DCU Comic Book Reviews

FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MAN #29

In My Father's House, Part Two

November 2006

Written by Stuart Moore

Pencils by Jamal Igle

Inks by Keith Champagne

Cover by Brian Stelfreeze

Synopsis

The unseen antagonist wonders if Firestorm realizes that there are people out there who want to kill him.  In New York City, Firestorm, along with Mikhail Arkadin (aka Pozhar) and Lorraine Reilly (aka Firehawk) are in the midst of the battle with the strange Dollies.  There are too many of them and the heroes are getting beat.  Professor Stein suggests they combine powers, so Firestorm grabs the other two to enhance his powers and in that way they defeat the dollies.  They catch one of the dollies and learn they were sent by the Pionic Man.  Later, Jason visits his father and learns that his dad lost his house and was forced to live with his cousin.  Jason expresses his displeasure at his father, who then takes a swing at his son.  Jason ducks and then punches his father in the mouth.  At the urging of Professor Stein, Jason leaves the house.  At STAR Labs, Professor Stein and Jason retrieve the Pionic Man to release him from his containment.  Meanwhile, it outer space, an extremely large Dollie is almost completed. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This may not seem like a compliment, but really it is when I say that this issue did exactly what it should have done:  tell a good story in the middle of larger story.  For example, the main plot was furthered with more revelations surrounding “Poser,” we learned more about Jason’s father and what happened to him, and we got a teaser revealing more about the main villain of the piece.  All of these elements were hinted at in previous issues, all of these had revelations that came to light here.  Sometimes, however, issues like this suffer from middle child syndrome in that there is no beginning or end, just a continuation.  This is true of this issue as well, but the part between Jason and his father was the highlight, a brief moment of such emotional impact that this issue was rewarding on its own, but even more so when taken into context of the larger story.  There was absolutely nothing fancy about this issue; it did its job.  Moreover, it was well done, fast paced, and entertaining.  Sometimes there is no need to be fancy or to attempt to do something different.  The ability to tell a good comic book story over several pages is enough and this issue was more than enough.  I am eager to read the next installment and intrigue to see how all of this finally resolves itself. 

Can I just say, for the record, that the suit of the Pionic Man is one of the coolest things ever?  Now, if he only had a better name....

Hey, a “Superman Returns” billboard in the background.

Comic Connection

Doctor Kennedy and The Pionic Man were both last seen in Firestorm, issue #16 (October 2005).

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