuclear man?
Apparently.
And that’s how a six-issue mini-series might end, with Firestorm gone until someone brings him back.
But we have another three issues! Turn the page…
The Firestorm elemental. That’s enough to keep this series going for another three issues.
Except – yesterday’s news:
I wonder if issue 9 will end with yet another version of Firestorm showing up.
While I’ve had my problems with aspects of this series – the Doomsday Clock reimagining of Firestorm’s origin, particularly the blackening of Martin Stein’s character – I’ve never undersold the craft on display. Jeff Lemire knows how to put together a story, giving us compelling characters and events.
The new relationship between Martin and Ronnie is painful to acknowledge, but made for some poignant moments this issue, and I’m keen to see how things develop as this series runs… and runs? I can’t see Ronnie and the Professor ever regaining the trust they had, but Martin seems to have changed from the manipulative scientist we’ve seen in flashbacks, and Ronnie doesn’t deny their closeness, so maybe something good can grow.
And the maturity of the Ronnie and Lorraine farewell is lovely.
(And yeah, of course I’m assuming Ronnie and Martin will be back.)
Rafael De Latorre’s compositions and characters are never less than compelling, the emotions are always clear. Add in the work of colourist Marcelo Maiolo and the results are magical. The Bronze Age-style pages have me smiling with nostalgia, while the dreamscape is creepily wonderful. The dynamism and fieryness of the opening scene is a great way into the comic. And the artists’ take on Firehawk is nothing but win – can’t DC at least give Lorraine a one-shot after her strong showing in this series?
De Latorre and Maiolo’s cover is fabulous in concept and execution.
As for the lettering, the differing treatments of Lucas Gattoni are cracking.
The way the creative team uses the comics medium to expose the unreality of the mindscape is clever in concept and great to look at, this is the kind of innovation that means we’re getting more Fury of Firestorm.
And what a nice tip of the hat to longtime Firestorm writer John Ostrander on the final page.
Were this the end of the planned six-issue mini, I’d be applauding the creators for making a kind of lemonade from some very bitter lemons. So I shall, well done everyone involved. See you in issue 7!
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 