Fury of Firestorm #1 (1982)

Fury of Firestorm #1 (June, 1982)
"Day of the Bison"
Writer - Gerry Conway
Artist - Pat Broderick
Inker - Rodin Rodriguez
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Gene D'Angelo
Editor - Len Wein
Cover Price: $0.60

You ever go through your collection and come across a book you never knew you had?

Up until about a week ago, I honestly had no idea that I owned this issue.  I was going through my collection spreadsheet like any insane individual would do, and this issue just jumped out at me.  Did I really have (Fury of) Firestorm #1?  I'd remember something like that!  Well, upstairs I went, where I had to shuffle a half dozen boxes to find the one my Firestorm books were in... and, well I'll be damned... I did have it!

During my read-thru prior to the review, the entire story was familiar... so, I must have read it before, right?  Was it worth reading again?  Let's find out.

--

We open with a beautiful shot of the New York City skyline with Firestorm towering over the skyscrapers.  Firestorm is trying to nap on a cloud as Professor Stein rags on him a bit.  Ronnie manages to fall asleep and in so doing shuts off his nuclear powers causing him to plummet toward the street.  Narrowly avoiding certain doom, Ronnie adjusts his molecular structure causing him to slip straight through the concrete.

As Firestorm emerges from under the street he is observed by a pair of officers.  They begin rattling his chain, however, he takes off before they can read him the riot act.  Firestorm lands about five miles away in a residential neighborhood.  It is there that Ronnie Raymond and Professor Martin Stein emerge from the Firestorm matrix.

The next morning, Ronnie is awakened by both his alarm clock and his father.  Ronnie is a student and star athlete attending Bradley High.  He scrambles to get up and narrowly avoids missing his bus.

Our scene shifts to the apartment of high school teacher, John Ravenhair.  He is living with his more traditional great-grandfather, who will only address him as Black-Cloud-in-Morning.  The morning paper has a piece on Indian antiquities that had recently been donated to the New York Museum of Natural History, including those of the Bison Cult.  The two men share a contentious conversation over John's apparent adaptation away from their heritage.

John takes his leave, however not before acknowledging that his grandfather does not look well and agreeing to wear a talisman from their Bison Cult.

We shift to Bradley High as the buses arrive.  Ronnie notices that his girlfriend Doreen is hanging around with all around jerk-face Cliff Carmichael.  Cliff is a dweeby thing with glasses and some sweet muttonchops.  The two scuffle a bit before Mr. Ravenhair steps in to break up the fracas.

We join Professor Stein dictating recent events into a tape recorder.  This is a great way to bring readers up to speed on the Firestorm origin story and escapades of the short-lived (1978) pre-DC Implosion volume of this title.  Following our recap, the Professor decides that perhaps it would be wise to erase the tape for all parties concerned.  Such a great way to include this expositional dialogue.

We now join Mr. Ravenhair's great-grandfather in the park.  He is crafting a circle in the grass out of a ashy white powder to pray within, when a pair of thugs see him as a easy pickings.

We pop over to the museum which just so happens to be hosting a Bradley High field trip.  Ronnie reconciles with Doreen and all is going well until Martin Van Buren... err, Cliff Carmichael slips a frog down Ronnie's shirt.  To make matters worse, he claims that Ronnie just may be... infected with cooties.  Hey Cliff... the jerk store called...

In our next scene, we begin to observe Mr. Ravenhair acting a bit strangely.  He excuses himself to the washroom.  His great-grandfather is concocting a sort of spell to help John see the "white man's world" the way he does... make him become Black-Cloud-in-Morning once more.  In the restroom, John gives himself a good splash of cold water.  When his eyes meet his reflection in the mirror, he is shocked to see his great-grandfather's face looking back at him.

At the park, the thugs wallop John's grandfather in hopes of procuring a score.  Having already accomplished his task, the old man slumps over, dead.  As he passes into the next world, John Ravenhair becomes no more... only Black Cloud remains!

Ronnie watches on as Black Cloud wreaks havoc inside the museum.  He begins the fusion transformation into Firestorm.  Feeling that the transformation is pending, Professor Stein must excuse himself from a project meeting at Concordance Research.  Firestorm flashes into action.

