DCU

In the early 1960's, Martin Stein was an undergraduate at Stanford University majoring in Physics. Stein was a very shy student, often at the mercy of bullies such as Brad Baxter. At college, he met a young woman by the name of Crystal Frost, whom eventually fell in love with Stein. Stein, however, did not reciprocate these feelings. From Stein's spurning grew Frost's hatred of men. Stein graduated summa cum laude, and eventually went on to earn a master's degree and a doctorate in Physics.

About the same time, Edward and Elaine Rockwell gave birth to their first and only child, a son named Ronald. Ronald's mother Elaine would eventually die, leaving Edward and young Ronnie to fend for themselves. Ronnie spent his young life with his father, moving from place to place, and spent a lot of time playing sports, especially football.

After college, Martin Stein was offered a job at STAR Labs. Stein continued to lead a sheltered life, and began to develop an alcoholic addiction. It was in a bar one day he met Clarissa Clemens, who "picked him up." One passionate week later, they were married in Las Vegas. Soon, however, wedded bliss ended when Martin realized Clarissa's expensive tastes. When Martin tightened up the wallet, Clarissa threatened to leave him. A drunk Martin grabbed Clarissa by the arm, hurting her. Clarissa left, and the two became divorced. Martin turned to liquor for relief, drowning out the terror in his heart.

Meanwhile, Edward Raymond was offered a job as a newspaper reporter in New York City, and the Raymonds moved east. Ronnie was enrolled in Bradley High School in Upper Manhattan, and soon became a star sports figure there. Ronnie, on his first day, had met Doreen Day, whom he felt was the "prettiest girl in school," and Cliff Carmichael, a jealous intellectual who had it out for Raymond the moment he met him. Cliff went out of his way to make Ronnie look bad in front of Doreen.

A year after his divorce, Martin Stein left STAR Labs and became head of research and development for the Hudson Power Company. There, he designed the first fully automated nuclear power plant. Martin finally gained much of the credit he was due, and won a Nobel Prize for the work done at Hudson. Building the plant took the better part of a decade, much of the delays caused by local protesters both in and out of the courtroom.

At this time, Stein began to feel a bit shaken up about his life. Going out to the bar with Danton Black, Stein's assistant, the two began drinking. Danton realized that Stein was an alcoholic, and used this information as leverage, stealing equipment from the Hudson reactor site. Stein fired Danton, but Danton approached the Nuclear Regulations Council, claiming that Stein had stoled his ideas. On the night of the Hudson Nuclear Reactor's activation, the Council approached Stein to begin a formal investigation of Danton's claim. The Council enjoined the opening of the reactor until the claim was resolved. Stein, however, was prepared to activate the reactor anyway.

Meanwhile, Ronnie Raymond had decided to join the protesters at the Hudson Nuclear Plant to impress Doreen and prove, once and for all, that he wasn't just a dumb jock. Ronnie was recruited by Eddie Earhart for a "special" protest at the plant. In fact, Earhart was the leader of a radical anti- nuclear terrorist group. The group, along with Ronnie, broke into the plant, planning to bomb the plant as a show of power. When Ronnie discovered this, Earhart knocked him out.

Stein, the only man in the plant at the time (or so he thought), tried to stop the terrorists, but was also knocked unconscious. Ronnie, who Earhart planned to take the blame for the bombing, awoke. Ronnie tried to stop the bomb, but it exploded, setting off the nuclear reactor. The entire reactor exploded, and both Ronnie Raymond and the unconscious Martin Stein were bathed in a million ergs of radiation. Unbeknownst at the same time, Denton Black had returned to the plant to exact revenge upon Stein by stealing the plans to the reactor. Denton was also bathed in the radiation, but to a lesser degree than Stein and Raymond.

Somehow, the bodies of Stein and Raymond merged into a new form. Raymond, since he was conscious, became the dominant mind in control of the new body, but Stein was also a conscious passenger in the new body. The two minds were able to communicate subconsciously. Ronnie looked down and saw the nude form of the new body and fashioned a costume with the transmutational powers that came with the body. Suprised, Raymond named the new body Firestorm for the firestorm that flooded them both.

