#firestorm matrix

[augustheart]

JLA is not good firestorm wise but i do think about this a lot. any time a power-scaling conversation comes up i'm like well. firestorm should probably just be excluded from this conversation if we want to go anywhere productive huh

[strangeduckpaper]

Warehouse 13 is definitely soft canon in both DC E136 and M136/137, at least in how artifacts are born:

The meeting of an object, person, and moment, and gaining power via retelling through legend and the accrual of Capital 'S' Significance. It's something beyond science, beyond magic, the odd interception of reality and storytelling.

[dimehun]

Thinking about how firestorm 04s central theme was about jason growing and finding his place in the world as both himself and the new firestorm. also the journey of all his relationships made me feel so insane.. <- i cant word it right but the whole jump from being a kid to a adult becoming your own person figuring out whats next learning who you want to be , who you want to keep around , who you want to try for and who you need to cut out..

and then it all gets thrown away for !! WHAT 😭 the new 52 r u ready to die my hand

[fireorstormystuff]

Firestorm Head Canons (Ages)

I have a few fun head canons. Side note, when I think about head canon's for older media I feel like I should talk about them, because they are old and feel untouchable.

BUT ANYWAYS-

I have the head canon that Ronnie Raymond is the same age as Jason Todd.

Like, Jason would be like "Can I join the Justice League?" and Bruce would be like "No, your too young." and Jason would just be like "RONNIE AND I ARE THE SAME AGE-"

It could have good funnies. It would be even funnier if Ronnie was like a few months younger-

But also, Firestorm joined the Justice League when Ronnie is 15, and Jason gets killed when he is 15, so they are only around each other for a short period of time! THEN! When Jason finally comes back to everyone and stuff when he's 19, he and Ronnie are only around for another short time- BEFORE RONNIE DIES-

The next time they meet, they are like "Who's it gonna be this time? haha- sobs."

I have another head canon that Jason Rusch is the same age as Tim Drake. (If Tim was allowed to be older than 17 or Jason Rusch is like a year older.)

Anyways- Jason Rusch gets the Firestorm matrix at like 17, then runs around as Firestorm for a year or so then Ronnie comes back!

And because Ronnie looks the exact same as he did when he died, he and Jason Rusch are somewhat the same age now, and Ronnie is now younger than Jason Todd. (Which he will meme on him for.)

Anyways- Martin is said to be in his early 40s (I think 43 if I remember correctly) Which means he's like 47 when Ronnie is killed- WHY THEY GOTTA DRAW HIM SO OLD!? Why they gotta do my boy Martin so dirty!? BRUCE IS AROUND THAT AGE! WHYYY!!

I think Martin got all that gray dealing with a 15 year old super hero whos powers deal with Chemistry. Ronnie.

But yeah, those are just my fun little age head canons. Theres not much interaction between these characters, and I just like the idea that thats whats been going on when we don't see stuff in the comics. Idk I think its fun.

[pastelplastic]

Quicksilver

Nearly four years in the Firestorm Matrix have left Professor Stein weakened to the point that he sometimes struggles to get up the stairs. He never asks for help, but Ronnie tries to pay attention and rushes in to lend a hand whenever he thinks Stein needs it.

When he comes down the stairs that morning, about half an hour after Jason’s left for class, Ronnie greets him with an enthusiastic, “Hey, Professor,” and hurries to pour him a cup of coffee. Stein doesn’t usually eat much in the morning, and Jason says he’s not supposed to offer him bacon for some reason, but Ronnie is ready with a plate of toast. “D’you want to go anywhere today? I can drive you.”

“No. Thank you.” Stein sits down at the table and stares down at his coffee. Ronnie brings over butter and margarine and jelly and jam and honey.

“Or we can walk around the park,” suggests Ronnie. “It’ll be good for you.”

“Perhaps.”

The LexCorp money hasn’t run out yet and probably won’t for a while, but sometimes Ronnie thinks about finding a job just so he’ll have something to do during the day, but he knows Stein needs someone else around in case he falls or something. Plus, he likes to be home when Jason gets back from his classes, and he likes to have dinner ready at six.

Stein turns his gaze to the newspaper. Ronnie gathers up all his courage and says, “I was actually wondering… if you wanted me to get you a lab space? We could rent something. If you wanted to start working again. Not that you have to! I just, I thought, I mean–maybe you’d like–” He’s aware that he’s babbling, but he can’t stop himself. He picks up a dish towel and twists it in his hands, over and over. “And Jace could use it too, I know there’s experiments he wants to do that he can’t risk in the school labs with the cameras everywhere.”

“I don’t think that will be necessary,” says Stein quietly.

“I don’t mind, really. I want you to be happy.” Ronnie searches Stein’s face for any sort of reaction. “I know you think I’m an idiot, and I guess I am, but–”

“I never said that,” says Stein quietly.

