Hey Ronnie, your trust in your relationship is to be commended!  You’re quite the catch, Mr. Raymond!  Any girl would be luck to have you… Not!

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Below you’ll see the solicited artwork from 2005 for those individual issues, and then the final covers.  You’ll notice the coloring on the final two covers changed dramatically between the time of solicitation and the final product.

Here is the official solicitation.  Be sure to tell your local comic book shop to order this for you, don’t assume they’ll stock it otherwise.  At $7.99 they may not order many copies for the shelf.

DC COMICS PRESENTS: BRIGHTEST DAY #2

Written by JOHN OSTRANDER and DAN JOLLEY; Art by BRYAN HITCH, PAUL NEARY, DALE EAGLESHAM, WADE VON GRAWBADGER, JAMAL IGLE, ROB STULL, LARY STUCKER, DOUG MAHNKE and PATRICK GLEASON; Cover by IVAN REIS and OCLAIR ALBERT

Spotlighting Martian Manhunter and Firestorm – two heroes who returned after BLACKEST NIGHT as the BRIGHTEST DAY dawned in the DC Universe! First, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold guest-star in a story from MARTIAN MANHUNTER #24, while three travelers seek answers on Mars in the distant future in a tale from issue #11. Then, in an epic from FIRESTORM #11-13, Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond clash for the first time as they battle some of their greatest foes.

96pg. | Color | $7.99 US | On Sale November 10, 2010

You really can’t lose with this collection – Jason Rusch meeting Ronnie Raymond for the first time! Artwork by Dale Eaglesham and Jamal Igle! John Ostrander’s writing! Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and Martian Manhunter!  This collection is a win-win all the way around!  I can’t wait!

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• If you haven’t read Brightest Day #7 yet (shipped on August 4), stop what you are doing and go read it right now.  Ronnie discovered the reason he was resurrected and we got quite a surprise regarding Ronnie and Jason’s relationship as Firestorm.

• Last week we promoted the Brightest Day #8 White Lantern Firestorm Variant Cover.  Turns out that was just one slice of an epic piece of Brightest Day art by Ryan Sook, with Fernando Pasarin and Joel Gomez (and guidance from Jim Lee).  Click here for more information from DC Universe: The Source blog.  Click the image below to enlarge.

• Last month we reported on the DC Direct Brightest Day Firestorm action figure.  DC Direct has now officially solicited the figure for an April 6, 2011 release.  Also, a few more detailed images of the figure have become available.  I’m really looking forward to this figure!

The shot below was found via ActionFigurePics.com.

• DC has unveiled the variant cover to Brightest Day #10.  It features Firestorm and is drawn by Ivan Reis.  It looks to me that Firestorm in this picture is thinking, “Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! I totally didn’t mean to do that!”

SOLICITATIONS FOR UPCOMING ISSUES OF BRIGHTEST DAY:

Brightest Day #9 (on sale Sept. 1) and Brightest Day #10 (on sale Sept. 15)
The resurrected have discovered their purpose for being back, but where will the knowledge lead them? Who is the new Aqualad? And what strange event is taking place around the White Power Battery in New Mexico?

Brightest Day #11 (on sale Oct. 6) and Brightest Day #12 (on sale Oct. 20)
The return of the Black Lanterns! Has time run out for our resurrected heroes? Plus, you must not miss the stunning origin of the new Aqualad, the battle between Aquaman and Black Manta, and the bizarre journey of Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond as they delve into the inner workings of the Firestorm matrix and uncover its secret!

Brightest Day #13 (on sale Nov. 3) and Brightest Day #14 (on sale Nov. 17)
The search for a new White Lantern. And Martian Manhunter returns to Mars as we discover the origin of the creature mysteriously stalking him. Plus, the evil within Firestorm now haunts Professor Stein! And Hawkman: betrayed!

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It appears that each of the “See & Read” adventures featured heroes from the first and second wave of Super Powers action figures.  Today we’re going to look at the second in the series entitled, Darkseid… of the Moon . The story was written by Andy Helfer and drawn by Alex Saviuk and Mike Manley.  In this tale, they reuse some of the story ideas from the Super Powers mini-comics.  For example, there is a bit in the “See & Read” story where Firestorm defeats Mantis by creating Kryptonite just as he did in his Super Powers mini-comic.

Here is the cover to the Super Powers: Darkseid… of the Moon “See & Read” record.

Here is the cover to the Super Powers: Darkseid… of the Moon “See & Read” VHS cassette.

Here are scans from several of the pages of Super Powers: Darkseid… of the Moon “See & Read” book.

Artwork from the “See & Read” book found on Comic Art Community.

Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, you can watch the entire VHS of Super Powers: Darkseid… of the Moon.  Check them out!

