Firestorm

FIRESTORM

Real Name: Jason Thomas Rusch

Class: Human mutate

Occupation: College student, superhero, former waiter, fast-food mascot, S.T.A.R. Labs intern

Group Affiliation: Justice League of America

Known Relatives: Liam (uncle), Alvin Rusch (father), Sylvie Rusce (mother), three unnamed cousins

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: NYC, New York, formerly Detroit, Michegan

First Appearance: Firestorm II #1 (July, 2004)

Powers: Firestorm was a gestalt entity, with Jason Rusch needing to merge with another person to become Firestorm. As Firestorm he he could rearrange the molecular or atomic structure of any inorganic or organic matter to transmute it. Firestorm had the power of flight, and radiated great amounts of heat and radiation, and could absorb those forms of energy.

History: (Firestorm II #1 (fb, BTS), 3 (fb), 8 (fb)) - Jason Rusch grew up in a seemingly happy home, and had some enjoyable childhood memories, especially a day at the fair with his parents. Jason’s father Alvin took a job at an industrial plant to support his family, and lost his arm in an accident. He grew bitter, and after his wife Sylvie left he completely blamed Jason for his problems. Jason desperately wished his mom took him away with her.

(Firestorm II #1-3) - Jason worked as a waiter to pull his weight, but nothing he did pleased his father, who hit him on occasion. He was saving money to attend college, but his budget was busted when he showed up to work with a battered face, and was told to go home until he was presentable enough to be seen working in a family restaurant. He was desperate to raise money, so he met with local tough Stevie Golek and agreed to work as a courier. His longtime friend Mick Wong was aghast when Jason shared what he’d done. Alvin screamed at Jason for being out of work and accused him of running away from his father for wanting to go to college. Jason assured him it was to help the both of them, because Alvin’s disability checks weren’t paying the bills. Jason was walking wounded, and found he could no longer communicate with people without apologizing all the time. Jason drove off to deliver Golek’s package, but chanced into finding the Firestorm-Matrix, which was looking for a new host after Firestorm Roy Raymond’s death. The Matrix bonded to him, and he passed out. He arrived at his destination, and witnessed a shootout, triggering him to become Firestorm, The Nuclear Man,. The Matrix needed a second person, and chose Gordon, one of the criminals wounded during the shootout. Jason tried out his new powers, the mastery over matter, and was terrified. He broke the Matrix, and Gordon walked off, unharmed, but no longer remembering being bonded to Jason. Jason realized his package had been destroyed, and called Golek to apologize. Golek made it clear he was a dead man walking. Jason drove to the Stopwatch Bar, Golek‘s hangout, and snooped around, discovering a meth lab. Golek spotted him and stabbed him, triggering the Firestorm-Matrix, bonding Jason to Golek. Golek liked the power and told Jason they could make it as big time criminals as Firestorm. Golek‘s men found Firestorm, and started shooting at him. Jason could barely control his powers, and blew up the meth lab, killing Golek‘s men. He was horrified by what he‘d done, and tried to separate from Golek, but the attempt started to tear Golek apart. Jason was freaking out, and Golek tried to calm him down, suggesting they return to where Jason first became Firestorm, but they still couldn’t separate, and Golek continued to disintegrate. Golek forced Jason to look back at his abusive upbringing, and told him to accept his new powers. Jason promised himself no one would hit him or abuse him again, and he managed to break the Matrix. Golek was freed, but the damage was done, and his body melted into a puddle of ooze. Jason told himself he wouldn’t feel bad for yet another person who tried to use him. He returned home, and his father screamed at him for staying out all night, but he was in too much shock to respond.

(Firestorm II #4, 5) - Jason got a job at Ho-Ho Charlie’s Chicken Shack as their Rush Hour Chicken mascot, and although he found it demeaning it paid decently. He almost got the nerve to talk to as girl at work he liked when his father came storming in the restaurant saying he’d been waiting to pick him up for ten minutes, and Jason was wasting his time flirting. That night Jason needed to let off some steam, so he bonded with Preston, a homeless man in the park, and became Firestorm. He flew around, enjoying himself, when he met Green Lantern John Stewart and Martian Manhunter. They knew he wasn’t the Firestorm they’d teamed with, and grilled him on how he got his powers. He was in awe, and his answers were forthright, so they recommended he get checked up at S.T.A.R. Labs, and gave him a communicator to contact the JLA in an emergency. Preston told him he was amazing, and had the power to change the world. Preston told him not to squander the gift he’d been given. Firestorm came across a car accident, and met Casey Krinsky, who’d caused the accident to attract his attention. She was a met human obsessed with the old Firestorm, and she had the power to absorb and duplicate energy. She tried to absorb his energy as a way of connecting with him, but his powers overloaded her, and as he flew around trying to shake her, after turning to stone she fell into a lake. Firestorm was once again terrified at his own power, and the next day he found he had several telephone messages from Mick, but couldn’t bring himself to talk to his best friend. He heard news reports that Casey was still alive, and investigated, bonding with police officer Nicole Garcia to form Firestorm. She was none too pleased, but he assured her it was for the greater good. He ran into Casey, whose powers had gone out of control because of whatever he did to her, and she was in a homicidal mood. Firestorm realized he was starting to see atomic structures, and thought he might have more control over his powers, but when they battled he created an explosion that nearly killed her. He used the JLA communicator, and Superman and Flash responded, taking Casey to S.T.A.R. Labs for treatment. Superman told Firestorm to fly with him for a bit. Superman said he considered the old Firestorm a friend, and a magnificent hero, and that weather or not he’d been picked at random or chosen to be Firestorm, the new hero had a lot to live up to. Firestorm checked in on Casey at S.T.A.R. Labs, but didn’t disclose that he’d affected her powers. Garcia told him he was no hero, and he was getting addicted to his powers. He blew her off, and told her not to worry about it, because she’d forget about being Firestorm after they split.

