Super-Team Family proudly presents Firestorm and The Avengers in “’Storm Warning”!

No, you didn’t miss another Kurt Busiek classic crossover featuring the Nuclear Man and Marvel’s big screen stars. This fictitious meeting is the work of a gentleman named Ross who runs Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues! That site is dedicated to the greatest team-ups that never happened. He started with Brave and the Bold fake covers starring Batman, transitioned into Marvel Two-in-One fake covers starring the Thing, and is now doing Super-Team Family featuring a wide variety of team-ups. Today’s entry features a Tom Grummett Firestorm from The Power Company paired with (I believe) a Mark Bagley rendition of the Avengers from Avengers Assemble! Like it? Well, below are several previous Firestorm appearances on The Lost Issues blog:

• Firestorm and The Thing
• Firestorm and Spider-man
• Firestorm and Power Man & Iron Fist
• Firestorm and The Mighty Thor
• Firestorm and Iceman
• Firestorm vs The Hulk
• Firestorm and Nova
• Firestorm and Iron Man
• Firestorm and The Vision
• Firestorm and The Human Torch & Toro

Be sure to check out Ross’ work on Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues! There are some really impressive gems in there!

Support Firestorm (and Super-Team Family)! Fan the flame!

Yesterday we examined how Firestorm re-joined the JLA in 2002. Well, it turns out that while he was a member of the JLA, he was also moonlighting as a member of The Power Company! If you are unfamiliar with The Power Company, it was a team of professional superheroes-for-hire. They were structured in many ways like a law firm, including partners and associates. The team was created for DC Comics by writer Kurt Busiek and artist Tom Grummett. Two of my favorite creators in comics! I was sooooo excited when I heard Firestorm would be appearing in this book.

There is an interesting real-world story about Firestorm joining this comic. In an effort to promote some upcoming changes in The Power Company, a promotional campaign was launched entitled “Power Boost”. This campaign included giveaways of art, signed comics, and more. Since one of the upcoming events in the book was a surprise new member for the team, DC launched a poll on their website asking readers who they’d most like to see join the team. The choices were Batgirl, Booster Gold, Firestorm, Superboy, and the Haunted Tank. The poll made it clear that the new member had already been decided, but Busiek and Grummett promised that if someone other than their choice won the poll, the winner would at the very least make a guest-appearance in the pages of The Power Company. The poll received a total of 78,710 votes. Haunted Tank was the winner with 18,585, followed by Firestorm with 17,972, Booster Gold with 15,636, Batgirl with 14,644 and Superboy with 11,873. Firestorm was the character Busiek and Grummett had previously decided on as the new addition to the team. In fact, they added Haunted Tank to the poll just for fun. Who would have guessed Haunted Tank would win the poll! So in addition to Firestorm appearing in the series, they honored their promise and found a way to incorporate a modern-day version of the Haunted Tank in the book! My thanks to Comics Continuum for all the details on this poll.

So the most important thing to take away from the results of that poll is that Firestorm received more votes than Booster Gold. Isn’t that right, Walter?

Below you’ll find the final panel from The Power Company #10 (Jan. 2003) by Kurt Busiek, Tom Grummett, and Prentis Rollins.

The Power Company #11 (Feb. 2003) by Kurt Busiek, Tom Grummett, and Prentis Rollins picked up the story with our favorite Nuclear Man hogging most of the limelight!

Below Firestorm makes a dramatic entrance, helping some Power Company teammates caught in a brawl. Love that Tom Grummett Firestorm!!!!

Later during a press conference, The Power Company introduces their newest member! And we see Firestorm’s true reasons for joining the team.

Just a few months later, Firestorm called it quits with The Power Company. I’m not sure what drove the creative decision for Firestorm to leave the team. Perhaps it was because The Power Company was ending in just a few issues. Perhaps it was because at the time DC Comics was planning a new ongoing series for Ronnie Raymond. Either way, Firestorm resigned in The Power Company #16 (July 2003) by Kurt Busiek, Tom Grummett, Prentis Rollins, and Al Vey.

The Power Company was a great series! If you’ve never read it, check out the back issue bins for these comics. It’s worth your time and money!

Okay folks, that wraps up TEAM WEEK! I hope you’ve enjoyed this examination of Firestorm’s various team affiliations. For further team-related fun, check out these links to previous FIRESTORM FAN posts:

• How Ronnie Joined the JLA – 1980
• How Ronnie was Fired from the JLA by Aquaman – 1984
• How Ronnie Joined Extreme Justice – 1995 a.k.a. “How Ronnie Beat Cancer and Got His Powers Back – 1995″
• How Ronnie Left Extreme Justice – 1996 a.k.a. “Hi, My Name is Ronnie Raymond and I’m an Alcoholic”
• How Ronnie Joined Justice League Europe – 1998
• How Ronnie Re-Joined the JLA – 2002
• How Jason Joined the JLA – 2008

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!