If you are interested in reading the text, click the image for a larger version.

George Perez had fun with the cover of this Who’s Who issue!  Check out all the “duploids” of Multiplex running around on that cover!  Clever!  How many can you count?  Click the image below for a larger version.

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At one point, John Ostrander was interested in producing a Soyuz mini-series with artist Joe Brozowski.  Makes you wonder what that would have been like!

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One of the tools I’ve used over the years was the 1993 Mayfair Games role-playing supplement to Who’s Who in the DC Universe.  Each supplement page included a complete list of comic book appearances for that specific character.  Seriously, a COMPLETE list up to the date of publication.  It’s amazing!  Below you’ll find the Firestorm list of appearances through 1993 from the supplement.

What a great resource!  Think Firestorm’s listing is long and overly-detailed? You should see Superman’s list of appearances!  It’s insane!

The Firestorm listing above was extremely helpful in my back issue hunting.  In fact, I managed to pick up every appearance of Firestorm on this list, with the exception of one comic. For whatever reason, I was never able to find a copy of BLASTERS SPECIAL #1.  I know, BLASTERS, really?  This INVASION spin-off was not exactly a top-seller, but I still was unable to find a copy… until a few months ago!  I was trolling through some fifty-cent bins and stumbled across my own personal Holy Grail of Firestorm back issue finds - BLASTERS SPECIAL #1!  I couldn’t believe it!  My long journey of seeking Firestorm back issues was finally at an end.  With an amazing amount of satisfaction, I plunked down my two quarters for this comic.

After nearly 20 years hunting this comic, it was finally in my hands!  I anxiously flipped through the book looking for my favorite Nuclear Man.  Surely if I’ve waited this long for the comic, Karma should deliver an amazing Firestorm appearance.  Doesn’t that seem cosmically fair?

I finished flipping through the comic, but failed to find Firestorm.  Huh?  I tried again.  After a second more thorough examination, I found Firestorm in the comic!  Yup, he appeared in exactly one panel.  That’s right, just one.  And he didn’t even have a speaking part.  Just some guy stuffed in the corner of a mediocre splash page.  What a disappointment!  To save you match-heads the effort of digging up BLASTERS yourself, below is the one panel Firestorm appears in.  Click the image to enlarge.

Geez.  After a nearly twenty year search, that’s it?  Such a disappointment.  The burden of being a completist is a heavy one.

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Below you’ll find a page from The Fury of Firestorm #24 featuring Bug!

Finally, here is a pin-up by Rafael Kayanan and Romeo Tanghal featuring Firestorm at the mercy of Byte.  This pin-up has been featured previously here on FIRESTORM FAN.

Okay let’s face it, these guys don’t really rate as top-notch rogues.  However, they were an interesting concept and looked pretty cool, so I couldn’t resist.  In fact, I’d say the concept of computer foes names Bug & Byte is ripe for revamping and reintroducing!  Maybe nowadays they’d be called Malware & Megabyte!  Something like that.

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Before we look at Firestorm #100, check out Brimstone’s entry in DK’s DC Comics Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded Edition (2008):

To showcase Brimstone’s unbelievable power, check out these GORGEOUS pages by writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake from Firestorm #100.  I picked just a few pages to display.  First up, page 34.

Below you’ll find page 36.

Next up is page 38.

Finally, look below for the two-page spread on pages 44 & 45!  Click the image to enlarge!

As you can see, Brimstone is crazy-powerful and a worthy adversary.  While the Elemental Firestorm was able to combat Brimstone within the Sun, I’m not sure any other incarnation of Firestorm would survive.  An impressive battle with impressive art!  Well done, Mr. Mandrake!

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Below you’ll find the entry for Firestorm – The Nuclear Man!

Below you’ll find the entry for Killer Frost – Ice Queen!

Below is the entry for the Justice League of America – The World’s Greatest Super Heroes

There were a few other Firestorm-related entries.  Plastique appeared in the Suicide Squad entry.  The Anti-Monitor entry used artwork from Crisis on Infinite Earths that included Firehawk.  The Starro entry used artwork from the cover to Justice League of America #190 that included a starfish-faced Firestorm.