(Firestorm II #6) -Jason had a dream that revealed the circumstances of the original Firestorm’s death. He’d been stabbed by the Shadow Thief, and his energy was about to detonate, so he flew into the sky to keep anyone from getting hurt before he exploded. Jason woke in a sweat, and his father started screaming at him to clean the gutters, threatening him with violence if he back-talked, and Jason meekly accepted. Mick dropped by from college to find out why he hadn’t been returning his calls. Jason was reluctant to talk to his oldest friend, but eventually decided to show him what he was up to by forming Firestorm with Mick, who was awestruck. Firestorm wanted to show off, so he dropped by the filming of an adult movie, and demonstrated how easily he could get two strippers to fawn over him. Next he settled an old score with Officer Trey Thurber, despite Mick begging him not to. Years ago Thurber caught Jason and Mick in the park after a robber, and despite not having any reason to suspect them he’d beaten them with his nightstick. Firestorm recounted the incident to Thurber without revealing his identity, and told the police officer he was done being a cop, and would retire or face Firestorm’s wrath. Firestorm proceeded to burn up his house. Firestorm asked Mick what he wanted to do, and he asked to visit the JLA Watchtower on the moon. After some snooping around he was met by Batman and Martian Manhunter. They’d been watching him use his powers for showboating and petty revenge, and warned him that he’d better start living up to his namesake. They’d hoped part of their colleague Firestorm’s mind was in the new Firestorm-Matrix, but after investigating Jason they knew their friend was completely gone. Manhunter put a psychic tracer on him so the JLA could continue to monitor him. Mick wanted to team with Jason on a regular basis, but Jason and Mick separated, and Mick forgot the adventure. Jason told him he’d gotten drunk, and told him to sleep it of at his house.

(Firestorm II #7, Bloodhound #5) - Jason learned that the college he wanted to attend was hiking costs for out-of-state students, and Alvin told him he had more important things to worry about. They were broke, and in danger of losing the house. Just then some thugs knocked on their door, and knocked Jason and Alvin out. They were brought to the hideout of crime lord Luis Salvador, who brutalized them both. Steve Golek was one of his earners, and after Golek’s death he had some questions. He knew Jason was the last person to do a job for Golek, and threatened to torture his father if he didn’t tell him what he knew. Jason turned into Firestorm with Luis, revealing his identity to his father. Luis established himself as the dominant personality, and Jason felt his life fading away, just as Golek’s had. Luis gave Firestorm a monstrous makeover and went after Bloodhound, a former criminal turned F.B.I. tracker that had once cost Luis five million dollars. He busted up the F.B.I. transport vehicle taking Bloodhound back to jail, but Bloodhound fought back fiercely. This gave Jason the power to separate from Luis. Bloodhound scooped up the wounded Jason and ran into the woods. They fled to a construction site, but Luis sent his men after them. Bloodhound brutally murdered his men, so Luis gathered local reinforcements. Jason said the only way they’d survive was to become the Firestorm-Matrix, but Bloodhound had enough willpower to resist bonding with Jason, and told him to stay out of his head. Luis’ men attacked and Bloodhound tore through them all. He was ready to snap Luis’ neck, but Firestorm asked to deal with him. He bonded with Luis again, this time keeping control of Firestorm. He told Luis he really wanted to kill him for what he did to him and his dad, but he wouldn’t. He gave Luis brain damage that left him crying and whimpering before leaving the scene.