“It was supposed to be Jason, right? You gave him the particle thing so he could become Firestorm, but I jumped in the way and got tangled up in it. I screwed up your whole plan.” Ronnie clutches the dish towel. “I’m sorry. I mean, I’m not sorry I jumped in front of the bullet, but I’m sorry all your work was for nothing.”

“It wasn’t for nothing. Jason is still able to access the Firestorm Matrix, and his abilities are beyond anything I imagined they might be.”

“But it’s not what you wanted,” Ronnie presses. “It’s still not what you want. You don’t like me, do you?”

“I don’t know how I feel about you,” confesses Stein. “Through the Matrix, I can sense how deeply Jason loves you. And how you love him in return. But…”

“But I made him fail out of school and got him kidnapped by a guy who put a bomb in his head.”

“I was going to phrase it a bit more delicately than that.”

“You don’t have to. I know how badly I screwed up. And then kept screwing up. Trust me, I tell myself every minute of every day.”

“I know,” says Stein quietly. “I can sense that, too.”

Ronnie pours the remnants of Jason’s coffee down the sink and puts the mug in the dishwasher. “D’you want to fly?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Do you want to fly?” Ronnie holds a hand out. “Form Firestorm with me. You really should get out, and this way, you don’t have to worry about not having the energy to get back home.“

“You want… to combine?”

“Yeah. Sure. Why not? It would be good for you to get outside.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Of course.” Ronnie lowers his hand. “You don’t have to, I just want you to know the offer is there. Jason’s better at the important stuff, but he can’t fly like I can.”

Stein appears to hesitate, but then he says, “All right.”

“Really?” Ronnie can’t keep the grin from his face. “You mean it?”

“I didn’t realize it would mean so much to you.”

“Of course it does!” Ronnie tosses the towel over his shoulder. It hits the wall and slides to the floor. “When can we go, can we go now?”

“I… suppose.” Stein looks a little overwhelmed, but Ronnie is already reaching for him in the Matrix. Stein doesn’t reach back the way Jason does, but he doesn’t pull away, either. Ronnie’s energy meets his and there is a flash of blinding light–

And then he is someone new.  

Firestorm looks down at himself. He isn’t wearing the red armor of Ronnie’s solo form, or the unique layered costume of Ronnie and Jason combined. His outfit is light and soft, with high shoulder pads and billowy sleeves. 

“You okay, Professor?“ asks Ronnie. 

Yes. 

It’s so strange to share a body with someone who isn’t Jason. But Stein’s energy is similar, calm and thoughtful and passive. Ronnie would offer to let him take over, but he seems content to sit back and let Ronnie direct their movements.

Unlike Jason, Stein examines the molecular structure of everything around them, no matter how insignificant. It almost feels subconscious, like he’s not aware he’s doing it, or if he is, he doesn’t know how to turn it off.

Ronnie takes to the air and shifts into intangibility to rise up through the ceiling and the roof. As they hover above the city, Ronnie instinctively turns towards the river and spots the domed roof of MIT’s library. Maybe Jason’s in there right now. 

Ronnie reaches out across the Matrix and finds Jason’s familiar presence. He’s in civilian form now, and can’t reply beyond a muffled touch of affection mixed with curiosity.

I am impressed by the strength of your bond, comments Stein. I wouldn’t have expected it to subsist outside the Matrix.

“It’s strongest after…“ Ronnie stops, mortified by what he’d been about to disclose. “I mean, uh. It’s strongest after we spend a lot of time together. And then it fades after a few days if we’re apart.“

Mercifully, Stein doesn’t reply. They continue to fly over the city and watch the light sparkle on the river. After a while, Ronnie works up the courage to say, “There was another reason I wanted to fly with you today.”

Oh?

“Jason loves you, and I love Jason, and… and I want you to be okay with it when we get married. More than okay, I want you to be happy. So I was really hoping we could get to know each other.”

You still intend to marry him?

“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

You made your proposal in a moment of desperation. 

“Yeah, maybe, but I still meant it,” says Ronnie, hurt that Stein seems to think he hadn’t.

You may not be ready for such a commitment. 

“I mean, it’s not gonna happen tomorrow. I’d do it tomorrow, if he asked, but I know he still wants to finish school and find a job and everything else. So I’ve got time to figure out how to be someone’s husband. If you’ve got pointers on that, I’ll take them.”

Stein is quiet for a minute. Then he says, I suppose I’m being a dreadful hypocrite right now. I was an awful husband.

Ronnie stops in midair. “Seriously?”

I’m afraid so. My research always came first. I can’t blame her for leaving. She deserved better.

“I’m sorry,” says Ronnie. “I had no idea.”

You had no way of knowing. If nothing else… I don’t think you’re in any danger of making the same mistakes as me. 

“I’ll make different mistakes.”

Perhaps.

“I mean it, though,” says Ronnie. “I want things to be good between us. Not just okay. Really, honestly good. So if there’s anything I can do to make that happen, I’d like you to tell me.”

I am afraid you may have mistaken certain facets of my personality for disdain. I apologize. I… struggle… to connect with people sometimes. It is not a problem exclusive to you.

“It’s okay,” says Ronnie. “And, you know, that’s good to know. It makes me feel a lot better.”

You have been incredibly kind to Jason. When the two of you first met, I worried that you might take advantage of him, or discard him when you grew bored. 

“No way.”

There were many young women in your memories.

Firestorm’s face grows warm, and Ronnie has to wonder what he looks like when he blushes. “Only because we moved around so much! And…and I don’t like to think about you watching me and Jace–”

I assure you, I observed nothing that you would not have wished me to observe. Stein pauses. All I meant to say is… I misjudged you. And I have never been more glad to be wrong.

The wail of sirens pierce through the sky, and Ronnie looks down to see fire trucks gathering a few streets away. Black smoke billows from a building, and a crowd is beginning to form.

“Any chance you know how to make that foam that comes in fire extinguishers, Professor?” asks Ronnie. 

I think I can come up with something. A moment later, Ronnie’s vision is overtaken by a complex network of symbols, followed by a chain of equations. There, I think that will do.

As Ronnie spirals through the air towards the scene of the fire, he feels lighter than he has in a very long time. Stein doesn’t hate him. Jason is safe and happy. Things are going to get better. They’re going to put their lives back together.

It’s going to be okay. 

It’s going to be more than okay.  

It’s going to be amazing.

[the-antiapocalyptic-man]

a couple Multiverse characters: Valor and Matrix of Earth-15, the Son of Zod and the Angel of Kandor

Valor is Calvin Chen, the son of Angela Chen and her husband Andrew aka Dru-Zod (Earth-15's Superman). He's...basically just Invincible, but in line with the other off-brand Image characters like Spore and the Nimrod Squad, he's combined with Nightwing!Christopher Kent on a conceptual level, though he's got pieces of Val-Zod, Calvin Ellis, Mon-El, and Eradicator in just sort of a general remix of Kryptonian character tropes and design quirks. The costume is based on Dick's Nightwing suit, also playing on the name originally being Kryptonian.

Matrix is Matrix, or Trixie. She fills the role of Atom Eve, but I kinda struggled with what character to use in Eve's place. My thought process was OC with a similar name (Molly Molecule, Susie Quark, etc.), a Green Lantern, a version of Firestorm, or just the Thara Ak-Var version of Flamebird with some extra steps, but Matrix struck me as the most interesting option. She's a protoplasmic shapeshifter, with the additional firepower of Flamebird's cosmic energies, manipulating both herself and the world around her. The final (ish) design was meant to evoke Silver Age Krypton, but some classic LoSH and Jean Grey influence slipped in while I was adjusting the colors.

[t4tails]

sorry i have firestorm autism. yeah they can combine and unfuse at will, although generally the person being the body has control over when the fusion can and cannot be initiated. the other members CAN invite fusion, it's just that if the person who controls the body for the most part decides to lock it down they can (true both pre52 and in the n52 (as of forever evil)). this includes when there's 3+ people in the matrix using the same fusion at once--the body has veto power over most of what the other members want to do, which can be frustrating for them, particularly in ostrander's firestorm (post-FOF and pre-elemental, during nuclear man) when the body is managed by the "core" firestorm "personality" (it's explicitly a dissociation metaphor) based on martin, shutting ronnie and mikhail out of the majority of the decision making even though they are the ones in control of the fusion.

also the hair isn't actually on fire. it's an illusion. ronnie always thought it looked cool, and when martin and jason were redesigning firestorm in firestorm vol. 3 they opted to keep it for that reason.

sorry if this is just throwing a lot of words at you. i like firestorm.

NO THIS IS GREAT thank you... he's shown up in a few things i've seen and none of my questions have ever been answered like this! its so good to know they can separate 😭 i havent seen them be shown doing that so i've literally just been assuming they're stuck together forever

[shrinkthisviolet]

8 + Cisco and Morgan for the angsty writing prompts.

Gladly! This takes place during Chapter 8 of i still love you (i promise), with flashbacks to were you lying to me (and the family)?:

Cisco couldn’t stop thinking about what Joe had said.

“Did you know he was friends with Simon Stagg? General Eiling? Do you know how many contacts he has, in very powerful positions?”

He’d known about Eiling, but…not Stagg. And he couldn’t deny that Dr. Wells being so cozy with people like that…it made Cisco nervous. More than he was willing to admit.

But it wasn’t just that. The part that really stuck out to him was…

“Or, actually, let’s start smaller: what about the way he treats his daughter? The way he talks to her sometimes?”

He didn’t want to admit it. He really didn’t. But…it was true, wasn’t it? The way Dr. Wells sometimes spoke to Morgan like she was years younger, a little girl instead of a teenager…sure, teenagers were still kids, and every child was their parents’ baby, but this felt…this felt like more than that.

He couldn’t stop thinking about it when he went back to STAR Labs, as much as he tried to distract himself.

Naturally, given his luck, he walked right into a question of ethics.

“It seems Ronnie’s fight with the Flash has exacerbated the FIRESTORM Matrix—it’s unstable.” Dr. Wells sighed. “Exponentially increasing the rate of fission inside his body.”

“Well, how long does he have?” Caitlin asked, frowning.

“If his temperature keeps rising at the current pace…no more than a couple of hours, I’m afraid.”

“But you can fix it, right?” She insisted. “I mean, you…you can separate them before it’s too late.”

“Caitlin…” he sighed. “Any attempt we make to separate the two of them could be catastrophic…a nuclear explosion.”

“So it’s the same consequence either way?” Morgan spoke up, worried. “Then why shouldn’t we try?”

He frowned. “You would risk the life of our colleague—of your self-proclaimed brother—on the basis of a foolish hope?”

“At least we could say we’ve done something!”

“Yes, I suppose we could,” he agreed sharply. “We could delude ourselves into thinking we know best, that our judgment is sound—we could make a deadly decision that only a miracle could save us from. And I’m afraid we’re fresh out of miracles. So go on, Sentry, self-proclaimed protector of all metahumans, do tell: is this really the path you wish to pursue?”

Cisco froze. That…that was so much worse than anything before.

Before, Dr. Wells had patronized her, talking to her like she was younger.

Now, though? Now…he spoke to her like she was older. Like the world rested on her shoulders, like the onus was all on her—

This isn’t fair, this isn’t—why?! Why are you talking to her like that?!

And then it got worse.

“You want to kill Ronnie?” Caitlin’s expression reflected the horror they all felt—how could he, how could he—Ronnie was their friend, Caitlin’s fiancé—how could Dr. Wells suggest—

“No, I don’t want to kill Ronnie,” Dr. Wells retorted, cold and clinical, as if Ronnie was a specimen rather than a person, “but in this scenario, Ronnie is the host body.”

“If you kill Ronnie, you kill Stein,” Cisco retorted, “that’s two people!”

“I don’t know how else to stop it. And my guess is that if Ronnie and Professor Stein knew the consequences that we were all facing, they would make the same decision. It’s two lives for millions. I know you can all do that math.” His gaze drifted past Morgan and settled on Caitlin.

Cisco was all too glad to leave that room, secure in knowing that Caitlin would chew Dr. Wells out for even thinking of that solution, let alone saying it like that.

And in the meantime…

His gaze drifted to Morgan, who looked terrified, shaking in her shoes.

He couldn’t imagine how horrible that had been for her.

“Did something happen in the past few days?” She spoke up suddenly, turning to him.

“What?” Cisco laughed nervously. “No, nothing, why?”

“You just seem kinda jumpy,” she said gently, her fear seeming to dissipate as she focused on him. “And…look, you don’t have to tell me. I’m just…really worried.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Well, you should worry less about us and more about yourself, Mo.”

She flinched, pulling away from him. “Well, all right, then. Sorry for…just…sorry, I guess.”

Stunned by her reaction, it was a few moments later when he finally called, “Morgan,” and started after her, desperate to explain…but she didn’t seem to hear him, turning the corner without so much as a backwards glance.

Cisco, for his part, scrubbed a hand over his face, tears welling in his eyes.

God, how was he supposed to deal with hero worship chipping away in the worst way possible? How many times had Dr. Wells spoken to Morgan harshly, how much had Cisco missed because he was so desperate for Dr. Wells’s gentle smile, his approval, his praise—so desperate for a father figure who loved him without reservation?

And that was rare for Dr. Wells too—he was reserved with nearly everyone except their little tight-knit Team.

(And Hartley. But Cisco refused to think about Hartley.)

But Morgan…

Cisco knew he could stop at this. He could make excuses for Dr. Wells, could go on justifying him to Joe, could comfort Morgan—he could keep having it all.

…or he could do the right thing and protect Morgan from what appeared more and more to be a clear danger of some kind.

And Cisco…well, he was a hero through and through.

But he also knew he couldn’t do it alone…and that one person, one of the most important in this equation, wasn’t yet on board.

Maybe this would be just the thing to snap Barry Allen out of his ridiculous anger.

prompt list!

