DCU Comic Book Reviews

FIRESTORM: THE NUCLEAR MAN #34

The Chaos Equation

May 2007

Written by Dwayne McDuffie

Pencils by Pop Mhan

Inks by Rob Stull and Ron Randall

Cover by Pete Woods

Synopsis

The Female Furies have just been captured Firestorm and Shilo Norman (aka Mister Miracle) after they in turn had just captured Orion.  However, Gehenna and Firehawk arrive to help their friends.  Plus, Orion breaks free and also battles the Furies.  With the additional help, Firestorm and company are able to defeat the Female Furies.  Just as they are about to decide what to do with Orion when Metron appears inside the Firestorm Matrix.  Professor Stein has come close to solving the anti-life equation, which Metron says will give him the power to defy Darkseid’s reign of terror.  This means that Darkseid will stop at nothing to find Stein.  Suddenly, Kalibak appears.  He demands they hand over Stein or he will unleash Parademons all over Metropolis. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“Is that a crack about my head being on fire?  ‘Cause I’m sensitive about that.”

As the middle part of the overall storyline, this issue provided exactly what was needed:  a little more information on the reason the New Gods after Stein and a new, bigger threat to Firestorm.  The fight scenes bordered between good and bad.  Gehenna’s solution to Bernadeth was nicely done but Firehawk was useless except for comedy relief.  I would have liked to see her do more than act like a punching bag.  However, the total awesomeness of Orion pounding Stompa with several cars just can not be denied. 

After a month of DC advertisements for the upcoming Countdown series that feature Darkseid’s triumphant return to the DCU, I am beginning to wonder if this Firestorm story is going to be a cornerstone for the next year or so of the DCU or if it will largely be forgotten the closer we get to the Big Event.  Martin Stein is close to discovering the anti-life equation.  This is key to remember since they have not said he solved it, but rather he was close to solving it.  If Darkseid is really after the equation (and there are clues that suggest this might be the case) then obviously whoever has it would become central to the story.  Would DC put a minor character in book featuring a B-List hero become the core of a company-wide event?  I posit this question knowing that this book has been canceled.  The answer, at least in my mind, is that this particular storyline is just a teaser and the ending will feature a manner which will deny Stein’s ability to solving the equation (like erasing his memory) and Darkseid will move onward to someone else. 

The battle between Lashina and Firestorm at the beginning of the book makes Firestorm look more like a Green Lantern (or Yellow Lantern) given the constructs that he creates, especially the winch at the end to tie up her whip. 

 

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