(Firestorm II #8-10) - Jason explained his origin to his dad, who told him he wanted him out of the house as soon as possible, he didn’t want anything to do with superhumans. He said if Jason wanted to make himself useful he’d regrow his hand, and Jason admitted he had no idea how to pull that trick off. Their argument was interrupted by a visit from Lorraine Reilly, formerly the hero Firehawk and a good friend of the original Firestorm. She had a lot of questions for Jason, and wanted to hear his account of how he got his powers. Jason was taken aback that the JLA revealed his identity to her. That night he went into action, making the Firestorm-Matrix with homeless man Fredo Burleson. They came upon Laura, a woman about to jump off a bridge. Firestorm talked her down, and she said she had cancer, and asked him to cure her. He resisted, but she pleaded, and he decided to give it a shot, taking a copy of a healthy human matrix and transferring it to her. He was starting to develop a crush on her, but when he unleashed his energy on her she revealed her true identity of Killer Frost, one of the old Firestorm’s enemies, who needed a dose of his power to restore hers. Lorraine caught up with them, and aided Firestorm in battling her. Killer Frost looked forward to killing the heroes, but told Firestorm she might let him live if he let her leech his energy anytime she wanted. Firestorm returned to the fray, and forced Frost to retreat, but Lorraine decided to back out, telling Jason she’d given up on being a hero completely. Frost took a number of hostages, and made Firestorm submit to her, but when he asked what she wanted she told him she just wanted to see him cave in, and killed the hostages. Frost wanted to kill him so he didn’t undue blessing her with his power, and he was forced to release Fredo, return to Lorraine and merge with her to make an upgraded matrix. This awoke a tiny part of Ron Raymond that was still alive in the matrix, and the three of them attacked Frost as Firestorm, with Ronnie leading the show, dismissing Jason and reminding him who the original hero was. Three people in the Firestorm-Matrix started to burn Firestorm out, and Ronnie began to disintegrate. Jason took over, and undid the cellular repair he did on Frost, but Ronnie disintegrated into nothing, and the matrix broke. Frost was outraged, and attacked Jason, but the arrival of the police forced her to flee. Jason woke up in the hospital, and was shocked to see his father there. He was even more surprised when Ronnie started to speak to him in his head.

(Firestorm II #11-13) - Jason’s dad said he’d been doing some heavy thinking, and needed to talk to him, but Jason said he had a responsibility to figure out where Lorraine was, and why the original Firestorm was in his head. His dad was furious, but Jason stood his ground. He became Firestorm, and learned about Ronnie Raymond’s history as the hero. Ronnie had a mentor, professor Stein, and admired Jason for dealing with his superhero situation so well without someone to guide him. He apologized for dismissing Jason, and said he was quite a natural. They found that they could switch who was in control of the Firestorm-Matrix, and Ronnie gave him a crash course in responsibly using his powers. Ronnie wanted Jason to visit his father Ed so he could let him know he was alive, after a fashion, but no one was home at the Raymond house. Firestorm caught a report about an anomalous storm over Detroit, and Ronnie told Jason that from now on it was his duty to deal with these kind of problems. The storm was created by Firestorm’s old foe Typhoon, who was joined by another enemy, Multiplex in ambushing the hero. The whole attack was orchestrated by Ronnie’s arch-nemesis, Cliff Carmichael, whom Killer Frost had leaked the information that Ronnie was alive to. During the battle Firestorm started disintegrating Multiplex’ duplicate bodies, and Ronnie thought he was stepping over the line with his callous violence, so he took control. Ronnie managed to defeat Multiplex and Typhoon, but discovered that they both had circuitry in the back of their necks. The circuitry drained him, at which point Carmichael confronted him, and began tearing apart Ronnie’s mind, telling him that Killer Frost had given up his identity. The process started disintegrating Ronnie in the Firestorm-Matrix, and when Firestorm broke free he wanted to contact the JLA to save Ronnie. Ronnie told him that after Cliff invaded their minds he knew all about their families, and would target them next, so they had no choice but to stop him, even if it meant Ronnie’s death. He told Jason being a superhero was like being a soldier, and they always had to stay true to their responsibilities. They confronted Cliff again, and burned out the cybernetic brain implants that gave him his powers, leaving him catatonic. Ronnie faded away, and told Jason he’d do a fine job continuing his work. Jason was distraught, and visited Ronnie’s heartbroken parents, to tell them their son was dead again. Ed Raymond told him he’d often butted heads with his son, and the last thing they were going to do together was connect oer movies. He told Jason to make peace with his father while they were both alive.

(Firestorm II #14) - Jason’s time with the original Firestorm made him realize that he was the only one holding himself back. He found he could become Firestorm by himself, and incorporated a few elements of the original Firestorm’s costume into his new outfit. He finally had enough money to attend college, and toured Lowrance University, home of a proton collider simulating the big bang. The collider went haywire, and Jason went into action as Firestorm to save the day. He returned home, and his father threw him a party for his 18^th birthday. Jason had agreed to find an apartment with Mick Wong, and his dad took the news surprisingly well. Jason got an internship at S.T.A>R. Labs Detroit, and was elated until he realized he was helping them with paperwork before S.T.A.R. outsourced their jobs and closed up shop in Detroit. The brilliant scientists he was working with were more than a little disgruntled, but he decided to make the most of the situation.

(Firestorm II #15, 16) - Jason started having dreams where he thought on the atomic level and began to develop a cosmic consciousness, but was freaked out upon awakening. He went to work at S.T.A.R. and did his best to cool the tensions in his workplace. A super villain calling himself the Pionic Man attacked the Lab, demanding to fight Firestorm. Jason was confused, but felt a rush at having a super villain looking specifically for him, it made him feel like he’d finally made it as a superhero. Pionic Man explained that he’d been created in the Lowrence University disaster, his body turned into subatomic pions, and blamed Firestorm for his condition. He was working for one of the original Firestorm’s foes, but wouldn’t reveal who. The battled, and Jason’s instinct went a long way in injuring the Pionic Man, and forcing him to flee. The battle severely inured Firestorm, and after refusing help from the S.T.A.R. scientists, he flew home in a daze and collapsed, only to be discovered by his landlady, quantum physicist Dr. Otaki. Otaki was an inspiration, he’d been waiting to share his secrets, and because she already knew who he was he decided to trust her. She advised he try forming the Firestorm-Matrix again, this time with one of the scientists he worked with. He chose Dr. Kennedy, because she reminded him of his mother, and although that initially made him back away from her, he released he needed to let go of his past. Firestorm / Kennedy confronted the Pionic Man, and Kennedy walked him through a few strategies before they settled on dissolving his containment suit, and transferring the pions into a containment jar. Firestorm and Kennedy separated, with her none the wiser about how she’d helped him. Jason returned home, and “Mick” turned oon him, he’d been impersonated by the super villain Amazo, whom Lex Luthor’s Society had charged with bringing the hero in. Amazo got the drop on him and laid him low.