Taglist (send an ask or DM to be added or removed):

@arrthurpendragon @ocappreciationtag @raith-way @vexic929 @ironverseocs

@thechaoticfanartist @goldheartedchaoticdisaster @negative-speedforce @starstruckpurpledragon @angst-is-love-angst-is-life

@miss-eli-starfleet

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

My DC Cinematic Universe - Creature Commandos: Part VI

Chapter Six:...Really, Weasel?

Long time no see, Tumblr! Been a minute, been busy since the new semester started, and I've got some time to get back into the swing of things. SO, without further ado...

Ah, Weasel. Now, here's a character I was never expecting to see adapted at all, nevertheless in LIVE ACTION of all things! So, before getting into the choice to use this character, let's talk about the episode that introduces his backstory in the DCU, Chasing Squirrels, AKA episode 4. Now, for the record, this is also a place where I COULD talk about the villains of the series, as this is where Circe's "plan" is fully revealed, but...nah. We'll wait until a later essay to fully litigate that mess. I have notes, I'll just say that.

But to get this out of the way, I actually like many of the changes to Weasel, and part of that is because I'm a sucker for the Tragic Clown trope. Y'know, the seeming comic relief or goofy character with an incredibly traumatic and horrid backstory? This is one of Gunn's favorite tropes, as Rocket Raccoon and Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy films have this type of story. Weasel is no exception here, as Gunn clearly loves this character, and gave him what is arguably THE MOST fucked-up backstory of all of the Commandos, and that's saying something. And is that a necessary change? I mean...let's start with the comic book version before getting into some spoiler territory, and addressing the elephant in the room, or the, uh, Weasel in the basement.

First appearing in 1985's The Fury of Firestorm #35 (not pictured above, this is #38), John Monroe was best known as a Firestorm villain. But even more than that, he was the rare villain of Martin Stein, one half of the Firestorm Matrix, and the brains of the operation. Anyway, Monroe and Stein were students together, and eventually became professors at the same school. However, Monroe was a jackass, as well as a sociopath, and was heavily disliked. Even as a student, his peers referred to him as a "weasel".

When several alumni of his old university became fellow professors at his current university, he felt threatened in terms of his job security. So, in a completely rational response, he leaned into his former sobriquet super-hard, and fashioned a weasel costume. With it, he became the villainous Weasel, and began to murder his colleagues one-by-one. When Stein eventually came on staff, he became Weasel's next target. That's right. Weasel became a serial killer...for tenure. Also, side-note, they try REALLY hard to make Weasel scary, both with writing and with narration ("...he's deadly as a weasel", "Night of the Weasel", "for the Weasel, murder is personal"), but like...his name is the Weasel. Oh, and also, he's a dude in a fursuit. He isn't scary, he's just an asshole.

Once Firestorm defeated the insane professor, Monroe was sent to Belle Reve, where he was made a member of the Suicide Squad under Amanda Waller. In this run for the Suicide Squad, though, writer John Ostrander obviously never read the original Firestorm stories with the Weasel as a villain. Now, somehow, he'd completely devolved from being a physics professor who killed out of his own delusions and insecurity, into...well, a weasel-man. He speaks far more primitively, he's now a bloodthirsty murderer who only cares about meat and flesh, and maybe...an actual lycanthrope instead of a guy in a costume? Yeah, Ostrander DID NOT care about the original story, and it looks like DC editorial just gave him a character to use as cannon fodder.

And, yeah, I mean that, because after the group gets through most of their mission, Rick Flag, while corrupted by the helmet of the Thinker (just...don't ask), kills Weasel with a blast, and he'd stay dead. This is a character who wouldn't appear again until Blackest Night, as a zombie, and then would be reborn in the New 52...twice?

The first iteration of Weasel, John Monroe once again, is introduced in the...controversial universe-wide event, Forever Evil, during the New 52 era. In this event, supervillain take over the planet with the help of the Crime Syndicate from Earth-3. And Weasel...is there. I mean, look at the page above. Outside of a cameo appearance in the first issue of the storyline, he appears once in a spin-off story, only to die, uh...IMMEDIATELY. So, don't know his name, don't know if he's a guy or a weasel-guy, don't know anything. And every other appearance of the character from then on is either his ghost, or literally just James Gunn's version.

There actually was a second Weasel, introduced as a Batgirl villain. One of the original henchmen employed by the Joker, Daniel Weaver has there when the clown shot Barbara Gordon through the spine in The Killing Joke. He actually called 9-1-1 to alert the police of the event, making him somewhat sympathetic. Still a career criminal, he went to work for Evan Douglas, a corrupt cop in the GCPD known as the supervillain the Grotesque. In the process, he ended up betraying his employer again, and was killed one issue after being introduced. So, yeah, if you choose the name "Weasel" in the DC Universe, get ready to die pretty fast.

And maybe that's why Gunn chose Weasel. Speaking of...

