DCU Comic Book Reviews

FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MAN #26

The Real You

August 2006

Written by Stuart Moore

Pencils by Jamal Igle

Inks by Keith Champagne

Cover by Brian Stelfreeze

Synopsis

A man who calls himself the Pupil talks to one of the dollies about their battle with Firehawk in the desert.  Before he learns too much, the Pupil must tend to Martin Stein, who is tied up on a bed.  The Pupil ask Stein about Firehawk.  At Columbus University, Jason Rusch has just gotten out of his literature class.  With Gehenna following, Jason and Lorraine go to Martin Stein’s apartment to find where he might have been taken.  They find notes that indicate he is still on University property.  Jason turns into Firestorm, but the matrix is burned out from the energy form the sun.  On the safe side, Lorraine suggests they take Gehenna who can teleport.  Firestorm finds Stein, but are attacked by more dollies and without the Firestorm power, Jason is having trouble.  Lorraine suggests she fight them as Firehawk while he goes after Stein.  However, the dollies are able to catch both of them.  The Pupil then produces Stein, who is dead.  With an inhibitor hood, the Pupil wonders what will happen when Jason tries to merge with a dead man.  Angered, Jason can’t wait to find out.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was another solid issue from Moore, Ingle and company.  I like the way this issue brings back the events from the first couple of OYL issues as well as the recent issues with the ice queen.  These were two distinct and different events, but are connected to everything around the characters.  I liked the way it all worked out.  Heck, there was even a small reference to Jason’s father and his big news he tried to tell Jason earlier.  And I am willing to bet it won’t be an incidental piece of information.  The Pupil is creepy but I think that was supposed to be the point.  It is interesting to note that he indicates he works for someone else, so even if Jason defeats the Pupil, he will have even more problems. 

The aspect of the story that I found interesting is the rather anti-climatic.  In fact, he happened off panel.  For this reason I suspect the Stein’s death may very well be temporary and he’ll come back to life in some manner.  Or maybe that is not really Stein but someone else.  Or perhaps his death really was final, but his consciousness will be bonded to Firestorm so that whenever he turns into Firestorm, Stein will always be there.  Regardless, the death was just there, so I something else is going on.

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