(Firestorm II #17) - Luthor used the hero Firestorm and metahuman Gehenna to power a top-secret Brazilian site. Firestorm broke loose, and rescued Gehenna from her captivity. The heroes were beset by Black Adam, Parasite, Syonide, and the new Royal Flush Gang. Firestorm was fascinated by the attractive Gehenna, even though she acted quite insane and childlike, but her teleportation skills were useful in evading the Society. Gehenna kept calling him boyfriend, which only slightly irritated him, and she suggested he use a cell to call help. He didn’t know why he trusted her, but he did, so he changed back to Jason, but couldn’t reach the JLA. He called S.T.A.R. and made an excuse as to why he might miss some work. Even in the middle of an epic battle he had his paycheck and normal life to think about. The energy of Martin Stein contacted Firestorm from space, and this resulted in an expulsion of energy that took down most of the Society. The battle was joined by Queen Bee and the H.I.V.E., but they couldn’t stop Firestorm from blowing up the installation and escaping. Gehenna freaked out when she was in open air, and teleported away, but promised her “boyfriend” she’d see him again.

(Firestorm II #18) -Firestorm felt completely drained from his encounter with the Society, and had to hitch a ride on a plane back to the States. He ended up in San Francisco, and asked the S.T.A.R. Labs branch to examine him, where he was greeted by the familiar Dr. Phaedon, who worked in his branch. The tests they ran on Firestorm were sabotaged by Phaedon’s wife Nanette, whom he’d miniaturized in a marital dispute. The disruption of the lab allowed Brother Eye to transform one of the scientists into an O.M.A.C. Eye was interested in Firestorm, but Firestorm wasn’t even aware of Brother Eye or the O.M.A.C.s existence or purpose. With Nanette’s help Firestorm turned the nanotech turning the O.M.A.C. into water, empowering it, but unfortunately causing the scientist it infected to go brain dead. Jason returned to Detroit, and Mick Wong told him he was moving out. The Society had released him, but he wanted to know why they kidnapped him, and why Jason couldn’t tell an imposter from his best friend. Jason was speechless, and just watched Mick walk away. Jason’s job at S.T.A.R. fizzled out when the branch closed early, and he realized he couldn’t afford college or living on his own any more.

(Firestorm II #19) - Jason formed the Firestorm-matrix with a businessman to put out an apartment fire, but found that his partner’s system was flooded with anti-depressants, and it made the job difficult. After a near-catastrophe Jason returned to his empty apartment, and Mick came by to apologize. He told Michk about the Society and his Firestorm identity. Mick laughed at him until he used him to form the matrix. Firehawk arrived, telling him he was desperately needed during the Infinite Crisis. They went to Titans Tower in S.F., where Firehawk offered his services to Troia, who was assembling a team to go into space during the Crisis. Firestorm got a telepathic message from Gehenna, who said her father was acting strange. He told her he’d get back to her as soon as he attended to his more pressing business. Gehenna was upset, and vanished from his mind. Firestorm was leery about risking Mick’s life in space, but Mick said two best buddies couldn’t turn down the chance to save the universe, so Firestorm agreed to go with Troia.

(Firestorm II #20) - Troia’s team headed to the center of the universe, and they came across a Rannian ship sitting dead in space, and being attacked by Thanagarians. After some debate the heroes decided to intervene. Firestorm and Animal Man boarded the Rannian ship, and learned that the Rannians had stolen a revered Thanagarian Ca’arra hawk. Animal Man absorbed its powers and the heroes engaged the Thanagarians. Firestorm Professor Stein contacted Jason and warned him something terrible was about to happen. Getting involved in the Rann-Thanagar war turned out to be a pointless endeavor, as the Rannians killed the hawk, so the Thanagarians retaliated by blowing up their ship. The heroes were taken aback by the senselessness of war.

(Infinite Crisis #3) -

(Firestorm II #21) - At the moment of Firestorm’s death Professor Stein appeared and absorbed him into his own matrix, preserving his lifeforce. Jason awoke inside the matrix, and was amazed to be alive, but felt great sorrow and guilt when Stein told hoim he was unable to save Mick. Stein wanted to know what had happened to Ron Raymond, and Jason said he’d died in action. Stein took a cavalier attitude, saying both Mick and Ronnie were just atoms and energy, and still existed on that level. Stein offered to rebuild Jason’s body, and he was terrified of rejoining the fight at the center of the universe. Stein thought he needed council, and asked him about where he’d come from, the journey his own atoms and energy had taken over the millenia. Jason was sure he’d had a dream of this very conversation, and Stein told him the matrix opened up glimpses of past, present, and future. Jason decided he wanted the power of Firestorm again, but he needed Stein for guidance, because his lack of experience kept getting people hurt or killed. Stein initially refused, but Jason uised the matrix to see his past, and realized that his reluctance was due to all the loss he’d known in life. Jason told him all relationships had an element of risk, and again asked for his help. Stein accepted and began to rebuild Firestorm.