Weasel Stomping Day

Gunn obviously chose Weasel for Creature Commandos because he had the character in The Suicide Squad. And, while the character certainly has some minor history with the group (literally one issue ever as a living character), it's definitely a choice. It's also obvious that Gunn also ignored the Firestorm issues, as this is clearly not a man in a weasel costume. It's possible that there'll be a tie when we actually learn Weasel's origin in the future, but we'll have to wait and see on that front. His name is John, of course, but that's short for John DOE, not John Monroe.

Now, the character became memorable in The Suicide Squad, of course, but he was treated entirely as a joke, down to getting his own funny-silly post-credits scene. In fact, they use that scene to confirm that The Suicide Squad and Creature Commandos DO take place in the same universe. Oh, and yes, I saw that interview where Gunn said not all of The Suicide Squad is necessarily canon, but I don't believe that for a second. Anyway, Weasel in the film is genuinely VERY funny, but isn't much else. Sean Gunn, of course, performs the character via motion capture as a crazy, gangly, kinda-gross weirdo, and it's SO effective, that Gunn used the popularity of the character to promote Creature Commandos. And there, he revealed the tragic truth. Remember that throwaway line about Weasel in the movie about the kids he killed? Well...

A quick personal note about me and my preferences: I hate tragedy for the sake of tragedy in storytelling. I find it a kind of lazy plot device to motivate a character purely through some grimdark shit that happened in the backstory. It works when used correctly and somewhat sparingly, but not constantly. And there are some forms of tragedy that are really shitty, and if you've ever read or seen badly-written stuff that features any woman ever, there's at least one trope that's terribly overused in fiction. Not gonna list it here to avoid triggering people unnecessarily. But, OK, is Weasel's tragedy worth including, and actually adding to the character's backstory?

Yes. At least, I think so. Look, Weasel's comic book origins are so shit, that the comics basically abandoned them after a single story. A serial killer murdering for tenure? Nah. An anthropoid weasel of as-to-yet undetermined origin who tried and failed to help a group of schoolchildren, only to be blamed for their murder with no way to defend himself? Now, that's...that's interesting. It's also especially interesting because it's not actually his origin story, it's just the reason why he's been convicted, despite the work of...Elizabeth Bates? Whoa, OK, that's the DEEPEST cut of deep cuts there. Elizabeth Bates, AKA Betty Bates, had her own comic book run in Quality Comics in the '40s. Ran for 10 years, over 61 issues, but she's been essentially banished to the completely forgotten pile for 75 years! So, OK, credit where credit is due, Gunn.

Anyway, back to Weasel. John's backstory here is very dramatic and well-told, going from a group of kids playing with their new weird animal friend, ET-style, to a...mildly comedic set-up where they accidentally set a basement on fire. Turns from comedy to tragedy INCREDIBLY quick, though, as these children all die, some with Weasel watching and attempting to save them. Watching him try to help, only to be shot and blamed for the event is genuinely very sad, and also creates an important distinction between member of the Creature Commandos and members of the Suicide Squad.

Monsters are born from tragedy, criminals are (at least in many cases) born from choice and circumstance. That's generalizing heavily in the latter case, but we're talking comic book characters, and I'm focusing on a wereweasel. Cut me a little slack here. Point is, something Creature Commandos does well is show the tragedy behind these characters. What it does somewhat poorly is justify their incarceration by Waller and Belle Reve. That's a Suicide Squad thing, not a CC thing. But with Weasel, that's done fairly well here.

At this point, of course, I've given enough praise to Gunn's portrayal of a seeming joke character, so we now need to ask the most important question: ...Weasel? Really? That's the character we're putting in the Creature Commandos? Or even the Suicide Squad? WEASEL?

Look, in case you haven't noticed, even DC doesn't care about this guy, AT ALL! He pops up every now and again, only to constantly die! And hell, he was turned from a dude in a suit into an actual weasel-man ACCIDENTALLY because the writers didn't care! I suppose it is nice that Gunn took and rehabilitated this lost and abandoned character, and I honestly am interested in seeing where he goes with it, but...Weasel? Surely there were other choices. The Suicide Squad can keep him, he makes a little more sense there. But he's mostly in Creature Commandos, it would seem, because of his appearance and popularity in that film. It's establishing another tie to that movie, making it even more a part of the DCU. And since that's expressly what we're trying to AVOID...let's reconsider.

Weasel is, obviously, meant to represent the werewolf character of the group. In DC, to be fair, there are very few interesting werewolves. They certainly exist, but none are really main characters that people remember today. But, as I've done previously, I'll present two choices for my iteration of the Creature Commandos, one by-the-books and one more creative. The only requirements here are that they are or once were human, with the ability to turn into an anthropoid mammalian carnivore, or having been made that way and being unable to turn back. Broad, I know, but the distinction is important. Their origin can remain shrouded, as it is with Weasel, but they need to have an origin that make them a lycanthrope canonically. And so, without further ado, let's get to my Weasel replacements.

