| In
the early 1960's, Martin Stein was an undergraduate at Stanford University
majoring in Physics. Stein was a very shy student, often at the mercy of
bullies such as Brad Baxter. At college, he met a young woman by the name
of Crystal
Frost, whom eventually fell in love with Stein. Stein, however, did
not reciprocate these feelings. From Stein's spurning grew Frost's hatred
of men. Stein graduated summa cum laude, and eventually went on to earn a
master's degree and a doctorate in Physics. About the same time,
Edward and Elaine Rockwell gave birth to their first and only child, a son
named Ronald. Ronald's mother Elaine would eventually die, leaving Edward
and young Ronnie to fend for themselves. Ronnie spent his young life with
his father, moving from place to place, and spent a lot of time playing
sports, especially football.
After college, Martin
Stein was offered a job at STAR Labs. Stein continued to lead a sheltered
life, and began to develop an alcoholic addiction. It was in a bar one day
he met Clarissa Clemens, who "picked him up." One passionate
week later, they were married in Las Vegas. Soon, however, wedded bliss
ended when Martin realized Clarissa's expensive tastes. When Martin
tightened up the wallet, Clarissa threatened to leave him. A drunk Martin
grabbed Clarissa by the arm, hurting her. Clarissa left, and the two
became divorced. Martin turned to liquor for relief, drowning out the
terror in his heart.
Meanwhile, Edward
Raymond was offered a job as a newspaper reporter in New York City, and
the Raymonds moved east. Ronnie was enrolled in Bradley High School in
Upper Manhattan, and soon became a star sports figure there. Ronnie, on
his first day, had met Doreen Day, whom he felt was the "prettiest
girl in school," and Cliff Carmichael, a jealous intellectual who had
it out for Raymond the moment he met him. Cliff went out of his way to
make Ronnie look bad in front of Doreen.
A year after his
divorce, Martin Stein left STAR Labs and became head of research and
development for the Hudson Power Company. There, he designed the first
fully automated nuclear power plant. Martin finally gained much of the
credit he was due, and won a Nobel Prize for the work done at Hudson.
Building the plant took the better part of a decade, much of the delays
caused by local protesters both in and out of the courtroom.
At this time, Stein
began to feel a bit shaken up about his life. Going out to the bar with
Danton Black, Stein's assistant, the two began drinking. Danton realized
that Stein was an alcoholic, and used this information as leverage,
stealing equipment from the Hudson reactor site. Stein fired Danton, but
Danton approached the Nuclear Regulations Council, claiming that Stein had
stolen his ideas. On the night of the Hudson Nuclear Reactor's activation,
the Council approached Stein to begin a formal investigation of Danton's
claim. The Council enjoined the opening of the reactor until the claim was
resolved. Stein, however, was prepared to activate the reactor anyway.
Meanwhile, Ronnie
Raymond had decided to join the protesters at the Hudson Nuclear Plant to
impress Doreen and prove, once and for all, that he wasn't just a dumb
jock. Ronnie was recruited by Eddie Earhart for a "special"
protest at the plant. In fact, Earhart was the leader of a radical anti-
nuclear terrorist group. The group, along with Ronnie, broke into the
plant, planning to bomb the plant as a show of power. When Ronnie
discovered this, Earhart knocked him out.
Stein, the only man in
the plant at the time (or so he thought), tried to stop the terrorists,
but was also knocked unconscious. Ronnie, who Earhart planned to take the
blame for the bombing, awoke. Ronnie tried to stop the bomb, but it
exploded, setting off the nuclear reactor. The entire reactor exploded,
and both Ronnie Raymond and the unconscious Martin Stein were bathed in a
million ergs of radiation. Unbeknownst at the same time, Denton Black had
returned to the plant to exact revenge upon Stein by stealing the plans to
the reactor. Denton was also bathed in the radiation, but to a lesser
degree than Stein and Raymond.