(Firestorm II #22) - Stein ran images of Ronnie and Jason’s death over and over, and theorized that when Ronnie died he was more energy than human, and the longer someone was Firestorm the more detached they became from reality. Jason appreciated the sentiment, but was unnerved at seeing his own death replayed. Stein decided they should pare down their powers, being in the matrix together gave them a unique opportunity to retool Firestorm. They kept most of the important powers, but dropped intangibility and manipulation of organic matter because of those powers instability. Stein marked each power they had with a visual, so if they both imagined it in their minds eye they could tinker with it in the future. They became Firestorm, and Stein warned him that they were both capable of forming a matrix with other people, but the matrix would be unstable and suffer from feedback. They noticed foreign energy in the matrix and decided to investigate. After a quantum battle Nanette Phaedon was revealed. She’d stowed away with Firestorm after his battle with the OMAC, and when he became Jason she’d been locked in the matrix and gained the ability to manipulate her size at an atomic level. She left the matrix to explore the universe and Stein said he felt like a superhero again. They returned to the center of the universe to help Earth’s heroes battle Luthor.

(52 / WWIII Part One: A Call to Arms #1 (fb, BTS) - Martin Stein keyed Jason's DNA to a JLA teleporter, enabling him to separate Jason from Cyborg.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #25 (fb, BTS)) - Prof. Stein convinced Jason to move to NYC and attend Columbia. Stein got a physics teaching post there to mentor Jason. Gehenna showed up in NYC asking Firestorm to help her find her missing father, and they started dating. Firestorm revealed his secret identity to her.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #30 (fb)) - Jason and Stein attended a Central Park rally for Lorraine Reilly’s senatorial bid. She asked them to forget about her recent adventurism as part of the new Justice League, a PR nightmare. She told the crowd her father was of the generation that never trusted anyone over 30, and believed they won when new blood was instilled in politics. She told the crowd they had to fight the new breed of authority figures that were lying to them and demanded their obedience, even when they were caught in a lie.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #24 (fb, BTS)) - Stein investigated a plan to bring about a nuclear holocaust, and was kidnapped. Jason desperately searched for him to no avail.

(52 / WWIII Part One: A Call to Arms #1) - <Week 50, Day 1> Black Adam declared war on humanity after the death of his family, starting WWIII. Jason contacted Firehawk and told her they needed to meet. She was about to attend a senate hearing about what to do about Black Adam, but agreed to meet him. Without asking her permission he brought her into the Firestorm matrix, and as Firestorm they saved NYC from a Black Adam attack. They separated, and Jason told her the Firestorm matrix way keyed to him and Martin Stein, so bringing her in might have caused complications, but nothing to lose sleep over. Firehawk told him she thought she could do more good as a senator than as Firehawk, but he'd made her realize they could take Black Adam down as Firestorm.

(52 / WWIII Part Two: The Valiant #1) - <Week 50, Day 4> Jason and Firehawk became Firestorm again to help the survivors of one of Black Adam's attacks.

