Our good friend Jon over at the Fizzit Firestorm-themed blog sent scans of these unique Firestorm collectibles. He received the following cards from Argentina.  The majority of these come from the Spanish-language version of Kenner’s Super Powers line, Super Amigos.

This first one is a trading card from the Super Amigos game.  To see all the cards in the Super Amigos card set, please visit the Aquaman Shrine by clicking here.

The next five are stickers associated with the Super Amigos line.  It appears these were produced from 1985 through 1987.

This last sticker uses specialized ink that really is intended to be viewed under blacklight.

These next ones come from some Superman-related set.  This set was released in 1994.  Nice to see the Elemental Firestorm getting some merchandise action!

Here are some Firestorm stickers from that same 1994 Superman series.

These next two come from a set entitled “Cartas de Poder – DC Super Heroes”.  I really don’t know anything about these sets, but I love that they called Firestorm “el hombre nuclear”.  Also, he’s got an attack of 2,700 and a defense of 2,300!  I have no idea what the scale is, but that sounds impressive!

Once again, our thanks to Jon from the Fizzit Firestorm-themed blog for supplying these images.

Apoyo Firestorm! Avivar la llama!

• Brightest Day #4 came out yesterday.  This is the issue with the Black Lantern Firestorm cover.  Be sure to stop by your local comic shop and pick up a copy!

• There was some hubbub amongst Firestorm fans after Brightest Day #3 hit the stands two weeks ago.  In the issue they portray Alvin Rusch (Jason’s father) as having two hands.  The reason for the confusion is that Alvin Rusch lost his hand in an industrial accident before Firestorm vol III even started.  There is lots of speculation, everything from a simple artist mistake to Jason re-growing the hand.  At this time, I don’t believe we have an official explanation.
• Over at Primary Ignition, they’ve identified Firestorm the Nuclear Man Annual #5 from 1987 as a hidden gem.  This is the issue where the “blank slate” Firestorm was created.  Click here to read their commentary on this great issue.

• There is a really great column over at Comic Book Resources on Firestorm vol II artist J. J. Birch (a.k.a. Joe Brozowski).  J.J./Joe drew Firestorm during the “blank slate” era. This column specifically focuses on Firestorm the Nuclear Man vol II issues #70 & 71.   Click here to check out the article.

• The folks at the DC Multiverse blog pointed out something I never realized.  Firehawk (a.k.a. Lorraine Reilly) shares a last name with the second Firebrand (a.k.a. Danette Reilly).  This is interesting because they both have fire powers.  Could Lorraine Reilly be related to Danette Reilly?  Something to consider.  Click here to visit the DC Multiverse blog.
• If you’ve got $600 to spare, you can pick up a slightly charred Firestorm action figure on eBay.   Yes, you read that right, $600.  Clearly this is some kind of joke, but it’s an odd one.  Click here to see the eBay entry.

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

A little fun today for all you match-heads.  Here is Firestorm’s debut episode on Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show.  It’s broken into four parts.  Enjoy!

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

CELEBRATING FIRESTORM IN THE SUPER POWERS COLLECTION!

Fourteen different blogs have combined forces today to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Kenner’s Super Powers Collection! While we’ll be looking at Firestorm here, every other blog in the crossover will cover different action figures or mini-comics from the Super Powers Collection.  Back in 1984, Kenner released the first wave of Super Powers action figures based upon heroes and villains from DC comics. While there was a fairly large marketing campaign, I doubt they realized just how celebrated these figures would become.

ACTION FIGURES

The first wave of figures had characters like Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman, Hawkman, the Joker, Lex Luthor, Brianiac and the Penguin.  Two more waves were released, bringing the line to a total of 33 figures.  One of the primary reasons the Super Powers Collection became so successful was that the molds were very good. These figures actually looked like the characters in the comics. That may sound like a no-brainer in the age of DC Direct and McFarlane Toys, but keep in mind prior to the Super Powers Collection adherence to characters likeness wasn’t exactly a priority. Another reason for the line’s success was the inclusion of popular heroes and some relatively unknown characters (I mean, who really demanded a Tyr figure anyway?). This mixture proved to be popular with comic book fans and kids alike. Finally, some people will argue that the “Power Action” hidden gimmick in each figure was a big selling point. I don’t necessarily agree with that, but hey, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, right?