Both Raymond and Stein decided that Earhart was still a threat, so Firestorm went after Earhart to bring him to justice. When Earhart exploded a second bomb, Firestorm absorbed the energy and captured the terrorist. Pleased with the way they handled themselves, Raymond and Stein decided that they should use their powers for good and thus Firestorm became a hero. However, when Firestorm split apart into its core components, Stein did not remember anything from his time as Firestorm.

Meanwhile, at the Hudson Nuclear Power Plant, Denton Black awoke and found he had gained the power to multiply into many separate beings, each identical to his own except they become smaller the more he multiplies. Denton found this happened whenever he absorbed energy from an outside source. Denton discovered that Stein and Raymond were the hero called Firestorm, so Denton constructed a costume and became the villain called Multiplex. Multiplex found and attacked Firestorm, but the Nuclear Man defeated him.

In the Arctic, Crystal Frost, now also a Doctor, was working on a scientific project when she accidentally locked herself into a thermafrost chamber. As a result, she was transformed into Killer Frost, a woman who could generate intense amounts of cold. Frost, bitter at all men, and Stein in particular, returned to New York to exact revenge. Frost's hatred of Stein of course brought her into conflict with Firestorm, who defeated her by freezing the Killer Frost. Frost was placed in captivity and sent to STAR Labs in New York City for study, but was soon transferred to STAR Labs' Metropolis branch.

Firestorm's next public appearance brought him into contact with some sort of creature that was wreaking havoc on the isle of Manhattan. It ends up that Doreen Day's sister, Summer, had been wounded by a native while in Africa. Since then, whenever a full moon appears, Summer transforms into a Hyena. It was the Hyena that was going on the rampage, scavenging in New York City when she was stopped by Firestorm. Firestorm drove her off, but gained her hatred. After Firestorm's battle with the Hyena, Ron Raymond decided that he wasn't cut out for super heroics and retired to concentrate on his schoolwork. However, his "retirement" was short lived.

When Killer Frost escaped from the STAR Labs in Metropolis, she took mental control of Superman and began attacking the city. Professor Stein, who was on-hand for Frost's escape, merged with the reluctant Ron and Firestorm was once again reborn. Firestorm stopped Frost's attempt to create a huge refrigeration system and freed the controlled Superman. The two then defeated Frost. Afterwards, Superman offered Firestorm membership in the Justice League of America, which Firestorm immediately accepted.

After Firestorm's first meeting with the League, which included his induction, he became the mental slave of the Satin Satan. League members Batman, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, Superman, and Zatanna, along with curious bystandards Cliff Carmichael, Doreen Day, and Cal Remington, tackled the Satin Satan, who was actually possessed by the demon Sataroth, and freed the nuclear hothead.

Over the next months, Firestorm proved himself an able Leaguer, helping fellow heroes whenever they needed. Firestorm aided the Flash in defeating Superman's old nemesis the Atomic Skull; he teamed up with Batman to destroy the Hudson Nuclear Reactor since it had become sentient in the same explosion that formed both Firestorm and Multiplex; and, even though he was possessed for a time, joined the League to defeat Starro, the starfish conqueror that had enslaved most of New York City.

David Drake, another expert scientist, had created the Manta, a nuclear- powered bathysphere. Captain Anton Hammer, head of the project aboard the Neptune explorer, had pressured both Martin Stein to O.K. the nuclear stockpile and Drake to O.K. the launch. After the Manta launched, a sea storm hit and severed the communications between the Neptune and the Manta. Stein summoned Firestorm and rescued the Manta, but Hammer shot Drake as he emerged. Drake fell back into the bathysphere, as a short circuit exploded the nuclear craft. Drake was transformed into the creature called Typhoon. Driven mad by the accident, Typhoon sank the Neptune and headed for Florida, but was finally stopped by Firestorm.

Eventually, Martin Stein became able to remember Firestorm's adventures after they split apart. Ronnie revealed Firestorm's long history to Stein, and Stein agreed to remain active as Firestorm.

