Ronnie Raymond

The first Firestorm series was short-lived, canceled abruptly in a company-wide cutback (the "DC Implosion")Conway, Gerry. "Nuclear Reactions: Just Your Average Hot-Headed Hero," The Fury of Firestorm #1 (June 1982). with #5 (the first part of a multiple-issue story) the last to be distributed, and #6 included in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade. Gerry Conway added Firestorm to the roster of Justice League of America. This led to a series of eight-page stories in the back of The Flash (with art by George Pérez), and a revival of a monthly Firestorm comic in 1982. The Fury of Firestorm (later called Firestorm the Nuclear Man) lasted from 1982 until 1990.

Ronnie Raymond was killed by Shadow Thief during the Identity Crisis event in 2004 and succeeded by Jason Rusch. Raymond was resurrected in the Brightest Day event in 2010, with both him and Rusch appearing as Firestorm in The New 52 series The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men. The series was written by Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver and drawn by Yıldıray Çınar.

The original Firestorm was distinguished by his integrated dual identity. High school student Ronnie Raymond and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Martin Stein were caught in an accident that allowed them to fuse into Firestorm the Nuclear Man. Due to Stein being unconscious during the accident, Raymond was prominently in command of the Firestorm form with Stein a voice of reason inside his mind, able to offer Ronnie advice on how to use their powers without actually having any control over their dual form. Banter between the two was a hallmark of their adventures. Stein was initially completely unaware of their dual identity, leaving him concerned about his unusual disappearances and blackouts, but Ronnie was eventually able to convince Stein of the truth, allowing them to bond as separate individuals rather than as parts of a whole.

After the accident, Firestorm took to defending New York City from such threats as Multiplex and Killer Frost. The 1982 series began with the teenaged Raymond adjusting to his newfound role and later delved into the issue of the nuclear arms race. The Fury of Firestorm slowly developed the lives of Raymond and Stein, as the teenager struggled with high school and moved towards graduation and the scientist found a life outside the lab after learning about his bond with Raymond. A second nuclear hero, Firehawk, was added as a love interest for Firestorm in 1984. In the same year, the character of Felicity Smoak was introduced, initially having a combative relationship with Raymond, but eventually becoming his stepmother following her marriage to his father Ed.{{cite web|url= http://comicsalliance.com/tags/felicity-smoak/|title= Gerry Conway Starts Blog Aimed At Fair Compensation For DC Character Creators|first= Matt D.|last= Wilson|date= July 1, 2013|publisher= ComicsAlliance|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150906085511/http://comicsalliance.com/gerry-conway-blog-dc-comics-character-fair-compensation-fans/|archive-date= September 6, 2015|url-status= dead|quote= Gerry Conway, the writer who co-created the character with artist Rafael Kayanan in a 1984 issue of Firestorm.}} The series also tried to create a sense of fun, something that Gerry Conway felt was missing during his years writing Spider-Man; the banter between Raymond and Stein contributed to this. Upon graduation from high school, Raymond entered college in Pittsburgh, where Stein had been hired as a professor. Afterward, together they searched for a cure for their bond.

When Conway left the series in 1986, John Ostrander (with artist Joe Brozowski) began writing the Firestorm stories. His first major story arc pitted Firestorm against the world as he attempts to make the United States and the Soviet Union destroy their nuclear weapons. Firestorm and Pozhar are fused after being hit by a nuclear bomb and transformed into a new Firestorm controlled by Stein's amnesiac mind.Firestorm (vol. 2) #64 - 69 (October 1987 - March 1988)

The Firestorm form with Arkadin proved to be a transitional phase, as in 1989 Ostrander fundamentally changed the character of Firestorm by revealing that Firestorm was a "Fire Elemental". Firestorm now became something of an environmental crusader, formed from Raymond, Arkadin and Svarozhich, a Soviet clone of the previous Firestorm, but with a new mind. New artist Tom Mandrake would create a new look to match. It was during this phase that Firestorm meets Shango and the Orishas, the elemental gods of Nigeria.