Hard to believe it’s been 25 years!

MINI-COMICS

Firestorm was released as part of Wave 2 in 1985. I reviewed the Firestorm Super Powers Collection figure back in January (click here for that review), so today we’ll focus on the mini-comics. The first two waves of Super Powers action figures each came with a mini-comic book starring that particular character. These comics were 4.5 inches by 2.75 inches, and had 13 pages of story.

Not much information exists about who the writers and artists were for these mini-comics.  Paul Kupperberg (writer of the full-sized DC Super Powers mini-series from 1985 and 1986) had this to say about Kenner’s Super Powers Collection mini-comics, “I wrote only one of the Kenner minis, for Steppenwolf (#13). Alas, I have no real memory of having done it. Art looks to be Jose Delbo. The rest were probably written by the likes of Jack Harris, Rozakis, and the like. Wish I could remember more about them: don’t even recall who the project editor was…probably Barry Marx, who worked under Joe Orlando in Special Projects.“  Special thanks to The Aquaman Shrine for the quote!

Firestorm had his own mini-comic featuring our favorite hot-headed hero fighting alongside Green Arrow against the nefarious Mantis. The mini-comics served to introduce the characters to new readers, as well as to promote other action figures in the line. While both Green Arrow and Mantis co-starred in Firestorm’s mini-comic, they also had figures in Wave 2. In the same vein, Firestorm appeared in the mini-comics of Martian Manhunter, Darkseid, and the Parademons.

Here is the Firestorm Super Powers Collection mini-comic in its entirety:

For more Green Arrow Super Powers coverage, be sure to check out Adama’s blog today, DISPATCHES FROM THE ARROW CAVE.  For more on Superman in the Super Powers Collection, visit Michael’s blog today, FORTRESS OF BAILEYTUDE.

In the Martian Manhunter comic, Wonder Woman and the Manhunter from Mars recruit Firestorm for his atomic powers. Firestorm then blasts in full of wise-cracks and creativity. It really seems that Firestorm is going to steal the show. One simple blast from ole match-head and Desaad’s mind control machines should be slag. Instead, Firestorm spends his time protecting the only hottie on the Super Powers team, while leaving the Manhunter out in the cold. Not exactly the team-spirit move, but you can’t fault the teenager for wanting to hang with the Amazonian Princess. In the end, Manhunter saves the day, which is only fair since it’s his mini-comic anyway. For more on Martian Manhunter’s Super Powers activities, be sure to check out Frank’s IDOL-HEAD OF DIABOLU blog today.  Here are a few Firestorm-centric pages from the Martian Manhunter mini-comic:

The Darkseid mini-comic stars those hallmarks of the DC Universe, the Delta Probe and the Darkseid Destroyer! …. Huh? …the what and the what?!?! Here Kenner took the opportunity to promote not only the Super Powers action figures, but the accessory vehicles. Also in this mini-comic are Batman, Red Tornado, and Firestorm. It’s worth noting that if Batman had the Delta Probe with him during Final Crisis, he would have survived Darkseid’s Omega Beams. I’m just sayin’. Firestorm’s main contribution to this story is his impulsiveness which lands them all in some trippy Ditko-like prison dimension. Head on over to Tommy’s BAT-BLOG today for more on Batman’s activities in the Super Powers Collection. Doug will be covering Red Tornado’s contribution to the Super Powers Collection today on his Doom Patrol blog, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE 80.  Here are a few Firestorm-centric pages from the Darkseid mini-comic:

In the Parademons mini-comic, Firestorm saves the passengers of an elevated train by using his atomic restructuring powers to transform the street below into a giant pillow. I’m not sure that really solves the inertia problem, but hey, we’ll go with it. Beyond that Firestorm spouts some sarcasm at Doctor Fate and taunts an illusion of Darkseid. That’s about it. He’s really just there to help sell figures. Co-stars for this mini-comic include Green Lantern, Darkseid, and the aforementioned Doctor Fate. For more on Doctor Fate in the Super Powers Collection, check out my other blog today, ONCE UPON A GEEK.  Here are a few Firestorm-centric pages from the Parademons mini-comic:

CRISIS ON EARTH-BLOG   **UPDATED**

As mentioned, fourteen different blogs (**UPDATE** fifteen) have teamed-up today to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Super Powers Collection. While I’m featuring Firestorm here on my site, you can visit these other character-specific blogs to see how they spotlight their own favorite characters today. Be sure to check out:

• Rob (the blogger who inspired most of us to start our own superhero blogs) rolls out the pomp and circumstance for the King of the Seven Seas over at The Aquaman Shrine. Also, thanks to Rob for the excellent “Crisis on Earth-Blog” logo!  **UPDATE** Rob followed up a couple days later with an additional post on the Super Powers Give-A-Show projector.
• Frank investigates J’onn J’onzz, the Manhunter from Mars, at Idol-Head of Diabolu. **UPDATE** Frank followed up with four additional posts.  (1) Doctor Fate mini-comic, (2) Mantis mini-comic, (3) Martian Manhunter Super Powers action figure, and (4) Super Powers #1 Martian Manhunter biography.
• Tommy applies his detective skills to the Batman universe of characters over at the Bat-Blog.  Also, special thanks to Tommy for the fantastic “Super Powers 25th Anniversary” logo!  **UPDATE** Tommy did eight separate Super Powers related posts. (1) Super Powers 25th Batman & Robin Wallpapers, (2) Batman-related spin-off products, (3) The Penguin action figure and mini-comic, (4) The Joker action figure and mini-comic, (5) Batman, Robin and Riddler toys, comics and vehicles, (6) Super Powers Batman-related cup holders, (7) a post with links to all the other participating blogs, and (8) Super Powers action figure and vehicle original production art.
• The Clowny Princess brings us a different view at her blog dedicated to the Clown Prince of Crime, Love Dat Joker.
• Kelson types the fastest blog alive and covers the Flash over at Speed Force.
• Running side-by-side with Kelson is Dixon’s Flash blog over at Crimson Lighting.  **UPDATE** Dixon followed up with four additional posts. (1) Super Powers Flash action figure, (2) Super Powers TV commercial with Flash, (3) Super Powers #2 comic book cover, and (4) complete Super Powers Flash mini-comic.
• Frank explores the figures and mini-comics that might have been for Justice League Detroit.  **UPDATE** Frank has followed up with two additional posts, one on the Super Amigos Vibe mini-comic and the other on the Super Amigos Vixen mini-comic.
• Luke provides the rundown on the winged wonder, Hawkman, over at the cleverly named blog Being Carter Hall.  **UPDATE** Luke followed up with another post on Super Powers Puffy Stickers.
• Doug puts a new spin on the adventures of Red Tornado today over at his Doom Patrol blog, My Greatest Adventure 80.
• Adama keeps Green Arrow’s aim true over at Dispatches from the Arrow Cave.
• Michael will be providing up, up and away coverage today of Superman over at the Fortress of Baileytude.
• Frank tackles as many Super Powers mini-comics today as humanly possible over at his blog called … nurgh … **UPDATE** Frank managed to get through all the mini-comics!  Starting with #1-8, then #9-16, and finally #17-23.
• Finally, today I’ll be tackling the Doctor Fate Super Powers antics and the unproduced Blue Devil figures over at my other blog, Once Upon a Geek.

• **UPDATE** A surprising fifteenth entry appeared by Michael over at The Legion Omnicom covering the Tyr Super Powers action figure from the Legion of Super-heroes.  Thanks for joining in Michael!

While the following blogs are not participating in today’s crossover, I’d like to thank them for their support.  For various reasons, they were unable to join us today but have been very supportive of the project.  Thanks!

• Ryan over at Green Lantern Spotlight
• **UPDATE** Rick was kind enough to promote our blog crossover on Plastic Man Platitudes and Mail it to Team-up
• **UPDATE** Bubba Shelby was also kind enough to promote our blog crossover on his site Toyriffic.  In September, Bubba Shelby did a post on the Super Powers Parademon action figure.
• **UPDATE** Matt over at No Cure for Comics and PopCultureShock discussed the crossover and even included a Super Powers TV commercial!
• **UPDATE** Reis over at About.com Guide to Action Figures talked about our blog crossover.

CONCLUSION

What a great series of action figures!  For those of us who owned some back in the day, we’ll never forget the magic of these toys.  My thanks to all the bloggers involved today in this crossover event!  Happy Birthday Super Powers Collection!

Support Firestorm!  Fan the flame!

