• About
  • Cameo Appearances
  • Captain Atom Brigade
  • Captain Atom in Who’s Who
  • Captain Atom’s Amazing Friends
  • Captain Atom’s Powers
  • Captain Atom’s Rogues
  • Captain Atom’s Secret Identity
  • Crossover Events
    • 1985 – Crisis on Infinite Earths
    • 1988 – Millennium
    • 1989 – Invasion!
    • 1989 – The Janus Directive
    • 1991 – Armageddon 2001
    • 1991 – War of the Gods
    • 1994 – Zero Hour
    • 1995 – Underworld Unleashed
    • 1996 – Final Night
    • 1997 – Genesis
    • 2004 – Identity Crisis
    • 2005 – Infinite Crisis
    • 2008 – Final Crisis
    • 2010 – Brightest Day
    • 2014 – Futures End
    • 2015 – Convergence
  • Every Appearance of Captain Atom
  • Know Your Captain Atom
    • Breach
    • Dr. Manhattan
    • Golden Age Captain Atom
  • Publication History
  • Silver & Gold Podcast
  • Supporting Cast
  • The Voice of Captain Atom

Splitting Atoms

~ A Captain Atom blog.

Splitting Atoms

Tag Archives: Slipknot

Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #63 (September 1987)

08 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Amanda Waller, Batman, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Captain Boomerang, Captain Marvel (Shazam), Chief Ferguson, Deadshot, Dick Giordano, Dr. Fate, Firestorm, Guy Gardner, Joe Brozowski, John Ostrander, John Workman, Killer Frost, Martian Manhunter, Martin Stein, Mikhail Arkadin, Mister Miracle, Modern Age Captain Atom, Multiplex, Nansi Hoolahan, Oberon, Parasite, Pozhar, Rick Flag, Ronald Reagan, Ronnie Raymond, Slipknot, Superman

“Rogue Hero”

  • Writer: John Ostrander
  • Pencils: Joe Brozowski
  • Inks: Dick Giordano
  • Colors: Nansi Hoolahan
  • Letters: John Workman

In the previous issue of Firestorm, the titular character (whose secret identity is Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein) interrupted a press conference being held by Vice President George H. W. Bush.  He has announced that he has begun to disarm nuclear weapons around the world, belonging to both the United States and the Soviet Union.  It is his intention to force the two super powers into nuclear disarmament.  This decision has proven to be unpopular with world leaders.  Already the president has contacted Amanda Waller, who says Belle Reve Prison can hold Firestorm (presumably meaning she will send the Suicide Squad after the nuclear man).  Firestorm has warned the governments, “…disarm your nuclear weapons or I will.  And next time I won’t transmute the warheads, I’ll detonate them.”

Cut to Nathaniel Adam, General Eiling, and Dr. Megala watching the story unfold on television (Nathaniel’s hair is brown rather than white).  Eiling is pissed off, naturally, but Nate seems somewhat sympathetic to Firestorm’s cause.  Both Megala and Eiling argue that Firestorm’s plan will do more harm than good.  Nate says that Firestorm may be a fool, but a well-meaning one.

At the Justice League’s New York headquarters, Green Lantern Guy Gardner is itching to go after “that commie scum.”  Martian Manhunter says, “Not unless we all agree.”  Dr. Fate, Captain Marvel, Blue Beetle, and Mister Miracle attempt to stop Guy from going after Firestorm, but it is Oberon who stops the agitated Green Lantern (using an oversize mallet).

In the Oval Office, President Reagan has asked Superman to go after Firestorm.  The man of steel declines, indicating he is also sympathetic to Firestorm’s plight.  Reagan then addresses the nation, saying he and Premier Gorbachev are neither accepting or declining Firestorm’s ultimatum.  They want a face-to-face meeting with the super-hero.

Watching the address on television, Professor Stein seems quite pleased with the outcome.  As he tells Ronnie, “they have no idea we’re bluffing.”  Ronnie says it sounds like a trap to him, but goes along with the Professor.  As Firestorm, they go to police chief Bernard Ferguson and ask him to pass along word that he’ll meet Reagan the next day at the Statue of Liberty at noon.  He wants Reagan to come alone.

Meanwhile, in the Soviet Union, Mikhail Arkadin is demonstrating the powers he obtained in the Chernobyl disaster.  Mikhail was introduced in Firestorm #62, but is now wearing a modified Rocket Red suit and is being called “Pozhar.”  Arkadin will play an important role in Firestorm’s life in the next few issues.

Noon the next day, Firestorm arrives at the Statue of Liberty.  Reagan is there, and asks that the hero touch down and talk with him.  Ronnie feels like something is wrong, and indeed it is.  He is bum rushed by Captain Atom.
firestorm.v2.63
Cap tells Firestorm he’s caused an international incident.  He reminds Firestorm that he took the nuclear man down once before, and is capable of doing it again.  Firestorm brushes off Cap’s atomic blast and says he won’t be stopped by “some headline-hunting glory hog.”  He then punches Cap right in the silver face.  He tells Stein he thinks he broke his hand, to which Stein replies that Ronnie is using the same tactics he did last time he fought Captain Atom, and those tactics failed him.

Firestorm conjures up a kryptonite bat, hoping Captain Atom shares the same weakness as Superman (he does not), and Cap is knocked back.  Firestorm then rains bricks on Cap, who calls Firestorm a “brat.”  Firestorm then smashes Cap between two boulders, momentarily stopping Atom.  Stein warns Ronnie that he feels a seizure coming on (Professor Stein has a brain tumor and is dying).  Captain Atom realizes there is something wrong with Firestorm, but is still resigned to bring him in.