The Purist Choice: Scratch (Zachary Griffith)

Gunn had the right instinct in terms of reinvention, so I propose another reinvention that folds in two separate characters, while also establishing tie to two separate versions of the Creature Commandos (and maybe hinting at a hidden past). So, may I present to you a completely forgotten character: Scratch. Yeah, uh, this is also kind of a nothing character, to the point where I gave him a last name. In the comics, he's just Zack. Zack is a teenaged werewolf, plain and simple. In the 5-issue comic book series in which he originates (and never leaves), he's a kid from the South with an unusual deformity: a large deformed finger. On his fifteenth birthday, it grows and the deformity spreads, only for it to fully blossom into what it really is: lycanthropy. Zack's a werewolf, plain and simple.

In his series, he befriends (and falls in love with, of course) a young woman named Sage with her own "deformity": periocular asymmetry, meaning that one eye is significantly higher than the other. That's the result of a nuclear blast that deformed many of the people of her town, Orangewood, especially the children. A little girl staying with her is kidnapped by a monster, the Ourobouros, and Scratch is the one to save her? But without revealing the ending to the story, the actual monster is prejudice. It's a whole thing, and an interesting read...but not hard to see why this is a forgotten story. I enjoyed it, but The Long Halloween it is not, even with the appearance of special guest (and kind of narrator), Batman. What all this means is, Scratch is a good candidate for a reboot and revitalization, but the story is a good basis for the flashback. As for the other character, and the origin of the new last name I've given Zack...

The way we're revitalizing Zack is by making him the great-grandson of Private Warren Griffith, AKA Wolfpack. Now, I'll get into how we're incorporating the original Creature Commandos, but make no mistake, ALL of them exited in my DCU. Griffith is also getting a little bit of a makeover, becoming an actual afflicted werewolf, rather than being transformed into an artificial werewolf. That may, we can incorporate this as a genetically-inherited condition, and have it get passed down to Zack. However, it'll skip a couple of generations, and his cousin, Wanda Griffith (oh, look, another comic book connection) will also have this condition, which will be a point for Zack to discover later on.

The events of Scratch will have occurred, but heavily altered. No Batman, and a lot more justice for the townsfolk at the end of the story, and making Griffith an actual killer, meaning that his inclusion in the team is...controversial, to say the least. In a real sense, he is monstrous, without being an actual monster. And his connection with Sage gives him some vulnerability, as does his role in protecting his community. Also, we're aging him up by a couple of years, so that his enlistment in the Commandos is done in order to get him back to Sage and their child, as-of-yet-unnamed, as well as the community they protect.

There's more development needed there, but this is a unique character that allows us to tie in the original Creature Commandos as well. However, I'd be lying if I said this would be a popular character, but...I mean, it's about as good as Weasel, let's be honest. Just depends on how he's portrayed. So, what about the creative choice?

Intermission: Therianthropy

So here's the thing: of all the therianthropes that Gunn had to choose from, especially the criminals...he chose Weasel? REALLY?!? There are a lot of characters that transform into animal form outside of wolves, which is why I made that distinction above, and Gunn chose the dude affiliated with weasels. I like mustelids, and I like weasels, I really do. But, like, even within Firestorm's rogues gallery, there's an ACTUAL therianthrope called Hyena, and they ALSO need a revamp in their backstory! Why Weasel and not Hyena?

But just to get to the short point here, there's a massive catalog of characters with beast-forms to choose from. Here's a somewhat messy list of them, and I'll narrow those down to some valid candidates here.

Anthony Lupus AKA Werewolf is, of course, an actual werewolf. But, he's another scientific and artificial werewolf over a supernatural one, and I'm actually aiming for either supernatural or genetic with this choice, so Anthony's out.

Apex Ava, Beast Boy, and the more recent Beast Girl are neat, but either require a bit too much explanation, or are characters that don't fit with the Creature Commandos, either because they're unrepentant criminals, or should be with other groups like the Doom Patrol.

Barbara Ann Minerva AKA Cheetah is a magically-transformed cheetah-woman, yes...but is WAY too high-profile for this team, not to mention too villainous. Sure, her morality is more flexible than some, but no, she's a bit too much for this group (even if I did use her as the image above). That's also gonna go for other therianthropic Cheetah, Sebastian Ballesteros, since that also requires some background information. Still, that one's lightly tempting, not gonna lie.

Boy oh boy, is Man-Bat AKA Kirk Langstrom incredibly tempting. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Gunn himself wanted to throw Man-Bat into the team, because he's genuinely quite a good choice for the Creature Commandos. However, there are definitely a few reasons for excluding him in this team. For example...well, technically...wait. Shit.