]]> http://firestormfan.com/2009/08/25/super-powers-25th-anniversary/feed/ 7 http://firestormfan.com/2009/03/25/super-powers-action-figures-tv-commercial/ http://firestormfan.com/2009/03/25/super-powers-action-figures-tv-commercial/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:45:26 +0000 Shag http://firestormfan.com/?p=713 Hell ya Firestorm’s gonna save Hawkman! And for the record, Firestorm don’t need Superman swooping in to save him from a fall. Firestorm can fly all by himself. Beat it, big blue!

Thanks to Michael Bailey of Fortress of Baileytude and Views from the Longbox for directing me to this video.

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

Here is a nice shirt I just got featuring an unusual collection of characters: Red Tornado, Doctor Fate, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, and everybody’s favorite Nuclear Man.  Near as I can figure, the artwork on this shirt must have been produced in conjunction with the second wave of Super Powers action figures.  These happen to be the exact five superheroes that were released in that wave.  Otherwise, I can’t think of a time these particular heroes were together for an image like this.  You can order yourself one of these great-looking shirts from Graphitti Designs by clicking here.

Here is a close-up of the graphic.  I’m not 100% confident on the artist, but after doing some research and consulting with experts we believe this image is most likely a Jim Starlin drawing.  I love the clean lines on Firestorm.  Really sharp.  And I get Doctor Fate on the same shirt!  Yay!  If you like Doctor Fate, be sure to check out today’s post at ONCE UPON A GEEK.

My friend Terry was kind enough to loan me this next shirt so I could photograph it for FIRESTORM FAN.  It’s a really cool slate-blue ringer t-shirt featuring the satellite-era Justice League of America.

Here is a close-up of the graphic.  You can see Firestorm directly under the “M” in “America”.  Unfortunately for the logo, it appears to be seconds away from bursting into flames thanks to our favorite match-head.  The artwork on this shirt was done by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, the man who did much of the DC promotional stock art back in the early 1980s.  My thanks to Terry for the loan!

I don’t own the next three shirts, but I’ve found them for sale online recently.

This next one features the same image as above, but this time in color and with the slogan, “Come Join the Justice League of America”.  Thankfully, Firestorm’s hair isn’t setting anything on fire this time.  You can order this shirt from Popfunk.com by clicking here.

This next shirt features the Justice League of America racing into action.  Firestorm can be found flying on the right-hand side of the group.  The artist on this shirt is most likely Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez again.  You can order this shirt from Popfunk.com by clicking here.

This last shirt features the same image of the JLA as above, but with the trinity in the background.  Personally, I like the look of this shirt better.  You can order this shirt from Graphitti Designs by clicking here.

Remember, come back here tomorrow for one more t-shirt!

Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!

Take a good look at the costumes below.  Here are a few things to notice:

• Firestorm has a yellow torso, boots, gloves, and briefs.  The same areas on Iron Man are red.
• Firestorm has red leggings and sleeves.  The same areas on Iron Man are yellow.
• Both characters have protruding shoulder accents.  Firestorm has pointed shoulder pads, while Iron Man has raised metal bands at the shoulder joints (though not very prominent in the image below).
• Firestorm has a prominent red circle on his chest.  Iron Man has a prominent yellow circle on his chest.  Both characters have multiple circles on their chest.
• Both Firestorm and Iron Man have red headgear framing their faces.

For the record, I’m not honestly suggesting that Firestorm creators Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom based the Firestorm costume on Iron Man.  I’m just stating that there are some similarities in costume colors and design elements.  Given that red and yellow are primary colors, it’s not surprising to find costumes using these colors in similar/opposite ways.  There are only so many combinations before you find a mirror counterpart.  Additionally, in comics it’s quite common to see the torso piece of a superhero suit contrast with the leggings and sleeves.

It is interesting to note that about a year before publication of Firestorm #1 [Mar. 1978], writer Gerry Conway completed a run on Iron Man [Iron Man #91 (Oct. 1976) - Iron Man #97 (Apr. 1977)].  However, this is merely coincidence as artist Al Milgrom and Editor Jack C. Harris supposedly developed the look for Firestorm (see “It’s BobRo, the Answer Man” column for Jack C. Harris’ quote on this).  Also, the pieces of Firestorm’s costume that really stand out are the flaming hair and chest emblem; there really isn’t any resemblance to Iron Man in either of those.  The elements of Iron Man’s costume that really stand out are the face-plate and that the entire suit is made of metal; again no overlap with Firestorm in either of these areas. 