Somehow, the bodies of
Stein and Raymond merged into a new form. Raymond, since he was conscious,
became the dominant mind in control of the new body, but Stein was also a
conscious passenger in the new body. The two minds were able to
communicate subconsciously. Ronnie looked down and saw the nude form of
the new body and fashioned a costume with the transmutational powers that
came with the body. Surprised, Raymond named the new body Firestorm for the
firestorm that flooded them both.
Both Raymond and Stein
decided that Earhart was still a threat, so Firestorm went after Earhart
to bring him to justice. When Earhart exploded a second bomb, Firestorm
absorbed the energy and captured the terrorist. Pleased with the way they
handled themselves, Raymond and Stein decided that they should use their
powers for good and thus Firestorm became a hero. However, when Firestorm
split apart into its core components, Stein did not remember anything from
his time as Firestorm.
Meanwhile, at the
Hudson Nuclear Power Plant, Denton Black awoke and found he had gained the
power to multiply into many separate beings, each identical to his own
except they become smaller the more he multiplies. Denton found this
happened whenever he absorbed energy from an outside source. Denton
discovered that Stein and Raymond were the hero called Firestorm, so
Denton constructed a costume and became the villain called Multiplex.
Multiplex found and attacked Firestorm, but the Nuclear Man defeated him.
In the Arctic, Crystal
Frost, now also a Doctor, was working on a scientific project when she
accidentally locked herself into a thermafrost chamber. As a result, she
was transformed into Killer Frost, a woman who could generate intense
amounts of cold. Frost, bitter at all men, and Stein in particular,
returned to New York to exact revenge. Frost's hatred of Stein of course
brought her into conflict with Firestorm, who defeated her by freezing the
Killer Frost. Frost was placed in captivity and sent to STAR Labs in New
York City for study, but was soon transferred to STAR Labs' Metropolis
branch.
Firestorm's next
public appearance brought him into contact with some sort of creature that
was wreaking havoc on the isle of Manhattan. It ends up that Doreen Day's
sister, Summer, had been wounded by a native while in Africa. Since then,
whenever a full moon appears, Summer transforms into a Hyena. It was the
Hyena that was going on the rampage, scavenging in New York City when she
was stopped by Firestorm. Firestorm drove her off, but gained her hatred.
After Firestorm's battle with the Hyena, Ron Raymond decided that he
wasn't cut out for superheroics and retired to concentrate on his school-
work. However, his "retirement" was short lived.
When Killer Frost
escaped from the STAR Labs in Metropolis, she took mental control of Superman
and began attacking the city. Professor Stein, who was on-hand for Frost's
escape, merged with the reluctant Ron and Firestorm was once again reborn.
Firestorm stopped Frost's attempt to create a huge refrigeration system
and freed the controlled Superman. The two then defeated Frost.
Afterwards, Superman offered Firestorm membership in the Justice League of
America, which Firestorm immediately accepted.
After Firestorm's
first meeting with the League, which included his induction, he became the
mental slave of the Satin
Satan. League members Batman,
Black Canary, Green
Arrow, Red Tornado, Superman,
and Zatanna, along with curious bystanders Cliff Carmichael, Doreen Day, and Cal Remington, tackled the
Satin Satan, who was actually possessed by the demon Sataroth, and freed
the nuclear hothead.
Over the next months,
Firestorm proved himself an able Leaguer, helping fellow heroes whenever
they needed. Firestorm aided the Flash
in defeating Superman's old nemesis the Atomic Skull; he teamed up with
Batman to destroy the Hudson Nuclear Reactor since it had become sentient
in the same explosion that formed both Firestorm and Multiplex; and, even
though he was possessed for a time, joined the League to defeat Starro,
the starfish conqueror that had enslaved most of New York City.
David Drake, another
expert scientist, had created the Manta, a nuclear- powered bathysphere.
Captain Anton Hammer, head of the project aboard the Neptune explorer, had
pressured both Martin Stein to O.K. the nuclear stockpile and Drake to
O.K. the launch. After the Manta launched, a sea storm hit and severed the
communications between the Neptune and the Manta. Stein summoned Firestorm
and rescued the Manta, but Hammer shot Drake as he emerged. Drake fell
back into the bathysphere, as a short circuit exploded the nuclear craft.
Drake was transformed into the creature called Typhoon. Driven mad by the
accident, Typhoon sank the Neptune and headed for Florida, but was finally
stopped by Firestorm.
Eventually, Martin
Stein became able to remember Firestorm's adventures after they split
apart. Ronnie revealed Firestorm's long history to Stein, and Stein agreed
to remain active as Firestorm.
Firestorm was critical
helping the Red Tornado find his origin, convincing the Tornado Champion
to remerge with the Tornado Tyrant and form the Red Tornado. About the
same time, Killer Frost had escaped from her frozen prison a third time,
and joined Ultra-Humanite's version of the Secret Society of
Super-Villains. Killer Frost defeated Firestorm, and the Society held him,
and nine other members of the Justice League and the Justice
Society of Earth-2, hostage in a limbo between worlds. After the
Earth-2 villains double-crossed the Earth-1 villains, Killer Frost, with
Signalman, the Cheetah, and the Floronic Man, freed the ten heroes from their prison, only to
have all the villains imprisoned in the same limbo.
While Martin Stein
finally settled down with a stable job, working at Concordance Research,
Firestorm had many adventures. Superman revealed his secret identity of
Clark Kent to Firestorm when the two teamed up against the villain Kris
Kross. While Ron Raymond, and the rest of the class from Bradley High,
went on a field trip to the New York Museum of Natural History, Raymond's
teacher John Ravenhair was transformed into the insane Black Bison. Black
Bison attacked New York Senator Walter Reilly and his daughter Lorraine,
but was defeated by Firestorm and restored to normal.
Longtime Green
Lantern villain Hector Hammond, who possessed a superhuman
intelligence, developed the power to have his intellect leave his body in
prison. Hammond had an android Ace constructed and recruited a new Royal
Flush Gang. The Royal Flush Gang attacked various Leaguers across the
country, including Firestorm, and had them put into comas. The only person
who realized that Hammond was behind this was Martin Stein, but he was
trapped in Firestorm's body. Eventually, Stein battled Hammond on the
astral plane, and when Stein emerged victorious, the Leaguers came out of
their comas.
Killer Frost,
meanwhile, escaped from her prison in limbo and decided to exact revenge
by freezing the entire populace of New York City. Keeping all but Mayor
Koch and Firestorm free, Frost made Firestorm her unwitting slave. Frost
wanted the most macho male, actor Curt Holland, as her slave, and sent
Firestorm to fetch him. Firestorm, however, recruited the Justice League
to aid him. Professor Stein and the Red Tornado developed a super- freeze
engine which they hid in Tornado's torso. Disguising Tornado as Holland,
they got him close enough to Frost to freeze her once again.
Firestorm proved his
worth over and over again. He teamed up with the League, the Justice
Society of America, and the All-Star
Squadron in the year 1942 to defeat the Crime Syndicate and Per
Degaton. He also, about this time, defeated longtime Flash foe Pied Piper,
the Canadian terrorist Plastique in her first appearance, and longtime
enemies such as the Typhoon and the Hyena.
During this time,
Firestorm teamed up with the League, the New Teen Titans, and Superman to
stop the invasion plans of the evil Brainiac. He also, with the League,
helped defeat the ancient Atlantean wizard Garn Daanuth and the longtime
League foe Professor Ivo.
Firestorm played a key
role aiding the cat-like Reena and the League defeat the mutations of the
animalistic Rex Maximus. About this time, Firestorm aided the Justice
League, the Outsiders, and the World's Finest duo of Batman and Superman
fight the self-styled god Zeta and his Pantheon on a myriad of worlds.
Firestorm and the League also defeated the villain Paragon in his first
appearance and helped both them and the Justice Society defeat the evil Johnny
Thunder of Earth-1.
Firestorm also joined the Justice League and the New Teen Titans in
celebrating Supergirl's anniversary landing on Earth.
Firestorm joined the
League in defending the Earth against the Martians, who returned to our
solar system with the intention of conquering our planet. When the Justice
League failed, and Martian
Manhunter single-handedly fought off his own people, Aquaman,
then leader of the League, decided to re-evaluate the League's purpose.
Aquaman decided to disband the original League and form a new League that
could commit totally to the team. At first Firestorm was enraged by
Aquaman's decision, but soon realized the truth in his words. Firestorm
opted to remain with the League, but Stein made Raymond realize that they
could not commit 100%. Thus, Firestorm left the League.
Firestorm was one of the first team of heroes recruited by the Monitor to
combat the coming Crisis on Infinite Earths. In the midst of his latest
battle with Killer Frost, was approached by Harbinger and the second
Psycho Pirate, and the four joined other heroes of various parallel Earths
in defending these Earths against the Anti-Monitor, a demonic counterpart
of the Monitor from the Antimatter Universe.
First, Firestorm and
his team fought off the Anti-Monitor's shadow demons that infiltrated the
Monitor's satellite. Then, the Monitor sent Firestorm and Killer Frost to
ancient Camelot on Earth-2 to team up with Sir Justin the Shining Knight
and Vandal Savage to protect one of five tuning forks placed in various
times on various Earths to protect them from the Anti-Monitor's
destructive powers.
After the Monitor's
death and five of the Earths temporarily protected, Firestorm joined a
strike team of heroes from the various Earths, led by the Supermen of
Earth-1 and Earth-2, into the Antimatter Dimension to attack the
Anti-Monitor's fortress. Firestorm's powers, altered in the
anti-dimension, proved little help, but the heroes managed to set the
Anti- Monitor fleeing.
In the aftermath of
the battle in the Anti-Matter dimension, Firestorm joined the heroes of
the Earths at Supergirl's funeral, and was one of the heroes who
confronted the newly-formed Red Tornado.
With the Anti-Monitor
weakened, the villains of the various Earths, led by Brainiac and Luthor,
took control of three of the Earths: Earth-X, Earth-S, and Earth-4.
Firestorm joined the strike team of heroes that saved Earth-S, battling
such villains as the Penguin and Validus along the way. In the end, the
three Earths were liberated and the villains defeated.
Firestorm also took
part in the massive battle between the remaining heroes and the
Anti-Monitor and his Qwardian armies. In the end, the Anti- Monitor was
destroyed by the Superman of Earth-2 and the Superboy of Earth- Prime.
After the Crisis,
Firestorm aided the new Justice League battle Darkseid's fallen angel,
Brimstone. Brimstone defeated Firestorm, the new League, and a time-traveling
Cosmic Boy before being destroyed by the new Suicide Squad in their first
mission.
Firestorm also had a stint with Extreme
Justice.
Of late, Firestorm has been appearing as a
reserve member of the JLA, although his effectiveness is limited without
the physics knowledge of Prof. Stein.
Firestorm had recently been studying
Chemistry at Ivy University under Prof. Ray Palmer, aka The
Atom II, where he joined The Atom and Green
Lantern V and a time and dimension spanning Green Lantern Corps, in
saving the universe from the threat of ??? Firestorm briefly was reunited
with Prof. Stein, currently known as a cosmic elemental responsible
for devastating a planetary society before being brought back to his sense
by Firestorm and an ancient reprogrammed Manhunter android who served as a
Green Lantern over 3 billion years ago.
Once the youngest member inducted into the JLA, Ronnie
continues to serve as an associate member in its hallowed ranks.
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