(52 / WWIII Part Four: United We Stand #1) <Week 50, Day 7> Black Adam arrived in China, and prepared to destroy the entire country. He defeated China's superhero team the Great Ten before China allowed Firestorm and the American superhero community to square off against him. Black Adam was a god with nothing left to lose, and each punch he threw was intended to kill. His savagery was winning the day until Martian Manhunter reappeared and flooded his brain with his own loss, the death of the entire Martian species. Black Adam was distracted long enough for Captain Marvel to hurl a Shazam bolt at him. Theo Adam was powerless, and left with amnesia. He staggered away unnoticed from the end of WWIII.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #23) - <one year later> Jason and Lorraine found that their bond made the Firestorm-matrix unstable if they were more than a mile apart, so their lives became intertwined, and they soon got fed up with each other’s company. Mr. Terrific sponsored Firestorm to participate in a LexCorp weapons test presided over by DanI Sharpe, and although Lorraine had reserves about weapon proliferation Jason talked her into it because he had something to prove to Terrific. The LexCorp bunker buster had a nuclear payload, and was supposed to be demonstrated in a controlled blast, but something fried its circuits and it caused a huge nuclear explosion. Firestorm managed to absorb all of the radiation before it reached Nevada, and found a strange being dead in the desert, and the army supposed that the micro circuitry in the being short-circuited the bunker buster. After the test Lorraine and Jason separated, and she again reminded him of her feelings about nuclear weaponry. Jason wanted to return to NY for a date with Gehenna, and Lorraine chided him. She had to be on the floor in Washington for a disarmament bill, and told him to get his priorities straight. They were attacked by the Dollies, who neutralized Lorraine’s powers, bound Jason, and drove him away. He didn’t know what they wanted from him, but warned them about the instability of the Firestorm-matrix. They ignored him, and when he was a mile away from Lorraine he exploded in a nuclear blast.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #24, 25) -The Dollies near Firestorm were destroyed, and the one restraining Lorraine lost interest and vanished. The heroes realized it was a Dollie that sabotaged the bunker buster test, and Jason theorized that the Dollies had something to do with Professor Stein’s disappearance. Before he disappeared he mentioned being onto something really big involving nuclear disasters, and said that he kept his information in “The Neocaust Files.” Lorraine was really interested, but needed to get back to Washington. She spoke on the floor, and voted for a new armament bill after she added a rider ensuring accountability, and banning destructive technology like LexCorp’s. Lorraine told Jason she was about disarmament, but politics was all about compromise. As Firestorm they went to NYC to search Stein’s files, but came up empty. They traveled to Jason’s apartment, where Gehenna made no attempt to disguise how irked she was. She reiterated that she didn’t like Jason spending so much time with Lorraine, and felt he put Firestorm above her. He promised to make it up to her when a news bulletin announced that Killer Frost was slaughtering innocents on the upper west side. Jason and Lorraine were about to go into action when Alvin Rusch arrived, and refused to be turned away. Lorraine told Jason the wets side was under a mile away, and she’d handle the villain herself. Alvin told Jason the police were asking questions since he disappeared from Detroit, and he could hardly tell them his son was a superhero. He said they had important matters to discuss, but when Killer Frost started hurting Firehawk Jason felt it and knew he had to help her. He formed Firestorm, but Killer Frost continued to batter them, and they were waylaid by her new partner Mr. Freeze. She’d convinced Freeze to help her get ultimate power, and he built a jet-box that she strapped to Firestorm, flying them to the surface of the sun. Her ability to absorb all heat started to drain the sun, but she couldn’t care less about the consequences. Firestorm’s abilities started going haywire so close to the main source of his power, but he managed to put a telepathic line through to Prof. Stein. Stein told him his Neocaust papers were hidden under the statue of Albert Einstein in his apartment, and that he could defeat Freeze at the quantum level. Stein’s abductor the Pupil appeared, and Stein broke off the communication. Firestorm slowed the energy around Frost to absolute zero, cutting off her power. Firestorm returned to Earth where Batman had already arrived and defeated Freeze. Batman said he’d improved, but should have been able to prevent any loss of human life or been taken into space by Frost. He said that rookie mistakes like that should make him think twice about his career as a superhero. Jason was shaken, but exhilarated by what a tough guy Batman was. Lorraine said that probably wasn’t the reaction Batman was going for.