Captain Atom grabs Firestorm from behind, and Firestorm fires a blast at Reagan.  Atom quickly flies down to intercept the blast, which turns out to be a huge ball of harmless daisies.  Firestorm takes off towards the city and Captain Atom follows.

The chase leads them through the offices of a comic book publisher in New York City (an unnamed comic book publisher, specifically the office of a comic book writer that may or may not be John Ostrander).  There is a miscolored panel at the bottom of page 18 in which Captain Atom’s head is not silver.  The two heroes cut a path of destruction through DC’s offices, passing (among other people) Joe Brozowski and Denny O’Neil talking about Joe drawing the very page they are on (meta!).

Leaving the DC offices, Captain Atom blasts Firestorm into another building.  When he goes down after him, Firestorm is nowhere to be found.  Captain Atom sees and weak old man and a young redheaded jock and asks, “Where is he?!”  The redhead says Firestorm flew through the floor.  Captain Atom curses and flies off looking for Firestorm.  Of course, the old man and the jock were Professor Stein and Ronnie Raymond (Captain Atom does not know Firestorm’s secret identities).  I really liked that move.

As Ronnie helps Professor Stein home, Reagan addresses the nation on television.  He says the U.S. will not “accede to the ultimatums of terrorists.”  At Belle Reve Prison, Amanda Waller is on the phone with some government big wig (possibly General Eiling).  She says she has the Suicide Squad ready to bring Firestorm in.  On her desk are pictures of Killer Frost, Rick Flag, the Parasite, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Slipknot, and Multiplex.

I loved this issue.  I was always fond of Captain Atom/Firestorm stories, whether they were fighting together or against each other.  Over the years, I’ve gone back and forth on John Ostrander.  Some of his stuff I really loved but some of it I really hated.  This story is an A+.  It sets up a lot of big changes coming Firestorm’s way.  I also really liked the way Joe Brozowski drew Captain Atom.  Except for the couple of coloring mistakes, this was a beautiful book.  An A- for art gives this issue of Firestorm an A rating.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Categories

  • "The Lie"
  • Cameo
  • Captain Atom Fights Crime
  • Captain Atom in Outer Space
  • Captain Atom Loses His Powers
  • Captain Atom News
  • Captain Atom Versus Aliens
  • Captain Atom Versus Nature
  • Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes
  • Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains
  • Captain Atom's Family
  • Captain Atom's Love Life
  • Captain Atom: Healer
  • Christmas
  • Convergence
  • Crisis (1985)
  • DC Universe Online
  • DC v Marvel
  • Earth-4
  • Educational
  • Elementals
  • Espionage
  • Extreme Justice
  • Final Crisis
  • Flashpoint
  • Futures End
  • Injustice: Gods Among Us
  • Introduction
  • Invasion
  • Justice League
  • L.A.W.
  • Millennium
  • Miscellaneous
  • Monarch
  • Nathaniel Adam's Crime
  • New 52
  • Origin Stories
  • Personal
  • Podcast
  • Rebirth
  • Sentinels of Justice
  • Silver and Gold
  • Sketches & Portraits
  • Team-Ups
  • The Multiversity
  • Throwback Thursday
  • Zero Hour

Recent Posts

  • Captain Atom #24 (January 1989) July 14, 2021
  • Captain Atom #23 (December 1988) July 7, 2021
  • Captain Atom Annual #2 (1988/1989) June 30, 2021
  • Captain Atom #22 (December 1988) March 17, 2021
  • The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #6 (August 2017) March 10, 2021

Captain Atom on Facebook

Captain Atom on Facebook

I’m on Twitter

  • @Reading_Hix Hey Paul... What's a boner? 1 week ago
  • @Reading_Hix My son learned at an early age to keep his hands off my Yoinks. 1 week ago
  • @chicken_bwak @MaryLTrump I'm not going through all the responses to see if anyone else brought this up, but Trump… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 week ago
  • @Reading_Hix Never say never 2 weeks ago
  • @mrbobodenkirk you just made so many fans happy. You know what would please us even more? A Mister Show prequel. Or… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 2 weeks ago
Follow @FKAjason

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,355 other followers

Pages

  • About
  • Cameo Appearances
  • Captain Atom Brigade
  • Captain Atom in Who’s Who
  • Captain Atom’s Amazing Friends
  • Captain Atom’s Powers
  • Captain Atom’s Rogues
  • Captain Atom’s Secret Identity
  • Crossover Events
    • 1985 – Crisis on Infinite Earths
    • 1988 – Millennium
    • 1989 – Invasion!
    • 1989 – The Janus Directive
    • 1991 – Armageddon 2001
    • 1991 – War of the Gods
    • 1994 – Zero Hour
    • 1995 – Underworld Unleashed
    • 1996 – Final Night
    • 1997 – Genesis
    • 2004 – Identity Crisis
    • 2005 – Infinite Crisis
    • 2008 – Final Crisis
    • 2010 – Brightest Day
    • 2014 – Futures End
    • 2015 – Convergence
  • Every Appearance of Captain Atom
  • Know Your Captain Atom
    • Breach
    • Dr. Manhattan
    • Golden Age Captain Atom
  • Publication History
  • Silver & Gold Podcast
  • Supporting Cast
  • The Voice of Captain Atom

Top Posts & Pages

  • Americomics Special #1: Sentinels of Justice (August 1983)
  • Supporting Cast

Archives

  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Splitting Atoms
    • Join 1,355 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Splitting Atoms
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: