Comments on: Does Alex Ross hate Firestorm?

By: Dale Bagwell

Dale Bagwell — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 15:21:07 +0000

Hey, sorry I’m 5 years too late to the discussion, but thanks for the shoutout man.
This also explains for me the reason why Ross doesn’t care for Firestorm; his inclusion into the JLA simply represents bad childhood memories for him. So it’s not so much that’s personal, he just doesn’t like to be reminded of where the team was, Barry specifically, when Firestorm joined…even though he didn’t seem to mind Zatanna joining around this same period.

By: Xum Yukinori

Xum Yukinori — Tue, 12 May 2015 04:45:10 +0000

Say, Shag… how about a George Perez painting of Firestorm in the meantime? (Some cropping required.)

https://facebook.com/groups/137494714050?view=permalink&id=10153008430124051

By: Mark Baker-Wright

Mark Baker-Wright — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 14:54:35 +0000

Xum, thanks for the link to the TFW2005 site (always happy to see more Transformers fans connected to this fandom!). I’m finding it more than a bit ironic that Ross seems to connect the introduction of Firestorm (arguably one of the most light-hearted and upbeat characters in the DC canon) with the “dark period” when all of his beloved Silver Age characters were being killed off.

By: Earth 2 Chris

Earth 2 Chris — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 12:04:06 +0000

^That rings a bell, Xum. I think that was the first time I myself associated the classic Firestorm costume to a flamenco dancer. I know I read that somewhere!

Chris

By: Xum Yukinori

Xum Yukinori — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 17:50:16 +0000

I have searched all of the online Alex Ross interviews I could find, as well as my collection of printed Alex Ross articles and interviews and did not find any reference to the Firestorm costume in any of them. The quote I am recalling was comparing the costume to that of a “flamboyant flamenco dancer” or something to that effect. An internet search for “Firestorm” and “flamenco” turns up a number of message boards where comic fans are attributing the flamenco comment to either Alex Ross or Grant Morrisson, so I do not want to attribute this quote to Ross until I can find the actual interview in which he said that.

Does anyone else recall the article I am thinking of?

By: Xum Yukinori

Xum Yukinori — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 16:49:07 +0000

I did come across this interview in the Wizard Millennium Edition Alex Ross special (which I believe reprinted various Alex Ross articles published in Wizard Magazine before 1999) that talks about his feelings (at the time) for Kyle Rayner:

Wizard: What character do you hate working on the most?

Ross: I’m never going to draw Kyle Rayner (DC’s current Green Lantern) again. By inventing him, DC tried to continue the legacy, but without improving it. It’s ludicrous and insulting.”

And do not get me started on “H.E.A.T.”… I do not know if they represented a minority or majority of the group, but every H.E.A.T. associate I had encountered in the nineties and early naughties (in person or online) was a narrow-minded, dichotomic, contemptuous, and rude person that is quick to condemn you for seeing even a hint of potential in the Kyle Rayner character, no matter if you had been (and still were) a Hal Jordan fan for years longer than him. It did not make me proud to be a Green Lantern fan, that is for sure…

By: Boosterrific

Boosterrific — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 07:44:51 +0000

CBR recently ran an article about Ross’ dislike of Kyle Rayner (and other post-Bronze Age DC characters). It includes a pic of Kyle Rayner, proving if nothing else that he has painted the guy at least once.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/03/06/comic-book-legends-revealed-513/2/

And hey, at least you have one Firestorm image by Ross. He’s never painted Booster Gold.

By: Xum Yukinori

Xum Yukinori — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 01:39:12 +0000

Correct, Nate. That character was Phoebus, who succeed Firestorm as the new Earth fire elemental. According to a write-up on Alex Ross’ original KC proposal in Comicology’s Kingdom Come Companion, Firestorm himself was not in the story because he was “too godlike to bother”…

By: Nate Winchester

Nate Winchester — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 18:32:00 +0000

Joe X, in the graphic novel collection I have, it shows the character spreads that were covers of the issues. In 1 of them (I’ll have to double check my copy), it does make mention of 1 “new” generation hero that has taken up the mantle of firestorm as the earth’s fire elemental.

By: Joe X

Joe X — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 18:22:19 +0000

I’m going to say “Yes, he does,” and for proof, I point you to Kingdom Come. Not only does Firestorm not appear, even though there are re-imagined versions of lots of far more obscure characters, but look at the Ray. He is always flying around, doing things that don’t match any version of the character, but are a basic part of Ronnie’s power set. Try it yourself, reread the book, and replace the Ray with Firestorm. You’ll see it makes much more sense, and is the definitive proof that ALEX ROSS HATES FIRESTORM!