If you can’t view the embedded videos above, please click here, here, and here.

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Both feature a reproduction of the cover to Justice League of America #217 as drawn by the amazing George Perez.  Here is a better shot of the spiral notebook.

Below you’ll find a close-up of Firestorm from these pieces of merchandise.

While they are not Firestorm-specific pieces, I’m thrilled to see him on any merchandise.  How cool is it that there are kids going to school this year with Firestorm on their notebook?!?!?  That makes me happy!

A very special thanks to Patrick Wait for sending me information on these school supplies!

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Image found on the DC Comics Source Blog.  The description of the issue doesn’t mention Firestorm, but we can hope he’ll have something to do based upon the cover.

Writers Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi continue to turn up the pressure on our heroes, as the Hawks face separate danger in Hawkworld. Who is Queen Shrike? And Miss Martian aids the Martian Manhunter in making a startling discovery. All this while more clues surrounding the mysterious White Lantern are hinted at. Plus, where’d Deadman and Dove go?

I like Scott Clark’s White Lantern Firestorm better (from Brightest Day #7), but I’m thrilled that Firestorm got the cover!

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First one up is a guest strip from the web comic Shortpacked! Strip by David Henyon and Matt Karpowich.

The next web comic comes from Gutters.  Strip by Corey Kramer and Robert C. Tracy.  My thanks to our good buddy Jon over at the Fizzit blog for sending this my way.

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We’ve got a special treat for you today… a crossover!  Everybody loves a crossover!  Today we’ve teamed up with our good friend Rob from THE AQUAMAN SHRINE to tackle some unresolved issues between Firestorm and Aquaman that have been festering for nearly 30 years.  As I’ll demonstrate below, the problems between these two heroes really resulted from the Flash’s unnecessary interference.  With Arthur Curry, Ronnie Raymond, and Barry Allen all alive and kicking again, we thought it was high time we brought these issues to light.  Since all three heroes are involved in Brightest Day, it’s only a matter of time until these deep-seated frustrations boil over.

Justice League of America #193

It all started back in 1981 in Justice League of America #193.  Red Tornado’s creator, T.O. Morrow, had stolen the android and the JLA had spread out looking for him. Aquaman managed to locate Morrow’s hideout and leapt in to rescue Reddy.  Unfortunately for the Sea King…

Not only did Morrow blast Aquaman through the wall and into the harbor, he left the Sea King encased in some sort of crystalline prison. Green Lantern recovers Aquaman and the team brings him to the JLA Satellite where they set about trying to save him.  Wonder Woman takes the lead on freeing Aquaman from the crystalline before it’s too late.

While the team observes Wonder Woman’s progress, Firestorm speaks his mind and offends the Flash…

Flash’s rant continued for another half-page.  Flash’s main argument was that JLA members should give everything they have for their teammates, all the while implying that Firestorm wasn’t doing so.  All of this because Ronnie expressed his doubts about Aquaman surviving Morrow’s attack.  Flash’s superior attitude about service to the JLA falls flat because in the middle of a crisis a few pages earlier Flash was doing speed tricks with a Rubik’s Cube to impress the team.  Nice Barry, real nice.

Considering the power of Morrow’s blast and the resulting lack of oxygen inside the crystalline, I don’t think Ronnie’s suspicion was that unreasonable.  Sure he had a “glass half-empty” perspective, but the worst his comment could have done was bring down morale a little.  It seems to me that Mr. “I started the Silver Age” was taking out his frustration about Aquaman’s situation on the new guy.  It’s the equivalent of a playground bully having a bad day and taking it out on a younger child.  FLASH FACT: it’s called transference, Barry.  Look it up.

This probably comes as no shock to you, but Wonder Woman managed to free Aquaman and save the Sea King’s life.  Oh yeah… did I mention the rest of the JLA got knocked out at the end of the issue and Firestorm SAVED THE DAY?  Hmmm… stick that in your winged booties twinkle-toes.

Justice League of America #203

Now let’s jump forward ten issues to Justice League of America #203.  The issue starts with Firestorm and Aquaman on a training mission, but then the Sea King decides to teach Ronnie a lesson.

I managed to get my hands on an early draft of the script for this issue. I’ve included here the bits that ended up on Editor Len Wein’s cutting room floor.

Here is a bit from the original draft that didn’t make into the final product…

Page 1 – Splash Page (no pun intended)
Firestorm thought balloon: Oh geez, Aquaman is trying to show me how cool he is again. This guy is seriously suffering through a mid-life crisis. Old people are always trying to prove they’re still hip to us teenagers.  I mean, seaweed reins and two dolphins? C’mon, a real Sea King should be riding a great white shark.

