THIS WEEK: DC’s Next Level lineup expands with the debut of Jeff Lemire and Rafael De Latorre’s The Fury of Firestorm!
Note: the review below may contain spoilers. If you want a quick, spoiler-free buy/pass recommendation on the comics in question, check out the bottom of the article for our final verdict.
The Fury of Firestorm #1
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Rafael De Latorre
Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
Cover Artists: Rafael De Latorre & Marcelo Maiolo
There’s perhaps no better fit for DC’s Next Level initiative than Firestorm. He’s a fan-favorite character who was a marquee player in the DCU as a member of the Justice League and the star of a long-running ongoing series in the ‘80s, but who has largely kicked around on the periphery of the universe since then. He’s died, been replaced, returned…basically the full superhero lifecycle. A reboot as part of Next Level is a great opportunity for creators with a specific vision for the character to introduce him to a new generation of readers, and remind existing readers of what they like about him to begin with. Jeff Lemire and Rafael De Latorre’s The Fury of Firestorm #1 does exactly that, and it’s a fantastic debut for the series.
The team immediately creates an unsettling vibe in the issue’s opening pages. Lemire’s narrative captions evoke both the Biblical creation of the universe in Genesis and the tone of a child’s storybook. It’s a jarring mash-up that makes the whole thing feel more than a little off. De Latorre’s linework in these pages is fantastic, presenting Firestorm’s tinkering with the residents of a small Colorado town in escalatingly horrific fashion. Colorist Marcelo Maiolo amplifies the horror of the pages, going from a realistic palette to more muted tones that then erupt in fire as the sequence concludes. It’s a spectacular way to open a first issue, clearly establishing high stakes for the series and an interesting mystery to be solved.
From there Lemire, De Latorre, and co. bring back a key member of Firestorm’s supporting cast, Lorraine Reilly, aka Firehawk. Through her and her military escorts, readers are filled in on the pertinent details of Firestorm’s backstory. The exposition is handled well, slotted into the story smartly and without disrupting the flow of what’s happening. It also raises a lot of questions that could conceivably lead readers to the character’s back catalog, of which there’s sadly not a lot available outside of DC’s app (hopefully the DC Finest line will change that).
There are still a pair of players not yet in place: Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein, the two people who have traditionally fused to form Firestorm. Their introduction comes during an inspired set of pages towards the end of the issue that spotlights the strength of De Latorre and Maiolo’s collaboration. The two recreate the visual style of Firestorm’s ‘80s ongoing series for a sequence that, along with Lemire’s retro writing, feels like it could have been pulled directly from one of those old comics. It’s a fun meta moment that works well in juxtaposition to the rest of the issue.
DC’s Next Level initiative is off to a great start, and The Fury of Firestorm #1 is another strong entry into that line. Lemire’s script is intriguing and ominous, and De Latorre and Maiolo’s artwork is excellent throughout. Among another week of high-quality output from DC, this book is a clear standout.
Final Verdict: BUY.
Round-Up
- The Reign of the Superboys continues with a pair of titles this week. Back in the past, Action Comics #1097 has Superboy teaming up with the time-travelling Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, and Booster Gold against a classic Justice League villain. Mark Waid has fun with potential paradoxes, and Skyler Patridge grounds the big sci-fi action in the quieter scenes on the Kent farm.
- Meanwhile, in the present, Supergirl #12 picks up where last issue left off, with a badly-injured Supergirl getting some unexpected enhancements from a Kandorian scientist. Thankfully Reign of the Superboys has barely touched this series, with Connor Kent sitting on the sidelines while Supergirl remains the focus of her own book. Sophie Campbell‘s work on this book has been consistently great and this issue is no exception as it deals with the fallout of what’s been done to Supergirl and whether anyone in Kandor can be trusted.
- With Aquaman’s newly-expanded mission to protect all of the seas, not just those on Earth, Jeremy Adams and John Timms present a fun look at just how that works in Emperor Aquaman #16. Timms’s alien designs are creepy and effective, and Adams seems to be having a blast expanding on just what Aquaman is capable of now. I never expected to look forward to reading an Aquaman comic each month, but here we are.
- Over in Vertigoville, Bleeding Hearts #3 continues Deniz Camp and Stipan Morian‘s offbeat zombie apocalypse tale. There’s a really fun new wrinkle added in this issue that was completely unexpected but also makes total sense, and it’s the kind of no-brainer idea (no pun intended for a zombie comic) that Camp is so good at incorporating in fun and inventive ways. Morian’s artwork is absolutely fantastic, highly stylized while also being energetic and easy to follow. This is also just such a heartfelt comic, and the characters are so endearing. If you’re not reading this one already, do yourself a favor.
Miss any of our earlier reviews? Find them all in our full archive! And check out all of the Beat’s most recent comics reviews!
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