Black Cloud comes across the sacred Bison Clan Headdress and frees it from its glass casing.  Suddenly rolling clouds of smoke fill the museum.  When the smoke finally dissipates, one man is standing... No longer John Ravenhair... not even Black Cloud in Morning... No, he is Black Bison.

Bison exacts eight shades of hell upon his former students until Firestorm makes his presence known.  Even he proves no match for Black Bison as a lightning strike puts him on his back.  Black Bison reanimates a white horse and proceeds to flee... not before reanimating several of nature's predators.  Ronnie handily neutralizes their threat through use of his nuclear blast and some brute strength.

Ronnie gives chase to Black Bison, and along the way gives Carmichael a taste of his own medicine.  Despite his best efforts, Black Bison manages to get away.

We now observe a meeting between Senator Walter Reilly and his his daughter Lorraine.  They share some niceties before heading into a restaurant to share a meal.  It is revealed that Black Bison had been watching.  He states that Reilly had stolen something from his people... and now he will know how it feels to lose... and we are [to be continued...]

--

Ehh, not bad as first issues go.  Oh, what am I saying... this was a great issue!

Full disclosure, I do not have much history with or attachment to this character... however, this was a lot of fun.  I've often heard Firestorm compared to Marvel's Spider-Man... I gotta say... yeah, I kinda see that.  It is, however, as though Flash Thompson got bitten by the spider, and Peter Parker was the jerkwad bully.  I can't take credit for that observation, as I'm sure I'd heard it before... and it is ever so true.

This is a very Marvel type of book, and it really works for this type of character and this kind of setting.  Ronnie's not perfect... he's a kid, and he acts like one.  His voice is somewhere between child and adult, which is just the way a high school student would and should sound.  The characterization all throughout was wonderful... even in ol' Muttonchops.  Though, I gotta say, he's kinda like what I picture a younger Terry Long to be... yeesh.

The art is phenomenal.  I mentioned in my Captain Atom review by high regard for Pat Broderick.  I say now, as I did then... he is one of my top artists of the 1980's.  It was partly his engaging art work that facilitated my head-first dive from being a Marvel only fella into the wonderful world of DC Comics in the 1980's.

Overall... can't think of a single complaint.  I'm sure if I thought hard enough I'd find something to nitpick... but when you're dealing with something this good... this fun... why would I?  Highly recommended.  It's on DC Digital (along with several issues of the series), I cannot locate a collected edition... which kind of surprises me.  Any which way you can get your hands on this one, do it!

--

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--

Apropos of nothing... if my math is right, today marks my fiftieth day in a row blogging on this here site... so, (doing my best Dave Coulier... doing his best Bill Murray) I got that goin' for me....

Thanks for reading, if'n ya do!

Stanley and his Monster #1 (1993)

Stanley and His Monster #1 (February, 1993)
"How to Build a Tree Fort"
Writer & Penciller - Phil Foglio
Inker - Chuck Fiala
Inking Assist - Jim Aparo & Dennis Janke
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Robbie Busch
Editor - Paul Kupperberg
Cover Price: $1.50

Here's one that's been in the collection for awhile.  My first exposure to Stanley and his Monster was during the Kevin Smith/Phil Hester "Quiver" story line in Green Arrow.  I haven't read that in quite awhile (since original publication, if I'm being honest), but I remember them (at least the monster) being portrayed as quite dark.  I came across this mini series some time later, and nabbed it thinking I would get more of the same... If the cover didn't make it obvious enough, this story kinda goes another way.

From Green Arrow (vol.3) #9 (Dec. 2001)
Words: Kevin Smith - Art: Phil Hester

And so, this issue has laid unread in the library ever since... far too long, if you ask me.  Let's take a look at this early-nineties spine-tickling oddity and see if it's worth having...

--

We open in Hell.  A pair of angels are taking inventory of the demons, and find that there's one missing, one that is currently on Earth... Now, who could that be?

On Earth, Stanley and his Monster are rummaging through his attic.  In between admiring the styles of the seventies, they come across a book.  It is the Heterodyne Boys Big Book of Fun, and in it you can find the plans to build just about anything.  Of particular interest to the boys is the tree fort.  The Heterodyne Boys are apparently a Phil Foglio creation that was originally a spoof of turn of the twentieth century adventure books.  More on the Boys can be found here.