By the series' 100th issue, Stein learned that he was destined to be the true Fire Elemental and would have been were it not for Raymond also being there by circumstance. Raymond and Arkadin were returned to their old lives, and Stein as Firestorm was accidentally exiled to deep space in the process of saving Earth. He thereafter spent many years traveling through space as a wanderer, rarely returning to Earth.

After the transition to the elemental Firestorm, all of the main characters from the series vanished from the comics for some time after the cancellation of the Firestorm comic in 1990. Raymond eventually returned in the pages of Extreme Justice.{{Citation | last = Beatty | first = Scott | author-link = Scott Beatty | contribution = Extreme Justice | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The DC Comics Encyclopedia | page = 117 | publisher = Dorling Kindersley | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-7566-4119-1 | oclc = 213309017}} Raymond, at the time undergoing treatment for leukemia, regained his original powers after a chemotherapy session. It took the combined might of the Justice League led by Captain Atom and the returned elemental Firestorm to restore Ronnie's health. Firestorm began to appear regularly in a number of DC titles, though lacking the guidance and knowledge necessary to use his skills wisely. Firestorm joins a backup Justice League team as well as Power Company.

In Identity Crisis, Ronnie is killed by Shadow Thief, with Jason Rusch succeeding him as Firestorm.Identity Crisis #5 (December 2004) In Blackest Night, Ronnie is revived as a Black Lantern and kills Gehenna. In Brightest Day, Ronnie is fully resurrected by the Life Entity and works with Jason to stop Deathstorm from destroying the universe. Deathstorm kills Stein during the battle, and the Life Entity refuses to resurrect him.Brightest Day #22 - #24 (March - April 2011)

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Ronnie Raymond is a high school football player and is uninvolved with Martin Stein.{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=109}} During a terrorist attack on their school, Ronnie and his classmate Jason Rusch obtain Stein's "God Particle" and gain the ability to transform into separate Firestorms.The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #1 (September 2011)

In Doomsday Clock, Doctor Manhattan informs Ronnie that Stein deliberately transformed the two into Firestorm to study metahumans.{{Cite web |last=Yaws |first=Jay |date=March 6, 2019 |title=Doomsday Clock #9 review |url=https://batman-news.com/2019/03/06/doomsday-clock-9-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117213618/https://batman-news.com/2019/03/06/doomsday-clock-9-review/ |archive-date=January 17, 2021 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=Batman News |language=en-US}} Despite this, the two continue to work together until Lazarus Pit resin corrupts the Firestorm matrix and causes Stein to age rapidly.{{Cite web |last=Ray |first=Aaron |date=January 31, 2023 |title=Lazarus Planet: Legends Reborn #1 review |url=https://batman-news.com/2023/01/31/lazarus-planet-legends-reborn-1-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131215107/https://batman-news.com/2023/01/31/lazarus-planet-legends-reborn-1-review/ |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=Batman News |language=en-US}}

{{Main|Firestorm (character)#Powers and abilities}}

• An alternate universe variant of Ronnie Raymond makes a cameo appearance in JLA: The Nail as a captive of Cadmus Labs.JLA: The Nail #2–3 (September - October 1998)
• Quantum-Storm, an alternate universe variant of Ronnie Raymond from Earth-37 amalgamated with Captain Atom, appears in Countdown: Arena.Countdown: Arena #1 (February 2008)
• Firestork, a funny animal incarnation of Firestorm, appears in "Just'a Lotta Animals".Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew! #14 (April 1983)
• An alternate universe variant of Ronnie Raymond appears in the Flashpoint event.Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #1 (June 2011)

{{See also|Firestorm (character)#In other media}}

File:Firestorm Flash.jpg as Ronnie Raymond/Firestorm with Victor Garber as Martin Stein in the background]]

• Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears in Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, voiced by Mark L. Taylor. This version is a member of the Justice League who gained his powers from a molecular fusion experiment conducted by Martin Stein that went awry.
• Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, voiced again by Mark L. Taylor. This version is a member of the Justice League.
• Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm was planned to appear in Justice League Unlimited, with writer/producer Dwayne McDuffie stating that the series' creators had permission from DC Comics to use the character, but were unable to come up with a story that they liked.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Later on, it was stated that the character was intended to be the focus of "The Greatest Story Never Told", but was replaced with Booster Gold.{{cite web |title=The Justice League Watchtower: The Greatest Story Never Told |url=http://jl.toonzone.net/episode33/episode33.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509103536/http://jl.toonzone.net/episode33/episode33.htm |archive-date=May 9, 2007 |access-date=March 17, 2024 |website=Jl.toonzone.net}}
• Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Bill Fagerbakke.{{cite web |title=Ronnie Raymond Voice - Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Batman-The-Brave-and-the-Bold/Ronnie-Raymond/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317224408/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Batman-The-Brave-and-the-Bold/Ronnie-Raymond/ |archive-date=March 17, 2024 |access-date=March 17, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. This version is a high school science teacher who became Firestorm alongside his student, Jason Rusch, after they were accidentally exposed to supercharged nuclear energy during an explosion created by Doctor Double X.Sands, Rich. "Winter Sci-fi Preview" TV Guide; November 23, 2009; Page 31
• Two incarnations of Ronnie Raymond appear in The Flash, portrayed by Robbie Amell.{{cite web|url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/amell-teases-wedding-bells-tragedy-matter-manipulation-in-flashs-season-finale|title=Amell Teases Wedding Bells, Tragedy & Matter Manipulation in "Flash's" Season Finale|last=Cairns|first=Bryan|work=Comic Book Resources|date=May 19, 2015|access-date=May 21, 2015|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306192716/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/amell-teases-wedding-bells-tragedy-matter-manipulation-in-flashs-season-finale|url-status=dead}}{{cite magazine |last=Abrams |first=Natalie |date=January 4, 2016 |title=Robbie Amell is returning to The Flash — but there's a twist! Actor to appear as Deathstorm |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2016/01/04/flash-robbie-amell-returning-deathstorm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104195558/https://www.ew.com/article/2016/01/04/flash-robbie-amell-returning-deathstorm |archive-date=January 4, 2016 |access-date=October 24, 2018 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}
• The Earth-1 version is Caitlin Snow's fiancé and an engineer at S.T.A.R. Labs who was exposed to dark matter energy amidst the explosion of Harrison Wells' particle accelerator, fused with Martin Stein and the F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. matrix, and presumed dead. After Team Flash separate the two, Raymond and Stein master their powers and assist the Flash in fighting crime. Raymond later marries Snow, but sacrifices himself to close a singularity created by the Reverse-Flash. Following this, Raymond appears as hallucinations and in flashbacks depicted in the third and eighth seasons.{{cite magazine |last=Abrams |first=Natalie |date=January 12, 2017 |title=The Flash: Robbie Amell returning in season 3! |url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/01/12/flash-robbie-amell-season-3/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113170123/https://ew.com/tv/2017/01/12/flash-robbie-amell-season-3/ |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}{{Cite web |last=Agard |first=Chancellor |date=November 30, 2021 |title=Robbie Amell returning to 'The Flash' in season 8 |url=https://ew.com/tv/the-flash-season-8-robbie-amell-return/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130214522/https://ew.com/tv/the-flash-season-8-robbie-amell-return/ |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}
• An Earth-2 doppelgänger of Raymond as Deathstorm appears in the second season episode "Welcome to Earth-2" as Killer Frost's significant other and an enforcer for Zoom.{{Cite web |last=Abrams |first=Natalie |date=March 28, 2017 |title='The Flash': 13 most shocking moments from Team Flash's trip to Earth-2 |url=https://ew.com/article/2016/02/09/flash-earth-2-easter-eggs-spoilers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160212195030/https://ew.com/article/2016/02/09/flash-earth-2-easter-eggs-spoilers/ |archive-date=February 12, 2016 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Francisco |first=Eric |date=February 10, 2016 |title='The Flash' Goes to Earth-2 for Opposite Day and It's More Than a Novelty |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/11274-the-flash-goes-to-earth-2-for-opposite-day-and-it-s-more-than-a-novelty |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181217054003/https://www.inverse.com/article/11274-the-flash-goes-to-earth-2-for-opposite-day-and-it-s-more-than-a-novelty |archive-date=December 17, 2018 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=Inverse |language=en}}
• Deathstorm from Earth-Prime appears in the eighth season, additionally portrayed by Milton Barnes, Alexa Barajas, Rick Cosnett, and Michelle Harrison.{{Cite web |last=Bucksbaum |first=Sydney |date=April 14, 2022 |title='The Flash' star Robbie Amell breaks down that shocking Ronnie twist: 'It's going to be bad' |url=https://ew.com/tv/the-flash-robbie-amell-season-8-deathstorm-villain/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414044248/https://ew.com/tv/the-flash-robbie-amell-season-8-deathstorm-villain/ |archive-date=April 14, 2022 |access-date=June 7, 2024 |website=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}} This version is a cold fusion entity who obtained sentience following Earth-1 Raymond's sacrifice. Deathstorm attacks and kills indiscriminately throughout Central City to feed on grief until it is defeated by Hell Frost.
• Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears in Justice League Action, voiced by P. J. Byrne.{{cite tweet |number=755076731241795584 |user=Thomas_Dreyfuss |title=Picked up the special SDCC issue of TV Guide. Love the #JusticeLeagueAction article and info. |author=Thomas A. Dreyfuss |date=July 18, 2016 |access-date=July 15, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Firestorm / Ronnie Raymond Voices (DC Universe) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/DC-Universe/Firestorm-Ronnie-Raymond/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317225111/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/DC-Universe/Firestorm-Ronnie-Raymond/ |archive-date=March 17, 2024 |access-date=March 17, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. This version is a member of the Justice League who became Firestorm during an attack on the Hudson plant by bandits seeking plutonium.Paul Dini (writer); Doug Murphy (director) (November 27, 2016). "Nuclear Family Values". Justice League Action. Season 1, Episode 6. Cartoon Network.

• Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011130702/https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |archive-date=October 11, 2013 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}
• Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Nolan North.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=June 9, 2014 |title=Characters - LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/lego-batman-3-beyond-gotham/Characters |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616100208/https://www.ign.com/wikis/lego-batman-3-beyond-gotham/Characters |archive-date=June 16, 2014 |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}

Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm appears in the Justice League Unlimited tie-in comic.{{Cite web |title=Justice League Unlimited #16 - Smashing Through the Snow! (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/justice-league-unlimited-16-smashing-through-the-s/4000-108887/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811113201/https://comicvine.gamespot.com/justice-league-unlimited-16-smashing-through-the-s/4000-108887/ |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |access-date=March 10, 2024 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://toonopedia.com/firestor.htm Firestorm] at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. [https://archive.today/20240527215702/https://www.webcitation.org/6jNEwYPHa?url=http://toonopedia.com/firestor.htm Archived] from the original on July 29, 2016.
• {{comicbookdb|type=character|id=285|title=Firestorm (Martin Stein/Ronnie Raymond)}}
• {{cite web |first=Matt |last=Brady |url=http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=79673 |title=From The Files of Professor Martin Stein |publisher=Newsarama |date=July 8, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211080626/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=79673 |archive-date=December 11, 2008 }}

{{Firestorm}}

{{Superfriends series}}

{{The New 52}}

{{Justice League characters}}

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Category:Characters created by Al Milgrom

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