Just for fun, check out the covers to Firestorm #1 (Mar. 1978) and Iron Man #110 (May 1978).  These comics were published just a few months apart.  Look at Firestorm and Iron Man’s pose.

Finally, here are the Super Powers Firestorm and Secret Wars Iron Man figures side-by-side.

The Secret Wars Iron Man image comes from the Toyriffic blog.  Check out their excellent review of the Iron Man figure by clicking here.

In conclusion, this is just an interesting coincidence surrounding two popular characters.  Just a crazy observation that has been rattling around in my brain for the last 20+ years.  Nothing more.

Support Firestorm!  Fan the flame!

If you collected comics or toys in the mid-1980s, then you probably owned some of the popular Super Powers line of action figures.  Even if you just read Marvel Comics (and therefore were probably more interested in the “Secret Wars” action figures from Mattel at the time), you most likely had seen some of the Super Powers figures in the stores.  One of the main reasons that the Super Powers figures were so successful was because they adhered to the characters comic book likeness so closely.  Another reason for the line’s popularity was the inclusion of popular characters and some relatively unknown heroes.  This mixture proved to be popular with comic book fans and kids alike.

For DC, Firestorm happened to be the right character at the right time.  His monthly comic was already selling well and he’d just started appearing on the Super Friends cartoon. He was definitely a character on the rise.  The action figure helped push his popularity even further.  For me as a fan of Firestorm, having an action figure meant that the character had finally “made it”.  A monthly comic, on TV, and now an action figure!  Firestorm was in the big time!

This figure was really the first tangible piece of Firestorm merchandise, outside of the comic itself.  Additionally, the figure looked great.  He actually looked like Firestorm!  Well… maybe the shoulder pads weren’t perfect, but everything else was spot on.  That’s impressive given that many action figures back then didn’t resemble the source material much at all.  So the strong resemblance combined with this being the first Firestorm toy made this figure very special to Firestorm fans.

Here is a picture of the Super Powers Firestorm still on the card.  I’ve seen it advertised recently on the card for as much as $95.

Here is the only example of the back of the card I could find.  Apparently this is a French version.  I found this over at Toytraderz.com.

Power Action Atomic Punch!

Each of the Super Powers figures had a hidden gimmick, referred to as “Power Action”.  In Firestorm’s case it was a “Power Action Atomic Punch”.  By squeezing his legs together, his arms would move up and down.  This was supposed to simulate Firestorm punching out his enemies.  While the gimmick was nice (especially since it didn’t disrupt the appearance of the figure), it really wasn’t very relevant to the character.  Firestorm is not necessarily known for punching out his opponents.

To see the Power Action Atomic Punch in action, check out the Super Powers Firestorm site done by Cool Toy Review.  Go to the bottom of the page and roll over the photo to see Firestorm in action.

Size Matters

The Super Powers action figures were produced by Kenner, who was a giant in the action figure market in the early 1980s thanks to the success of their Star Wars line.  So it’s no surprise that the Super Powers figures were done in a smaller scale like the Star Wars figures.  Firestorm stood a whopping 4.75 inches (to the tip of his flaming hair).  Because of this the Super Powers Firestorm looks rather small compared to his “younger brothers” produced within the past few years by DC Direct and Mattel DC Universe Classics.  More on the “younger brothers” in future posts.

Mini-Comics

The first two waves of Super Powers action figures each came with a mini-comic book starring that particular character.  These comics were 4.5 inches by 2.75 inches, and had 13 pages of story.  Firestorm’s mini-comic (cover and a page pictured below) featured our hot-headed hero along with Green Arrow doing battle with the villainous Mantis.  Not so coincidentally, both Green Arrow and Mantis had figures released at the same time as Firestorm.  In the story, Mantis had stolen the abilities of Superman, making him quite the powerful foe.  Firestorm ultimately defeated the Mantis by cleverly turning the Statue of Liberty into Kryptonite (a weakness Mantis shared while in possession of Superman’s powers).  Meanwhile, Firestorm appeared in three other Super Powers mini-comics - Martian Manhunter, Darkseid, and the Parademons.  Throughout these other Firestorm’s mini-comic appearances, his primary function was to crack poor jokes and use his transmutation powers to rescue people.   Click here to see all the Super Powers mini-comic covers.

Super Powers Collection Action Figure History

There were a total of 33 figures produced across three waves for the Super Powers Collection action figure line.  Click here to see all the figures.  In 1984 Kenner launched the first wave with 12 figures that featured well known characters like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The first wave was well received, so in 1985 Kenner produced a second wave.  This time they produced 12 figures, featuring some lesser known characters such as Firestorm, Doctor Fate, Red Tornado, Martian Manhunter, and many New Gods characters.  A third wave of figures was released in 1986 and proved to be the final wave.

For a thoroughly fascinating history of the Super Powers action figure line, visit the following excellent resources:

• Jason Geyer’s Super Powers Archive
• Mike Mensinger’s Super Powers page

Unproduced Super Powers Figures – “Power Plus” Fire Flash Firestorm

Here is something I didn’t know until I did research for this post.  There was an additionally planned, yet unproduced Firestorm action figure for the Super Powers Collection.  I had no idea!  Turns out that Kenner was working on several figures for release after the third wave.  You can read all about it, see presentation artwork, and mock-up figures by clicking here.

The unproduced Firestorm figure was to be part of the new “Power Plus” line of the Super Powers Collection. The Power Plus line was planned to be a separate deluxe set of figures that used existing body parts with new torsos that had light-ups, interchangeable parts, or larger mechanisms. The Firestorm figure was labeled, “Power Plus Fire Flash Firestorm”.  Based upon the conceptual art, it appears this Firestorm figure was going to feature light-up translucent flaming arms, a redesigned torso, and a translucent flaming cape on his back.  Check out the links below for details, conceptual art, and some of the prototype pieces.

• Power Plus Fire Flash Firestorm conceptual art and prototype at Jason Geyer’s Super Powers Archive
• Power Plus Fire Flash Firestorm history and prototype at Mike Mensinger’s Super Powers page

While I’m not necessarily thrilled about the look of the Power Plus Firestorm figure, I still can’t help wishing it was in my collection.  We were denied a piece of our childhood that may have become one of our most treasured possessions! 

Comic Book Super Powers Tie-Ins

To tie in with each wave of the figures, a DC Comics mini-series was produced for the separate waves, each mini-series centering on the figures spotlighted in the corresponding wave.  Firestorm was featured in the second six-issue mini-series, as well as the third four-issue mini-series.

The second Super Powers mini-series series was cover dated September 1985-February 1986.  The series was written by Paul Kupperberg and Jack Kirby, with art by Kirby.  For me personally, this was the first of the Super Powers mini-series I read.  I absolutely ate this series up.  Loved it!  I do remember being slightly confused about Doctor Fate from Earth-2 hanging out with the heroes of Earth-1, but it didn’t bother me for long.  I mean c’mon, Jack Kirby drawing Firestorm!?!?!  It doesn’t get much cooler than that.

The third Super Powers mini-series was cover dated September 1986-December 1986.  Again the series was written by Paul Kupperberg, but this time the art was by Carmine Infantino.  Dude, Carmine-freakin’-Infantino!  Regardless of whether you liked these mini-series or not, you gotta respect these Silver Age giants who drew these fun books!  On the cover of issue #3, I love to see Firestorm’s flaming hair has been reduced to a smolder.  Too funny!

Television Super Powers Tie-Ins

Of course an article about the Super Powers phenomena wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Super Friends/Super Powers cartoon television series. I won’t go into any great depth here because I’ll do that in a future post, but Firestorm first appeared in the premiere episode of the 1984 Super Friends season (September 1984). This is noteworthy because this was also the first episode of the retooled Super Friends, renamed for the 1984 season “Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show“.  The following year also featured Firestorm, but this time they had completely embraced the Super Powers branding and retitled the series, “Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians“.  If you noticed the years there, Firestorm actually appeared in the cartoon approximately a year before his action figure was released.  So that’s always left me wondering, which came first… the idea to put Firestorm in the Super Friends cartoon, or the plan to produce an action figure for Firestorm in the Super Powers line?

Support Firestorm!  Fan the flame!

So there you have it… the Super Powers Collection Firestorm.  I promise future posts won’t be nearly this long.  I just felt this particular piece of memorabilia deserved the extra attention.