Stanley is called away for dinner, and he leaves his Monster in the attic to dine on a stack of most delicious National Geographic magazines.  During dinner Stanley asks his parents about the Heterodyne Boys.  He is given a brief explanation, and is advised that the most sought after Heterodyne Boys book wasn't a novel... but a how-to book!  Stanley accidentally-on purpose spills his milk, and while his mother scrambles to clean it up, sneaks off to his room to plan.

Stanley and his Monster think of how helpful a tree fort may be, even concocting a story wherein they assist Batman in capturing the Joker!

Later on, the boys find the perfect location for their tree fort.  It is on an overprotective older fella's property, so it may be a hard sell.  Stanley thinks quick, and asks the "old guy" if he could become the tree's official caretaker.  The man kinda digs the idea.  Stanley goes a step further, suggesting that he build his own office in the tree.  Now the man is on to Stan's plan... and he ain't too happy.  When the man realizes that Stanley will be utilizing the Heterodyne Boys book to build from, he changes his mind.  Stanley can build his fort, as long as the old man can check out the plans on how to build a zeppelin.

That night, Stanley dreams about how fantastic his tree fort will be, even going so far as having Superman and the Justice League show up to use his clubhouse!

Just look at that Blue Beetle!

The next day, Stanley and his Monster realize they will need wood to build their fort.  Stan sees a Mr. Fixit nearby (with a... curious, "Pound It Out!" ball cap).  Initially the Fixit man turns down Stan's request for lumber, however, changes his mind when he sees the coveted how-to book.  He gives Stanley all of his excess lumber in exchange for a peek at the books plans on how to build a suspension bridge.  The Monster makes quick work of hauling the lumber away... when the Fixit man expresses surprise, Stanley tells him there are plans for a forklift in the book as well.

Next up, our duo need tools.  Stanley swipes his dad's tools, which all still look new.  I suppose Mr. Stanley isn't too handy around the house.

That night, Stanley dreams about how helpful the tree fort will be.  He imagines the "Invasion of the Space Dinosaurs vs. The Armageddon War of the Gods Crises Crossover" occurring, and his family being safe and sound in the tree fort.  The Sandman shows up in the dream to berate Stanley for exceeding his dream special effects budget!

Finally, the tree fort is done.  Stanley decides that before they can really call it done, they're going to have to spend the night.  Stanley concocts creative ways in which to procure the supplies he needs.

C'mon Stanley... No love for Hourman?
I expected better of you...

Night falls, and our guys are hanging out in the fort.  In a touching scene the two express their friendship toward one another.  Suddenly, a thunderstorm rolls in.  Lucky for the boys, the fort was built so well that the roof doesn't leak.

As the rain continues, the Monster begins to exhibit some feral behaviors which concerns him.  They hear a noise outside... scared, Stanley asks who's there.  Why, it's Stanley's mother... who came to bring him home.  It is dangerous to be in a tree during a thunderstorm, after all.

She informs Stanley that the Heterodyne Boys book was in fact her's (Stanley assumed the books belonged to his father).  She continues, telling Stanley she is proud of his industrious nature.  As the two leave, Stanley's mother asks where he got those "shaggy red pillows".

The Monster is now all alone in the tree fort.  He is greeted by a rhyming demon named Nyx (from across the river Styx, natch) presumably sent to Earth to drag our Monster back to Hell... and we are [to be continued...]

Following our main story there is a two-page text piece that touches on the origins of Stanley and His Monster.

--

One of the unspoken goals of this humble blog was to find offbeat oddities in DC lore that are/were actually fun.  So often I feel that "comics" gets almost embarrassed to be comics, and as such endeavor toward more serious and less fantastic fare.  Books like Stanley and His Monster certainly fall into the "fun" category... but, is it any good?

Yes.  It's good.

This was a very nice opening chapter to this miniseries.  We are introduced to the cast and are given a vague threat.  The cliffhanger was solid and makes one curious about how this will all play out.  The dialogue is great.  Stanley speaks like a young boy would.  Being able to observe Stanley's dreams was also a treat.

