Firestorm Fan

Happy Friday! Today we’re doing something a little different and featuring a profile of a fellow match-head, Mr. Roy Cleary!

Roy has been a big supporter of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST and he’s a die-hard Firestorm fan. Roy was first attracted to the character after seeing Firestorm vol II #45 on a shelf back in the 1980s and then going back and getting the previous issues. As a young lad he had several fan letters printed in Firestorm vol II, as well as Justice League, Suicide Squad, Manhunter, and Starman. Roy also won the “name the letter column” contest for the short-lived Suicide Squad series by Keith Giffen featuring Killer Frost.

Not only did Firestorm get Roy into comics, it also got him out of comics for a while (or rather the death of Ronnie Raymond led Roy to quit comics for a number of years). Roy returned to DC comics with the launch of The New 52. Since then Roy has been acquiring some cool Firestorm merchandise. For example, he’s picked up a Firestorm Toon Tumbler, Firestorm/Deathstorm Action League mini-figures, and a Kenner Super Powers Collection Firestorm action figure still in the original packaging!

Below is an art print Roy picked up from a series of portfolios released by DC Comics in extremely limited numbers (only 520 portfolio sets) to celebrate the launch of The New 52. It’s printed on heavy, glossy stock art paper and measures 12” x 9” in size. I’d never even heard of these portfolios until Roy let me know. Pretty cool item!

Below is a page of original art Roy owns from Firestorm vol II #69 with pencils by J.J. Birch and inks by Sam De La Rosa. At first I planned to tease Roy for owning an original page with the Zuggernaut, but then I was blown away by the art! Issue #69 is one of three issues of Firestorm drawn by Joe Brozowski under the pseudonym J.J. Birch.  The art in the Birch issues is really exceptional as you can see in the page below. It’s a very different style from Brozowski’s previous art, somewhat reminiscent of Keith Giffen’s work in that era.  Neat stuff! For more on J.J. Birch/Joe Brozowski check out this article on Comic Book Resources.

Finally, below is Roy being just plain mean. On THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST, I mentioned I don’t own a copy of the Fury of Firestorm #61 variant cover. Roy was kind enough to send me a photo of the three copies he owns! He’s hoarding these things! That’s why I can’t find a copy!    To add further insult to injury, Roy e-mailed me this week to say he’s picked up a FOURTH copy of this variant cover! Geez!

To keep up with Roy’s thoughts on comics, find him on the DC Comics Message Board as “Charlemagne”. Also, check out Roy on the FKA Podcast! Roy and friends touch on topics that appeal to their inner nerds. Popular segments include: “Apologies,” in which they apologize for the previous podcast, and “Better Things To Do,” a review of other podcasts.

Support Firestorm (and Roy)! Fan the flame!