Reviewer: John Babos
Story Title: Eye Contact (part 2) or Burning Man 1 (from cover)
Firestorm created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom
Written by: Dan Jolley
Pencils by: ChrisCross
Inks by: Dan Green
Colors by: Chris Sotomayor
Letters by: Phil Balsman
Assoc. Editor: Steve Wacker
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Publisher: DC Comics
Dan Jolley captures very realistic and human voices with his writing. His characters are easily distinguishable and, clearly, have different motivations, wants, and desires.
ChrisCross is a great penciller (with an odd name) whose work on Firestorm so far has been dynamic and full of energy.
With inker Dan Green, and the remainder of the creative team, Firestorm might just well be the most solid book on the stands from cover-to-cover, from writer to letterer.
I’m just glad that a character with such a rich history as Firestorm seems quite accessible to a new generation of fans as well as veteran ones. I know that the revamp of the character and launch of a new series has generated some controversy among veteran fans as Ron Raymond is longer the fire-bearer, but change is good. I also understand that there is an in-continuity explanation coming, so anyone that thinks this is a Doom Patrol like reboot should have their fears allayed… soon… maybe.
This issue picks from the events of last issue and a young conflicted boy’s journey through his teen years. Jason has so much to deal with like school, holding down a job, caring for his father, and so many other things. He’s strapped for cash and gets mixed up with the wrong crowd. (Wow, this could very easily be the story of the youth of my Near Mint Memory co-writer Chris Delloiacono…. just kidding… really) What complicates things more for Jason is being gifted with the power of Firestorm. However, unlike his predecessor, the one that debuted in 1978 not the Fire Elemental (wow, that is a story for another day), as opposed to two fixed bodies making up the hero, Jason appears to be able to bond to anyone. That’s cool with writer Dan Jolley throwing a twist in already as this issue has Jason bonding with someone who wants to see him dead… now that’s some serious conflict.
While the first issue was slow moving with little “Firestorm†and lots of “Jasonâ€, seemingly in an attempt for us to care about the boy before he becomes a hero, the second issue has a lot more superhero action as well as the cerebral writing of Dan Jolley and the awesome art of ChrisCross.
I’m also quite pleased that vintage Firestorm creators, Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom, get their props at the beginning of the issue. Excellent.
Pick this up while you can. Many of the comic shoppes in my area are down to one or two issues and in some cases are sold out.
