Superman Invites Firestorm To The Justice League.

[superfangirl1]

The Fury of Firestorm #20.



And down and out goes major Force.

Comments

[theflames]

Oh yeah i read that issue... i wanted to enjoy what was happening but I couldn't help but see Clark doing that to Major Force, in *his* base of operations as a major dick move.

Like you know when a high school jock has 'good intentions' to defend someone, and then, at the slightest suggestion of offence decides to display his dominance? Yeah that.

[ablackraptor]

Considering the fact they're pretty much threatening Superman and just went Marvel on him, I think knocking Major Force out is justified. Doing so in a manner clearly intended to humiliate him is a little iffy, but right now he's basically trying to help someone being massively mistreated.

[theflames]

Yep, but he didn't throw the first punch. Superman did.

If Batman did this it'd be arguably self defence, reacting before you get a laser in the face. In Superman's case he just wanted to show Major Force who's boss. While I don't agree with whatever the government was planning to do. Superman could've most likely just left with Firestorm, maybe shown of his red eyes and called it a night.

[silverhammerman]

I dig Major Force's new design and cigar. Gives him kind of a Comedian-y vibe, and it could be interesting to see him used as a morally bankrupt government superhuman rather than a basic murder-y bastard with no purpose.

I also really like the tone here. Superman taking the government jailer to task, Firestorm being excited to join the Justice League, Professor Stein being able to just call up the League for help. It seems fun and bright, a welcome break from some of DC's stuff.

I gotta ask though, is the book any good overall, or am I just seeing an unusually enjoyable section?

[skjam]

And here's the equivalent scene from the Pre-Crisis period. http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/3599251.html#cutid1

I don't know if they ever flashed back to that Post-Crisis.

[big_daddy_d]

*In stereotypical redneck accent* Now look here Kryptonian, I don't trust you or any of your kind boy.

I seriously read that in that voice. Also what Superman did to Major Force. OWNED!

[espanolbot]

Err, points for honesty, but telling Superman to his face that you want to lock him up and program him to work for the US military doesn't seem to be that smart a move...

[icon_uk]

Where does he mentioned wanting to reprogram him?

Not liking a self appointed godlike being with no oversight or checks/balances, is a perfectly logical stance to take when the responsibility for your countries security is part of your job seems quite reasonable in context. He doesn't have to be a dick about it, but....

[wizardru]

Of course, the person Superman is addressing has just actively and illegally kidnapped an American citizen and illegally detained him, then threatened to do the same again....those checks and balances go both ways and currently it isn't Superman who is abusing his power, from the look of these scans.

[icon_uk]

Unless I'm sadly lacking in my understanding of law, American citizens can't just wander down the street carrying random radioactive material that they are not authorised to carry, or at least expect to do so unsupervised.

Firestorm essentially IS radioactive material, he has phenomenal nuclear based destructive powers, and nothing is known about his intentions. Add in the fact that the two component people were fused using technology that was designed and intended for military use as part of an international political agreement and we have something of an incident that would require military involvement.

The fact the fusion happened by accident in their case is unfortunate but doesn't really change much of the problem that Firestorm represents, so him/them being picked up by the military, who WILL have oversight of their actions is perhaps inevitable. (The General here was appointed to his rank by, ultimately, the democratically voted-in Commander in Chief of the US Military, Superman has no such authority)

It'd actually be an interesting legal case if this was kidnapping or not since it could be viewed as recovering purloined military equipment.

Like I said, he's being a dick about it, but he has a lot more awareness of what Firestorm is and what a threat he'd be in the wrong hands than Superman does. I can see Superman being outraged by it, but I can also see, in this instance, WHY the military are involved.

[jlbarnett]

considering the nuclear material is a person I think it changes it.

[icon_uk]

Not sure it does precisely since, to continue the metaphor, the Government would quarantine indefinitely anyone suffering from, say, radiation poisoning if they potentially posed a risk to others through still being infused with the radiaoactive material.

Or to use another weird example, if a person has a hairtrigger bazooka accidentally superglued to their hands they would still be still a risk to others and intervention could be expected.

Again, this would be more interesting as a legal case story since Firestorm may be a self aware entity, but he isn't a human; he's an energy being with two personalities, but an unknown composition.

Personally I think I'd rather read that story... :)

[theflames]

Yeah it makes the issue even more volatile and demands even further military involvement.

The military NEEDS to be involved in Firestorm's life, just in a more altruistic way.

[bariman]

Isn't that basically why General Ross and the US Army went after the Hulk? Radiation-based tech for military use, super-powered person with two personalities, hardass general going after him... yeah.

[espanolbot]

I assumed that some kind of reprogramming was going to go on, otherwise just strapping him to a chair would be kind of a waste of time.

[jlbarnett]

the chair could have just been for suppressing powers

[icon_uk]

"Oh no... not the comfy chair!!"

[jlbarnett]

I hope with the intro of Major Force they eventually give his new origin

Because if he has his old origin after they bumped Captain Atom up to Doctor Manhatten levels....

[ablackraptor]

I can't help but notice that on the fourth from last panel, the Super-briefs returned slightly. They're now blue, but they're there.

With that in mind, I like this. How good is the title as a whole? I might add it to the pull list.

[icon_uk]

Well, this is the last issue, if that's any indication, I enjoyed it at the launch, and the notion of the Firestorm Protocols as an international thing in line with the arms race was a nifty one, but then I sort of lost track of it.

[ablackraptor]

I'll get the first trade next time I'm trade hunting then. Thanks.