More thought balloons that didn’t make it into the final product…

Page 2, Panel 1
Firestorm thought balloon: I wouldn’t even be here if Martian Manhunter hadn’t made me promise to be nice to Aquaman.*  Apparently, Martian Green-Genes has a soft spot for the Sea King.

* NOTE: Martian Manhunter and Firestorm met recently in JLA #200 – Editor Len

Page 2, Panel 5
Firestorm thought balloon: Hmmmm… If let Aquaman think he’s teaching me a lesson, maybe he’ll invite me around his place more often. Then I can make some time with his super-foxy wife, Mera.  Yeah… I’ll pretend like this wave surprised me.

… so it appears that Aquaman managed to take down Firestorm with a bunch of flying fish.  However, in reality we know the Nuclear Man took a fall in an effort to get closer to Mera.  I mean, who wouldn’t right?

When you look at both events together, it becomes clear that Aquaman dunked Firestorm in #203 because of the Nuclear Man’s pessimism about the Sea King’s survival in #193.  Now think about this for a minute… Aquaman was unconscious in #193, so how did he find out about Firestorm’s comment?  Yup, that’s right.  Flash must have ran to Aquaman like some troublemaking schoolgirl and tattled on the Nuclear Man.  I’m sure Barry spun the story to his liking, making Firestorm out to be a terrible person.  So the deep-seated frustrations between Aquaman and Firestorm are actually all Flash’s fault.  These incidents together have caused three decades of uneasiness between these two great heroes, and neither realizes it’s all due to Flash’s busybody nature.

What should we take away from this?

• Firestorm speaks his mind and isn’t always sensitive to the feelings of others.
• Aquaman can hold a grudge.  Don’t cross the Sea King.
• Flash is a troublemaker.  If you’re going to say something about one of your co-workers, be sure Barry isn’t within earshot.

Now this is just my take on the situation. Be sure to head over to THE AQUAMAN SHRINE today to read Rob’s take on this super-drama.  My thanks to Rob for suggesting today’s crossover!

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Here is the standard edition cover to Fury of Firestorm #61:

Here is the variant edition cover to Fury of Firestorm #61 along with the “Superman Comics” logo:

Here is a close-up of the “Superman Comics” logo.

Interesting that they chose Firestorm.  Anyone out there actually remember seeing this “Superman Comics” edition on the shelves?  If you’ve got a copy of the “Superman Comics” edition, let us know you lucky geek!

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Today we’re featuring an unusual and hilarious item – a song about Firestorm the Nuclear Man!  The SpinTunes blog started a song-writing competition back in June. The first round challenge was called, “I’m A Marvel, And I’m A DC”.  Contestants had to write a song from the point-of-view of a superhero or supervillian. All of these song entries were then combined into a single 23-track album.

Bryce Jensen wrote the comical song, Dearest Firestorm (Love, Multiplex).  You should be able to play the song through the embedded player below.  If you’re unable to use the embedded player below, please click here to visit the relevant SpinTunes page.

Here are the lyrics for you to follow along:

Since that day back at the plant we’ve been the worst of foes
The silly hero/villain thing always brings us to blows
Finally we’ve realized just what you mean to us
We’ve fallen for both of you and it’s time we made a fuss

Maybe Ron and Marty act as if neither is keen
But when you get together you make one big flamin’ queen
We can tell you’re into us, you just can’t hide what’s true
So bring yourselves right over and we’ll get into you two

We could catch a movie (oh yeah)
And dinner would be groovy (oh yeah)
Go site-seeing at juvie (oh yeah)
Hey, whatever turns you on

If you’d only search your souls, you two would surely see
That you and you are truly meant for me and me and me

Don’t let our appearance fool you, we’re still dear old Dan
And we’ll love you in ways you never could be by one man
Secrecy is fine if you can’t set ego aside
But when we’re all together you’ll swallow more than your pride

There’s a place we could go (oh yeah)
To keep it on the down low (oh yeah)
And no one ever need know (oh yeah)
Just think of us when we’re gone (oh yeah)

If you’d only search your souls, you two would surely see
That you and you are truly meant for me and me and me
And me and me and me and me and me

Wasn’t that freakin’ hilarious!  I received a quick note from the song writer wanting to reassure FIRESTORM FAN readers that this song was simply meant to be a bit of fun.  It was not meant to mock or disrespect the characters or their fans at all.

Be sure to check out the entire “I’m A Marvel, And I’m A DC” SpinTunes album by clicking here.  Some other favorites from this album include:

• A Letter To Humanity by Edric Haleen
• The Human Bomb by Godz Poodlz
• The Memoirs Of Clockwork Man by Caleb Hines
• Gamma Man by Steve Durand
• Underdog Blues by Ryan Welton
• Save The World by Dr. Lindyke

Fun stuff! Be sure to check them out!

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