Firestorm was critical helping the Red Tornado find his origin, convincing the Tornado Champion to remerge with the Tornado Tyrant and form the Red Tornado. About the same time, Killer Frost had escaped from her frozen prison a third time, and joined Ultra-Humanite's version of the Secret Society of Super-Villains. Killer Frost defeated Firestorm, and the Society held him, and nine other members of the Justice League and the Justice Society of Earth-2, hostage in a limbo between worlds. After the Earth-2 villains double-crossed the Earth-1 villains, Killer Frost, with Signalman, the Cheetah, and the Floronic Man, freed the ten heroes from their prison, only to have all the villains imprisoned in the same limbo.

While Martin Stein finally settled down with a stable job, working at Concordance Research, Firestorm had many adventures. Superman revealed his secret identity of Clark Kent to Firestorm when the two teamed up against the villain Kris Kross. While Ron Raymond, and the rest of the class from Bradley High, went on a field trip to the New York Museum of Natural History, Raymond's teacher John Ravenhair was transformed into the insane Black Bison. Black Bison attacked New York Senator Walter Reilly and his daughter Lorraine, but was defeated by Firestorm and restored to normal.

Longtime Green Lantern villain Hector Hammond, who possessed a superhuman intelligence, developed the power to have his intellect leave his body in prison. Hammond had an android Ace constructed and recruited a new Royal Flush Gang. The Royal Flush Gang attacked various Leaguers across the country, including Firestorm, and had them put into comas. The only person who realized that Hammond was behind this was Martin Stein, but he was trapped in Firestorm's body. Eventually, Stein battled Hammond on the astral plane, and when Stein emerged victorious, the Leaguers came out of their comas.

Killer Frost, meanwhile, escaped from her prison in limbo and decided to exact revenge by freezing the entire populace of New York City. Keeping all but Mayor Koch and Firestorm free, Frost made Firestorm her unwitting slave. Frost wanted the most macho male, actor Curt Holland, as her slave, and sent Firestorm to fetch him. Firestorm, however, recruited the Justice League to aid him. Professor Stein and the Red Tornado developed a super- freeze engine which they hid in Tornado's torso. Disguising Tornado as Holland, they got him close enough to Frost to freeze her once again.

Firestorm proved his worth over and over again. He teamed up with the League, the Justice Society of America, and the All-Star Squadron in the year 1942 to defeat the Crime Syndicate and Per Degaton. He also, about this time, defeated longtime Flash foe Pied Piper, the Canadian terrorist Plastique in her first appearance, and longtime enemies such as the Typhoon and the Hyena.

During this time, Firestorm teamed up with the League, the New Teen Titans, and Superman to stop the invasion plans of the evil Brainiac. He also, with the League, helped defeat the ancient Atlantean wizard Garn Daanuth and the longtime League foe Professor Ivo.

Firestorm played a key role aiding the cat-like Reena and the League defeat the mutations of the animalistic Rex Maximus. About this time, Firestorm aided the Justice League, the Outsiders, and the World's Finest duo of Batman and Superman fight the self-styled god Zeta and his Pantheon on a myriad of worlds. Firestorm and the League also defeated the villain Paragon in his first appearance and helped both them and the Justice Society defeat the evil Johnny Thunder of Earth-1.

Firestorm also joined the Justice League and the New Teen Titans in celebrating Supergirl's anniversary landing on Earth.

Firestorm joined the League in defending the Earth against the Martians, who returned to our solar system with the intention of conquering our planet. When the Justice League failed, and Martian Manhunter single-handedly fought off his own people, Aquaman, then leader of the League, decided to re-evaluate the League's purpose. Aquaman decided to disband the original League and form a new League that could commit totally to the team. At first Firestorm was enraged by Aquaman's decision, but soon realized the truth in his words. Firestorm opted to remain with the League, but Stein made Raymond realize that they could not commit 100%. Thus, Firestorm left the League.

Firestorm was one of the first team of heroes recruited by the Monitor to combat the coming Crisis on Infinite Earths. In the midst of his latest battle with Killer Frost, was approached by Harbinger and the second Psycho Pirate, and the four joined other heroes of various parallel Earths in defending these Earths against the Anti-Monitor, a demonic counterpart of the Monitor from the Antimatter Universe.