(Action Comics #841) -

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #26, 27) - Jason went to classes, and Gehenna snuck around Columbia University shadowing him. When she saw him talking to a pretty female student she got jealous and teleported between them. Jason told her not to use her powers in public because he wanted a normal life with her, but she replied that she didn’t know what normal was. Jason and Lorraine found Prof. Stein’s journals, and learned that he’d been abducted on the campus. They were about to rescue him when Gehenna demanded to go along, saying she needed to share in every aspect of Jason’s life. Jason told her no, worrying she’d get hurt, and she burst into tears. Lorraine hated to say it, but with their powers heavily depleted after dealing with Killer Frost, a teleported would be useful. Gehenna was overjoyed, and they teleported into Stathis Hall, where Stein was being held by the Pupil and his Dollies. The Dollies overpowered Firestorm, and when they split the matrix so Lorraine could tackle them solo the Dollies slipped an inhibitor hood on her, robbing her of her powers. The Pupil presented the dead Stein to Jason, saying he’d been too rough on him seeking information, and offered him the chance to form the Firestorm-matrix with a dead man. Jason tried to make the matrix, and found a small spark of life in Stein. Gehenna removed the hood from Firehawk, and she joined the matrix, enabling them to bring Stein back from the brink. The Pupil captured Gehenna, and recognized her. He wanted to know all her secrets, and started torturing her, and Lorraine wanted Firestorm to stop him, but Jason said she could handle herself, and continued to pur energy into Stein. One of the Dollies recently developed empathy and staid the Pupil’s hand. Firestorm was revived and forced the Pupil and his Dollies to flee, but Pupil gloated he’d gained a great deal of intel on Firestorm to share with his associate. Stein said he was still dying, and told Jason to give up on him, but Jason wanted him to start thinking and stop indulging in self-pity. Stein remembered Pupil had used a cellular scanner on him, and Firestorm used it to restore his body at a molecular level. Stein then broke Firehawk from the matrix, and restored himself as the principle matrix partner. Lorraine was overjoyed, and left for Washington, but not before telling Gehenna that Jason had put Stein ahead of her. Gehenna confronted Jason, told him she didn’t like what she saw in him, and stormed off. The next night Jason agreed to meet his dad at his uncles house in Flushing, and was shocked when his father and his mother were there waiting for him.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #28, 29) - Jason’s mother told him she’d been living in New Orleans with a man who was bad to her, and she lost everything after hurricane Katrina. She’d returned to try and make her family work again, but Jason was having none of it, saying she was being presumptuous thinking he ever wanted to see her again. He snapped at his father, saying most of their issues had been caused by his mom leaving, and he couldn’t believe he was dating her again. Alvin told him he’d come to accept the new situation, and Jason left, saying he needed time to think. Gehenna wouldn’t answer Jason’s calls, so he convinced the Professor to join him as Firestorm and sweep the lab where she was born for clues about where her father disappeared to. They encountered a creature made of quark-gluon plasma guarding the lab, and defeated it, but found no clues, and Jason concluded that Gehenna’s father was just another deadbeat dad. Stein finally got Jason to open up about the family issues he was having, even though he had no similar experiences because he’d kept himself so distant from other people. Firehawk greeted Jason and Stein and introduced Pozhar, a former member of the Firestorm-matrix who’d regained his powers. Before they could get to talking they were attacked by a horde of Dollies. The heroes defeated them by combining their powers, and Stein realized there was a connection between the Dollies, the Pionic Man and the monster they fought in Montana. He suspected that whoever created them was the mastermind behind the nuclear accidents occurring worldwide over the past year. He planned on working out the details, and Jason traveled to Queens to have another talk with his father. He was scared witless at showing up late, but when Alvin started yelling he remembered how awful a father he’d been, and how not that long ago he wanted Jason far away from him. Alvin admitted that he couldn’t afford house payments after Jason left, and was about to be homeless, but Jason didn’t care. Alvin tried to punch him, and Jason bloodied him with a nuclear punch. They were both shocked, and Jason left. The next day Firestorm, Firehawk and Pozhar traveled to S.T.A.R. Labs to see what they could learn from the Pionic Man.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #30, 31) - Pionic Man turned out to be grateful for his current condition, and gave Firestorm a hug. He revealed that his benefactor never gave his name, but operated out of a Hewitt Enterprises on the Brooklyn waterfront. Jason insisted on making things right with Gehenna, so he separated from Stein, who told him they could candle the investigation for a while. Stein, Pozhar and Reilley visited Hewitt Enterprises, run by Victor Hewitt, son of old Firestorm nemesis Tokamak, and he assured them he didn’t share his father’s vendetta, and that his company no longer did nuclear research. Jason found Gehenna in a diner, and they apologized to each other, him for ignoring the most important person in his life, and she for acting like a child. They reconciled, and Gehenna asked to be included on the adventure he was on. They investigated an upstate lab that Stein was suspicious of, and fought off more plasma monsters before discovering resting chambers that looked familiar to Gehenna. She said she had her accelerated childhood in such a place, and Jason snapped, believing her to be part of the master villains plans. He reached out to Stein and formed Firestorm, slamming her against a wall and demanding to know if she was a spy. Stein was horrified, he told Jason to let her go and stop acting like the bully his father was. Jason calmed down, and realized Gehenna had always been truthful with him. When she described her father, Firestorm realized he was Tokamak. The heroes reconvened at Hewitt Enterprises, where Tokamak, the Pupil and the Dollies were waiting. Tokamak revealed he’d been posing as his own son, in actuality he was a clone. He was detonating explosives set in nuclear power plants around the world, and using a giant energy-collecting Dollie orbiting Earth to transfer the power to himself. He said he planned on bringing the planet to the brink of destruction with a nuclear blast from his own body to warn people against nuclear proliferation. He used a trigger word to bring Firehawk under his command; a power he had over all his creations. Firestorm made her snap out of it by reminding her of her Central Park speech about fighting men of power. Firestorm added Firehawk to the matrix, and Tokamak told them the nuclear energy flooding into him was keyed to his DNA, so even if they killed him he’d still win. Jason remembered that the Firestorm matrix had its own DNA, and hoped that Tokamak and his clone’s matrix did as well. Against Stein’s warning that it was unethical to use their power on a person he separated Tokamak, who was still dying of radiation poison9ing after his final confrontation with the original Firestorm. He died in Firestorm’s arms, amazed that he’d been defeated. His dying words were that he knew Jason Rusch, who he was, and why he became Firestorm, and with his death Jason would never know.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #32) - Stein was incredibly upset with Jason for how he’d handled Tokamak, and refused to speak to him for a bit. On New Year’s Eve Jason formed Firestorm with Lorraine and cleaned up the Dollies in space and sent them to S.T.A.R. He checked in on the last Dollie, the one that saved Gehenna, and he was working on finding an apartment with the Pionic Man. They wanted a sedate life, and Firestorm figured they weren’t doing anyone any harm. Lorraine and Gehenna both asked Jason about his dad, but he still hadn’t had a desire to talk to him. Gehenna told Jason she forgave him for causing her clone father’s death, and she wanted to break in the New Year at Times Square with him. He agreed if he could figure out why the weather was so fierce and erratic first. Stein relented and agreed to talk with him. He knew there was probably no other way of dealing with Tokamak, but he wanted Jason to think his actions through, and remember that everything had a consequence. Stein revealed that tampering with organic matter had weakened the Firestorm matrix, making Jason and himself ill, and it had caused a few wormholes to open up that were affecting the weather. As Firestorm they sealed up the closest wormhole, returning the weather to normal. Jason finally called his father and had a cordial conversation, even though they didn’t have much to say to each other. Jason, Stein and Gehenna rang in the new year, and Jason was happy to be with the people he considered his family.

