My first encounter with Firestorm was in September 1984 on the cartoon, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show. I found him fascinating and immediately ran out and bought some of his comics.
It’s worth noting there were a few minor differences between “our” Firestorm and the Super Friends Firestorm. Here is the Super Friends Firestorm origin explained on the SuperFriends Wiki:
High-School student Ronald Raymond, met Professor Martin Stein on the campus of Fairmont University. He would help Professor Stein on many occasions. One night, during an accidental explosion (from a molecular-fusion experiment), Ronald and Professor Stein fuse into one being; Firestorm, the nuclear man! Ronald Raymond had control of Firestorm’s body, while Martin was just a voice in Firestorm’s head.
A fairly close origin, but slightly different. “Fairmont University”? Ronnie helped the Professor prior to their becoming Firestorm? Minor differences, but interesting.
Okay, so the real reason for today’s post is to show off the cool fusion of Professor Stein and Ronnie Raymond into Firestorm!
Check out the 10 minute 45 second mark of the video below to see more!
Support Firestorm! Fan the flame!
Wonder Woman’s invitation… SUBTEXT!!!
Great stuff. I watched this show religiously when I was a kid but I think I was introduced to flamehead in the back of Flash comics.
They definitely fluffed things up in this show but it was still awesome seeing our favorite heroes moving and talking.
The fusion effect is also cool but I’m pretty sure I remember Ronnie and Stein fusing when they were nowhere near each other and that had some interesting ramifications too… one would be out and minding their own business and would feel the pull of the looming fusion.
That was also my introduction to Firestorm. I grew up watching Super Friends (why they never called the show “Justice League, i’ll never know) and looked forward to it’s newest member. I remember thinking how awesome his powers, costume and being made up from two people was! Who ever heard of a hero that was 2 different people in 1 body before? I’ve since collected Stormy’s original 5 issue run and most of his 2nd 100 issue run, plus his 1st issue as a member of the Justice League.
Thanks for the memories, and keep this awesome site going!
PS- I’d love some bios & synopsis on FS’s lesser-known villians, like Slipknot, Bug & Byte and the Weasel!
I love it! But only one complaint…in the opening credits, Flash flies into the Legion of Doom’s hq’s. xD
I’d say a major difference between the Superfriends Firestorm and the comics one is that clearly, in the Superfriends Firestorm the “flaming hair” is just some sort of headpiece crown. This was undoubtedly done out of concern that kids would set their heads on fire if Firestorm had the comic book flaming hair.
This also was my intro to Firestorm. I had noticed it on the comics rack at my local supermarket, but I found the opening explanation confusing. “Two men caught up in a bizarre nuclear accident… together they possess the Fury of Firestorm, the Nuclear Man.” I didn’t really ‘get’ it. I was maybe 11 years old, and still into Batman. Two men? What did they do, build Firestorm in a lab? Possess? You mean, like a demon? Is this a magic title? I don’t like magic heroes that much. So I passed it over and kept buying Batman.
Until he showed up on the Superfriends, and then it all became perfectly clear. Two men merge into one superbeing. Okay, now the opening intro bit made sense, and it seemed like the coolest thing ever. A completely refreshing take on the secret identity schtick, which, even to this former-eleven-year-old, was already quite stale.
Is it just me, or does the above outline of Martin Stein’s floating head next to Firestorm above look a little like Bill Bixby?
@Robert – Oh wow! I never noticed that. He totally looks like Bill Bixby!
By the way, thanks for all the comments today!
Shag
My pleasure, Shag. This site is thirty-one flavors of awesome.
Does anyone have or know wher to find the original show with Firestorm’s first ever appearance where they all see him and wonder who the heck he is? I recall Robin saying “Holy (?) Batman! He really IS 2 people in 1!” And the announcer (who was he all those years anyway?) saying “Back at the (protected?) Hall Of Justice Firestorm reveals his true identity”. I think they also told him something to the extent of he had to prove he was on their side somehow before they’d let him join them. I’ve been looking on youtube typing in every possibility I can think of but I can’t find this show. The closest one I come to is “The death of Superman”. But that’s not the one I’m looking for. They already know all this by then.
….Addition to last comment:
I also remember Firestorm explaining to everyone: “….and while I, Ronald Raymond (act as?) Firestorm, the professor is always there giving me guidance.” -Or something close to that. “You can’t see or hear him, but the professor is always at my side.” he says.