First, Firestorm and his team fought off the Anti-Monitor's shadow demons that infiltrated the Monitor's satellite. Then, the Monitor sent Firestorm and Killer Frost to ancient Camelot on Earth-2 to team up with Sir Justin the Shining Knight and Vandal Savage to protect one of five tuning forks placed in various times on various Earths to protect them from the Anti-Monitor's destructive powers.

After the Monitor's death and five of the Earths temporarily protected, Firestorm joined a strike team of heroes from the various Earths, led by the Supermen of Earth-1 and Earth-2, into the Antimatter Dimension to attack the Anti-Monitor's fortress. Firestorm's powers, altered in the anti-dimension, proved little help, but the heroes managed to set the Anti- Monitor fleeing.

In the aftermath of the battle in the Anti-Matter dimension, Firestorm joined the heroes of the Earths at Supergirl's funeral, and was one of the heroes who confronted the newly-formed Red Tornado.

With the Anti-Monitor weakened, the villains of the various Earths, led by Brainiac and Luthor, took control of three of the Earths: Earth-X, Earth-S, and Earth-4. Firestorm joined the strike team of heroes that saved Earth-S, battling such villains as the Penguin and Validus along the way. In the end, the three Earths were liberated and the villains defeated.

Firestorm also took part in the massive battle between the remaining heroes and the Anti-Monitor and his Qwardian armies. In the end, the Anti- Monitor was destroyed by the Superman of Earth-2 and the Superboy of Earth- Prime.

After the Crisis, Firestorm aided the new Justice League battle Darkseid's fallen angel, Brimstone. Brimstone defeated Firestorm, the new League, and a time-traveling Cosmic Boy before being destroyed by the new Suicide Squad in their first mission. (JH)

Two briefly became three when Firestorm added Mikhail Arkadin, a.k.a. the Soviet metahuman "Pozhar," to become a nuclear trinity. Ronnie and Mikhail were soon cleaved from this troublesome union, while a still nuclear-fueled Stein became Earth's godlike guardian "fire elemental." Stein then left Earth behind to explore the universe, leaving Ronnie powerless and, unfortunately, suffering from radiation-induced leukemia. Ultimately Stein made a brief return to Earth, at which time he used his abilities to cleanse Ronnie of his deadly cancer and restore the energies of Firestorm to him, this time separate from their former fusion.

Once the youngest member inducted into the JLA, Ronnie continues to serve as an associate member in its hallowed ranks. (DCWEB)

Firestorm also previously joined Captain Atom's Extreme Justice team.  (GA)

Firestorm is a composite hero formed by the merging of Ronnie Raymond and Professor Martin Stein. An act of will on behalf of either of the two will initiate the merging, instantly transporting the other for the merge. However, Stein and Raymond must be within a certain distance of each other for the merge to be possible. When the merge completes, Firestorm stands in the place of the one who initiates the merge. When Firestorm separates, Stein and Raymond stand in the place once occupied by Firestorm.

During the Firestorm persona, both Raymond and Stein retain their individual consciousnesses, but it is Raymond who is the dominant persona of Firestorm. Stein rides "piggyback," advising Raymond on crisis situations. If, however, Raymond is unconscious when the merger occurs, then Stein becomes the dominant persona.

Firestorm can alter the atomic structure of non-organic objects. He can change their density, their elemental make-up, or alter them into a new object entirely. When he uses his powers against organic objects, his energy is re-directed back to himself in an energy feedback, causing him harm.

Firestorm is also able to fly at great speeds, altering his own density to make him lighter than air, or can become intangible. He can project bolts of energy that can affect anything, and can absorb most forms of radiation. He cannot fire energy bolts when he is intangible. (JH)

Firestorm was another of the happy-go-lucky JLAers in the time honored tradition of the Elongated Man and honorary member Snapper Carr. Ron Raymond was person who really enjoyed having super powers, and he let everybody know it. As a hero, the fun-loving Firestorm was overconfident, irrepressible, and easily excited.

The one mellowing influence upon Firestorm's personality was Professor Martin Stein's role as Raymond's subconscious advisor. Stein was a practical thinker, and spent a lot of time cautioning young Ron about carelessness and overconfidence. (RW)

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