(Firestorm: The Nuclear Man II #33-35) - Firestorm confronted the Christian Identity Front, a supremacist group dedicated to removing black and Jewish judges from the bench. Firestorm easily handled them, but Stein criticized Jason for being frivolous with his powers, using a giant jack-in-the-box as a gag, and turning the rascist’s guns into peanut butter. He said Ronnie was never that bad, and Jason reminded him that he was sick of hearing about Ronnie. Jason and Stein split up, and Jason went to make a date with Gehenna. Upon arriving home they were met by Mr. Miracle, who’d broken into Jason’s apartment. Miracle warned him that the New Gods of Apokolips were interested in Prof. Stein because of his research into describing the Firestorm matrix. Jason summoned Stein, and Miracle told Stein there would be a battle for his soul. Orion of the New Gods arrived, demanding Stein come with him because his work had unlocked a part of the anti-life equation, which Darkseid coveted. He refused to listen to reason, so he fought with Firestorm, who subdued him by turning the air around him into metal. Darkseid’s Female Furies showed up to claim Stein, and Lashina managed to choke out Firestorm with her whip, while the others subdued Miracle. They opened up a Boom Tube to Apokolips when Gehenna arrived with Firehawk, telling them no one messed with her boyfriend. Lashina dove into the Boom Tube with Firestorm while the heroes defeated the other Furies. Firestorm recovered long enough to get the drop on Lashina and return to Earth. Metron appeared inside the Firestorm-matrix, and revealed that Stein had not unlocked anti-life, but life itself in understanding the elemental nature of Firestorm. The full life equation would threaten Darkseid, and Metron warned that the villsin wouldn’t rest until Stein was in his clutches. Darkseid sent his son Kalibak to Earth to claim Stein, and he was accompanied by Parademons that wrecked havoc in Manhattan. Kalibak attacked Firehawk, and threatened to kill her, so Firestorm distracted him, allowing Firehawk to escape. Stein added her to the matrix, and told her to drive a mile away from the conflict. Firestorm and Kalibak clashed, and when Firehawk was a mile away her unstable connection to the matrix caused a nuclear explosion, knocking out Kalibak. Firestorm created a star to send the Parademons away, and the day seemed won until Darkseid appeared, told Firestorm he was tired of playing games, and broke the matrix, grabbed Stein, and escaped through a Boom Tube. Gehenna asked Jason to form the matrix so they could save Stein as Firestorm. Jason knew she was aware of the risk, so they became Firestorm, and went off in search of Stein.

(Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman-Prime #1) - An army of Earth’s heroes, including Firestorm, appeared to take Superboy-Prime down during the Sinestro Corps invasion of Earth. The heroes focused on wrecking his armor, because after a year on Oa, and away from a yellow sun his Kryptonian body still wasn’t at full strength, and his armor collected sunlight. Superboy bragged that once the sun rose on Earth he’d be at full power. Superboy was battered by Wonder Girl and Wonder Woman, who blamed him for Superboy’s death, as well as Supergirl and Power Girl, who blamed him for the death of the Superman of Earth-2. As the fight went against him, Superboy broke down in tears. He tried to wipe them away, saying that it was impossible foir boys to cry, and then whining that no one ever thanked him for sacrificing his Earth to save the multiverse. The battle lasted until dawn, and he flew into the sunrise. As he achieved full power he declared himself the one, true Superman. The Guardians arrived with Sodam Yat, the new Ion, and pitted him against Superboy-Prime.

(Green Lantern IV #25) - The Sinestro Corps War raged on Earth, and while Firestorm and an army of superheroes battled the Corps the Anti-Monitor prepared to unleash an anti-matter wave to destroy Earth. With Earth’s destruction, the entire 52 would fall, and he would once again rule all that was. The GLC ruptured the heart of Anti-Monitor’s Warworld, the Sinestro Corps central power battery, and created a shield around Warworld and the Monitor. The ensuing blast nearly destroyed the Anti-Monitor, and he was finished off by Superman-Prime, who betrayed him for having destroyed his home, Earth-Prime. GL Hal Jordan defeated Sinestro in personal combat, and the Sinestro Corps, lacking any leadership, fled Earth. The heroes rejoiced and began rebuilding the damage the Sinestro Corps did.

(Titans II #9, 10) - Jericho possessed Green Lantern Hal Jordan and tried to kill the candidates for president, but the Justice League foiled him. Jericho fled to Titans headquarters, possessing Nightwing, but the League was right behind him, and demanded that the Titans release the villain into their custody. Jericho panicked and jumped into Flash’s body and vibrated out of Titan headquarters, but he couldn’t evade the Justice League. The Titans joined the League in battling Jericho as he leapt from body to body, until he ended up in Superman. Previously he would never have been able to enter Superman’s mind, but his power had grown immensely. He still wasn’t strong enough to take control of Superman, who expelled his astral form from his mind. Jericho’s astral form dissipated into the wind.

Comments: Created by Dan Jolley & ChrisCross

Firestorm Jason had a cameo in JLA #19 and Justice League of America II #1