The art... Well, full disclosure... I never really dug Phil Foglio's art.  During the era in which this was published, I was almost trained to expect hyper and excessive line work as a part of my comics diet.  That having been said, the art does fit the story well, and I must say that I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I'm glad a series like this existed during the extreme age of comics (when I picked this up, I was surprised at the cover date... thought for sure this was late-80's at latest)... hell, I wish more like it existed now.  In closing I suppose after reading this, I now prefer my Stanley and his Monster to be more this:

... and less, this:

From Green Arrow (vol.3) #8 (Nov, 2001)
Words: Kevin Smith - Art: Phil Hester

Hard to give a proper recommendation for this one, as it's (and I fear I'm sounding like a broken record at this point) buck-'n-below bin fare... maybe as far up as cover price, though I wouldn't go much higher than that.  It doesn't appear to have ever been collected or released digitally... however, if you come across it and have a quarter or two burning a hole in your pocket, you can do far worse.

--

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Hero Hotline #1 (1989)

Hero Hotline #1 (April, 1989)
"Hero Hotline"
Script & Coloring - Bob Rozakis
Art - Stephen DeStefano & Kurt Schaffenberger
Lettering - John Costanza
Editor - Brian Augustyn
Cover Price: $1.75

Let's take another trip into the consignment section.  Hero Hotline was a series I had never heard of... finding the entire six-issue miniseries for 99-cents pretty much forced my hand.  I also see that it is by the 'Mazing Man team of Bob Rozakis and Stephen DeStefano, so at least I know it'll be a good read, right? (At 16.666...-cents a piece, does it matter?)

Let's find out...

--

We open in the call center of the Hero Hotline.  Mrs. Jackson enters, and is berated for her tardiness.  Mrs. Jackson is one of the facilities resident heroes for hire, Microwavabelle (or Microwave Mom).  Cybernetic assistant, 500Z-Q (Soozie Q in people-speak) informs Microwave Mom that there is a reporter from The Observer waiting to interview her.  Mom enters the squad room and we are introduced to the "team".

Voice-Over: With ventriloquism powers.

Mister Muscle (Formerly known as Flex, Mister Mighty, Brother Bicep):  Super strong body builder, super self-conscious.

Diamondette: (R) Can make her hands as hard as diamonds.  Has smoking addiction.

Hotshot: (L) Shoots fireballs from hands.  Really digs Diamondette.

Private Eyes: Eyewear grants him vision powers.

Microwavabelle/Microwave Mom: Generates heat in objects.

Fred: Invisible man.  Some believe him not to exist, claiming it is simply Voice-Over throwing his voice.

Stretch:  Can... stretch.  Every superhero team needs one of these, right?

SOOZIE-Q: Mobile Computer/Assistant







Microwave Mom introduces herself to Ms. O'Flaherty, the reporter from the Observer.  Before they get too far into their interview, a job comes across the radio.  The job is to retrieve a missing ring, Stretch and Private Eyes head out.

Microwave Mom and Ms. O'Flaherty are able to watch the job in progress via one of SOOZIE-Q's many monitor screens.  This device is used to frame much of the story, and is a very creative way of introducing the reader to the cast and their mission.

Stretch and Private Eyes arrive at the corner of 23rd and Bleecker to attend to the emergency.  It turns out that a man dropped his fiance's ring down a storm drain.  Where is Superman when you need him, right?

The heroes for hire use their specific gifts and rescue the ring from its cell of sewage.

We jump back to Hero Hotline HQ, just as Mister Muscle (or was that Brother Bicep?)  is called into action.  There is a battered wife calling in for help.  Mister Muscle comments that he loves to "deal with" bullies, and heads into action.  As he leaves he passes another cast member.

Miss Boulder: Country-lookin' gal, carries a gee-tar.  Romantically linked with Private Eyes.  What does she see in him?

Back to the ring-rescue.  The civilians tell the heroes that it was an earthquake that caused them to drop the ring down the grate.  Private Eyes expresses disbelief citing the scientific impossibility of such an event occurring in that part of the country.  Moments later, wouldn'tcha know it... the Earth's a-quakin'.

Back at H-H-H-Q, another job comes over the radio.  This time it's an older woman who claims to be visited by martians every night.  Voice-Over is given the gig, and decides to take Invisible Fred along for the ride.

