Gerry Conway's Firestorm! A teaser
Gerry Conway- famed writer for Marvel, DC Comics, and many television shows (Law & Order, Matlock, Father Dowling Mysteries) in the late 80's and throughout the 90s- sat down with me one recent afternoon.
We could start with the Kirby-flavored cover- that’s no surprise, when you consider the artist, Allen Milgrom, has been inking the King’s covers for Marvel. But it wouldn’t be Conway-era Firestorm without a few laughs, right?
The Coalition to Resist Atomic Power (Conway's little joke, with the un-addressed acronym, CRAP- thanks, Fire & Water podcast- if you love this character or Aquaman, or just DC Comic-crazy) recruits the new kid in town, an athletically-gifted teenager who’s been bouncing from town to town with his father, named Ronnie Raymond. All Ronnie really wants is to impress this cute girl he’s met named Doreen Day. He’s not really a dumb jock, but his rival for the girl, Cliff Carmichael, is both a brain and a bully, who undermines Ronnie from the start. Ronnie’s constantly over-shadowed by Carmichael in class, since the teacher, Mr. Taubman, has little sense of balanced classroom management. Now, what’s up with the principal who’s keeping an eye on Ronnie...is a story tied directly to that town-to-town gyro-vagueness and one day, we’ll know why! He’s easy to get behind, for anyone who’s been the outsider...and we’ll quickly see, he’s in over his head in every way.
So the Coalition bunch presents themselves as protesters, and hey, here’s a way to make a difference! Away Ronnie sneaks into the night, invading the latest nuclear facility, designed by a buttoned-down fellow named Dr. Martin Stein. Along with his assistant Danton Black, he’s created the safest, clean energy facility in the world. But in Luddite fashion, the protesters turn out to be terrorists, who meet Stein’s rebuke with violence. They leave Stein and Black to their fate when they trigger the facility’s destruction. Ronnie Raymond’s left behind to become the proverbial fall guy.
And then...something wonderful happens. Something born in the fervent imagination of Gerry Conway.
I had ten minutes of data left on my podcast for the month, so I thought I'd share this teaser of our talk! Yes, he co-created the Punisher, the revamp of Carol Danvers as Ms. (now Captain!) Marvel, and Power Girl, as well as our subject today, ol' Match Head, the Nuclear Man: Firestorm!
So give it a listen! I'm very busy writing up the interview with many, many Firestorm creators. But here's Gerry and I talking about the first Spider-Man cartoon's Paul Soles and Gerry's inception of Firestorm. Lots more on the way.
BE chill, Cease ill
Well, our story begins with CRAP.
We could start with the Kirby-flavored cover- that’s no surprise, when you consider the artist, Allen Milgrom, has been inking the King’s covers for Marvel. But it wouldn’t be Conway-era Firestorm without a few laughs, right?
The Coalition to Resist Atomic Power (Conway's little joke, with the un-addressed acronym, CRAP- thanks, Fire & Water podcast- if you love this character or Aquaman, or just DC Comic-crazy) recruits the new kid in town, an athletically-gifted teenager who’s been bouncing from town to town with his father, named Ronnie Raymond. All Ronnie really wants is to impress this cute girl he’s met named Doreen Day. He’s not really a dumb jock, but his rival for the girl, Cliff Carmichael, is both a brain and a bully, who undermines Ronnie from the start. Ronnie’s constantly over-shadowed by Carmichael in class, since the teacher, Mr. Taubman, has little sense of balanced classroom management. Now, what’s up with the principal who’s keeping an eye on Ronnie...is a story tied directly to that town-to-town gyro-vagueness and one day, we’ll know why! He’s easy to get behind, for anyone who’s been the outsider...and we’ll quickly see, he’s in over his head in every way.
So the Coalition bunch presents themselves as protesters, and hey, here’s a way to make a difference! Away Ronnie sneaks into the night, invading the latest nuclear facility, designed by a buttoned-down fellow named Dr. Martin Stein. Along with his assistant Danton Black, he’s created the safest, clean energy facility in the world. But in Luddite fashion, the protesters turn out to be terrorists, who meet Stein’s rebuke with violence. They leave Stein and Black to their fate when they trigger the facility’s destruction. Ronnie Raymond’s left behind to become the proverbial fall guy.
And then...something wonderful happens. Something born in the fervent imagination of Gerry Conway.
I had ten minutes of data left on my podcast for the month, so I thought I'd share this teaser of our talk! Yes, he co-created the Punisher, the revamp of Carol Danvers as Ms. (now Captain!) Marvel, and Power Girl, as well as our subject today, ol' Match Head, the Nuclear Man: Firestorm!
So give it a listen! I'm very busy writing up the interview with many, many Firestorm creators. But here's Gerry and I talking about the first Spider-Man cartoon's Paul Soles and Gerry's inception of Firestorm. Lots more on the way.
BE chill, Cease ill
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