Comments on: The “Blank Slate” Firestorm – 1987-89

By: Pozhar Week: Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin | Firestorm Fan

Pozhar Week: Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin | Firestorm Fan — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:33:06 +0000

[...] Through a series of circumstances (which you should really read for yourself: Fury of Firestorm #62-#64, Firestorm the Nuclear Man Annual #5, and Firestorm the Nuclear Man #65), Mikhail found himself part of the Firestorm matrix. No longer was the Nuclear Man the fusion of teenager Ronnie Raymond and scientist Professor Martin Stein. After Firestorm The Nuclear Man Annual #5 (Oct 1987), Firestorm was composed of teenager Ronnie Raymond and Russian nuclear technician Mikhail Arkadin. Whenever they were merged as Firestorm, both Raymond and Arkadin were trapped inside the fused body unable to affect its actions. The being in control of the Firestorm form was independent from Raymond and Arkadin and acted very detached. The new Firestorm had his own personality and desires, yet he seemed to lack any life experience and had no memories. He was a blank slate. Many months later it was revealed the blank slate entity controlling Firestorm was actually Professor Stein’s amnesiac subconscious. For more on the “Blank Slate” Firestorm, please click here. [...]

By: David H.

David H. — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:38:57 +0000

hey how about that Shag we were talking about this very issue by email earlier today. looks like i was pretty off on what Firestorm annual that was : )

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 13 May 2010 23:12:35 +0000

Oh I agree completely, outburst. I had the same visceral reaction, but mine was to the changes in the Stern/Lyle version of Starman, which was only 5 years old, not even 9 like Firestorm. To this day I detest Strazewski and Robinson.

By: outburst

outburst — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:40:20 +0000

I think I made a comment here some time ago about Ostrander that I regret. It was nothing personal and I didn’t like hearing that he was in a health crisis, but I wasn’t a fan of the changes, mostly because I thought the Martin/Raymond matrix was fantastic. Firestorm was youthful and funny and although inexperienced, one of the most powerful figures in the entire DCUC who could go head-to-head with someone like Superman and come out on top.
I think the changes came about because the series wasn’t doing well at the time and I admit there were nice things about it. The fact that Firestorm was a kind of elemental with Swamp Thing and Red Tornado held some interest, albeit short-lived.
For a young character who broke into the ranks of the illustruous JLA and even appeared in the legendary Super Powers show, I think nine years was not enough of a run to so drastically change my favourite childhood hero. This wasn’t a simple costume change like Green Arrow has seen, this was a massive change, much like killing a character and replacing him with someone else.
It’s strange being a man in my 30s and having such an emotional response to it but my inner child still reacts to it.