We join Mister Muscle on his call.  He timidly enters the battered woman's home, offering to provide her with literature that may be of help.  She begins telling him about her relationship with her husband, and how (and why) it deteriorated so.  As they talk, her drunken husband stumbles in.  He suggests Mister Muscle is there for adulterous reasons.  He raises his hand to his wife, and our man intervenes... seemingly crushing the husband's arm, and threatening to do worse if the abuse continues.

Back with Stretch and Private Eyes, they discover that the cause of the earthquakes is an armored beast of a man is jack hammering in a nearby building.  It is the Quakemaster, later of the Secret Society of Super-Villains... SOOZIE-Q calls for all available heroes to head out to the scene, ASAP.

After having their heads handed to them for much of the battle, the Hero Hotline All-Stars realize they must work in tandem to down this foe.  By combining their powers, they make short work of the villain.

We now join Voice-Over and Fred as they speak to an elderly woman about her martian visitations.  V-O cannot control his laughter, and offers to leave Invisible Fred behind for the night so he may bare witness to the martian threat.  The old woman claims that she can actually see Fred, which only amuses V-O more.

Back at headquarters, the squad drags the Quakemaster in to have his rights read.  SOOZIE-Q attempts to explain his rights, however, QM becomes belligerent.  He is knocked out by a sedative gas... SOOZIE decides she'll try explaining his rights to him a bit later on.

The day shift ends, and the team disperses for the evening.  Ms. O'Flaherty thanks Microwavabelle for taking the time to speak with her.  The night call center crew takes over, and we are out.

This issue wraps up with some character sketches and bio's:

--

It's interesting... I actually read this issue twice for this review.  The first time I read it, I really didn't like it.  Like, it was fine... I guess, just not nearly as charming as I felt it took itself.  This is not 'Mazing Man, and I suppose it would be unfair to compare the two just because of the shared creative team.

I hate feeling my biases enter into my reviews... so, I set the book down.

I returned several hours later, and gave it another look through.  This time without visions of a pint-sized bucket-headed do-gooder dancing through my head... and I'm glad that I did.

This really was a lot more fun than I expected it to be.  The characters really jumped out at me upon my second read.  They appeared more well-rounded, and I found myself noticing quirks that I had missed the first time through.  Reading the character bios that closed the book out helped out a bit too.

Microwave Mom is very much the "mom" of the group.  We learn that she has three children of her own (one of which the cause of her tardiness in the open), and that she is a widow.

Diamondette is struggling to quit smoking.  She is constantly shadowed by the much-younger Hotshot, who has romantic feelings toward her.

Private Eyes attempts to interject logic into the fantastic world he inhabits.  Questioning the "impossibility" of something in the DC Universe makes him an interesting fellow.  His relationship with Miss Boulder has not been fully explored at this point... it is, however, intriguing.

Despite Mister Muscle's large size, he appears to be quite vulnerable.  He states his hatred for bullies, even though no bully in their right mind would mess with him.  His timidity during his call was also something of a red-flag.  Perhaps I'm reading too much into it... I guess we'll find out.

All we know about Stretch is that he goes way back with the "Coordinator", the boss of the Hero Hotline.  He uses the same Gingold as Ralph "Elongated Man" Dibney, and he appears to have a problem with the more menial nature of the Hero Hotline calls he goes out on.

Lastly... my man, Voice-Over.  What a character, right?  What an absolute jackass... but, he's awesome.  I'm very curious to see if Fred is an actual character, or simply a trick V-O is playing on everyone.  This is the main thing that would bring me back for the next issue.

Bob Rozakis has a wonderful knack for dialog.  A bit corny at times, just as in 'Mazing Man... but great fun... and not too silly.

The art in this issue is reminiscent of a "lite" version Keith Giffen's more experimental work.  Definitely more follow-able than Hex, however.  All of the character models are fantastic, and the costumes really fit the tone of the series.  Again, my man V-O... that's an awesome costume!  It looks like something off a Slash Maraud cover.

Like 'Mazing Man before it, this is a hard one to give a proper recommendation for.  While it's most definitely worth the dime-nickel-and-penny I paid for it, I'm not sure how high I would go for this one.  To the shock of absolutely nobody, DC has not made this available digitally, and to my knowledge it has not been collected.

If you come across it in the buck-'n-below bins, you can certainly do far worse.  Maybe give it a shot.

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