Finally, below you’ll find the inside cover of the book.  For this they used a gorgeous two-page spread of the Justice League and the Justice Society from the JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice graphic novel. Firestorm may be found along the left hand side.

What a great looking book!  Be sure to pick up a copy of DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide! Buy it in your local bookstore or online through a retailer like Amazon!

My thanks to Jon of the Fizzit blog for sending these images our way.  Thanks Jon!

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Here is the description of the book from the publisher:

From AQUAMAN to ZATANNA, DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide is you’re A-Z guide to your favorite DC heroes and villains! This compact, informative guide takes you alphabetically through the heroic and villainous characters that make up the DC Universe, shedding new light on your favorite heroes such as SUPERMAN and WONDER WOMAN, but also covering lesser-known characters, including CAPTAIN BOOMERANG and THE QUESTION. Learn more fascinating details about their powers, weaknesses, enemies, and more!

I don’t own a copy of the book yet, but I recently corresponded with the author and he let me know the Brightest Day incarnation of Firestorm is represented.  With all the changes coming our way with “The New 52″, be sure to pick up this book as a snapshot of the DC Universe just before the change!  Here is a link to the book on Amazon!

Below you’ll find a few pages featuring Batman, Batwoman, Beast Boy, and Big Barda!  Click each image to enlarge.

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SPECIAL ADVANCE NOTICE

Don’t forget to come back this Friday for an all-new interview with Firestorm creators Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom! Gerry and Al were kind enough to sit down with me for a lengthy discussion as we prepare for the release of the Firestorm: The Nuclear Man trade paperback! See you on Friday!

Memorial Day commemorates U.S. Service Members who died while in the military service.  Captain X didn’t die while in military service, but he did die battling the Russian super-being Stalnoivolk.

Below is the Captain X entry that appeared in Who’s Who: The Definite Directory of the DC Universe #26 (April 1987).  Captain X was killed protecting the Raymonds from Stalnoivolk in Firestorm the Nuclear Man #71 (May 1988).  Click the image to enlarge.

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Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t even know there were Firestorm patches!  I won the Firestorm patch below on eBay recently.  It was produced by Willabee & Ward as part of their Official DC Comics Patches collection.

The border and classic Firestorm logo were embroidered.  The image of Firestorm himself has been printed on the fabric.  This drawing of Firestorm looks REALLY familiar, but I’m having a hard time placing it. I think it may have been used with the Super Power action figure, but further research would be needed. Does anyone have the cut-out Firestorm data card from the Super Powers action figure card?  If so, any chance you could send me a scan of both sides?  It would be greatly appreciated.

The patch came attached to a nice oversized, heavy paper-stock information sheet (called a “Collector Panel”).  The sheet provides a Who’s Who-like history of the classic Firestorm.  It’s well-written, entertaining, and accurate.  The sheet measures 9 by 12 inches, while the patch measures just about 4 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches.  Click the two images below to read the information sheet.

As I mentioned, this patch is part of the Official DC Comics Patches collection by Willabee & Ward.  According to their website each patch is framed by embroidered patterns of up to 15,000 separate stitches.  The collection includes other DC heroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman.

If you’re interested, the collection is available on a subscription basis.  You receive your first DC Comics Patch for just $4.95, shipping and service included.  Subsequent patches shipped two per month, at $19.95 each, plus $1.95 each shipping and service.  Ouch, seems a little pricey to me, but if you’re into patches and superheroes then it sounds like this is for you.

While surfing for information on these patches, I came across another set of Firestorm patches.  I tell ya, apparently there is a whole world of patch collecting out there I knew nothing about!  This next set of patches is advertised as “Set of Firestorm Super Powers Embroidered Patches”.  It comes from an Argentinean website called Amos Del Retro.  The patch of Firestorm’s head looks pretty cool; exactly like Firestorm from the Super Powers cartoon.  I’m guessing these Argentinean patches are not officially endorsed by DC, but they still look pretty neat.  If you are interested in picking up these patches, you can check out the Amos Del Retro website or their offerings on eBay.

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