The Creative Choice: Man-Bat (Kirk Langstrom)

OK, it's honestly hard to call this the "creative" choice, but goddamn if this doesn't feel like the right one. I tried, I promise you, I really tried to justify a choice better than this one. For a minute there, I was going for Samuel Register, the supervillain known as the Zookeeper, because he was a black slate character with ties to Beast Boy and potential ties to other characters, allowing the universe to be built out further. Plus, he had the ability to turn into other animals like Beast Boy can, thanks to self-experimentation, making him a versatile choice for a therianthrope team member. But, uh...that's basically just Man-Bat with extra steps, isn't it?

OK, introductions for the unaffiliated! Kirk Langstrom was a scientist with the goal of curing deafness by using experimental serum from bats, which use echolocation and have excellent hearing. Going deaf himself, he tested the serum he developed on himself, like you do if you're a comic book mad scientist. In the process, he became a werewolf-like humanoid bat creature, uncontrolled and rampaging as an enemy of Batman off-and-on. He's a typical tortured soul, trying to cure himself and battling with his animalistic urges. In other words, he's a werebat, without the lunar cycle issues in your classic werewolves. Alternatively, he's a Jekyll-and-Hyde character, but his Hyde can fly and occasionally drinks blood (depending on the incarnation). Either way, he's a seminal Batman villain/ally, and quite literally the first villain used by Batman: The Animated Series.

I love Man-Bat, and he's an excellent choice for the Creature Commandos, for multiple reasons. Not only does he fulfill the werewolf role, but he also fulfills the role of the vampire if you choose to use that iteration of the character. Not only that, but if you want to go with Gunn's tragic backstory route, this is an easy character to do that with. Hell, look no further than the version of the character in Batman: Arkham Knight for an excellent tragic Langstrom. Bringing in his wife, Francine, is a pretty solid way to do this. And...actually, that's basically exactly what Gunn did with Doctor Phosphorus. Tragic doctor, transformed into a monster as a result of work that was supposed to be beneficial, becomes a villain of Batman after said tragedy. Yeah, Langstrom here is basically Weasel and Phosphorus combined, so...why didn't Gunn use this guy? No, really, why not?

Well, uh, according to Gunn...it's because he wanted to use Weasel. Yeah. Surprise.

Gunn stated, and I quote:

I definitely considered Wolfpack, and, especially, Man-Bat (one of my faves). But I knew I wanted to tell Weasel’s story so it felt like too many rabid and fuzzy characters.

And that's fair, honestly, but given Weasel vs. Kirk Langstrom (or Phosphorus vs. Langstrom, actually), I choose Langstrom literally every time. Not only is he a prominent fan-favorite character that could really help establish the Batman corner of the DCU (like Phosphorus did), but he's also a scientist who can establish ties with a bunch of other characters; he's a guy that could easily get a spin-off special or miniseries all on his own; and maybe most importantly, he's not necessarily a villain. He's an incredibly complex character with his own agency and life, and would be an asset for the Creature Commandos as a team. And honestly, I don't even think he should be a second season character; bring him in for the first, then spin him off. The potential here is crazy, and it's a shame it was unexplored.

So, how would I run Langstrom if I had my Creature Commandos series? I mean, essentially as I said, with a few modifications. For instance, the whole "fix deafness" thing is and always has been terribly ill-informed and kinda dumb from a scientific standpoint. So, what if there's another bat-related trait that can be useful for Langstrom's purposes? For example...their absolutely insane immunities. Bats are both viral reservoirs and nearly cancer-proof, meaning that integrating elements of their genome into the human genome would be, honestly, quite valuable if it were possible. And this is a comic book universe, so...why not?

I'd love to explain my idea for Man-Bat fully, but...this post is getting long. So, I'll just throw in a short list of the characters I would involve with his story. Emile Dorian, Abel Cuvier, Achilles Milo, Anthony Lupus, Mark Logan, Samuel Register, Katherine Viverrida, Samuel March, Francine Langstrom, Aaron Langstrom, Warren Lawford, Armand Lydecker, Gunther Hardwicke, and Batman. And honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm low-balling it. If anybody is interested in hearing my full ideas for the character, let me know (maybe I'll make another post about it). However, like I said, this post is getting pretty long already.

Let's just say that Kirk will come to the Creature Commandos looking for redemption, seeing himself as a monster (rightfully so, based on his backstory I have plotted out in my head), and requisitioned by the government with this goal in mind. He'll struggle to release his chiropteran other-half, and when he does, it's an additional struggle to subdue it with the help of medication. When the Man-Bat is released, though, it is incredibly valuable and somewhat uncontrollable, but also DEFINITELY scary enough to work for the team as intended. By the end of the series, the two halves will become closer to being whole, and experimental treatments will give Kirk limited control when in Man-Bat form. Limited control. That's the sort of thing to come in a spin-off, or in a second season if Kirk isn't popular enough.

And with that, we close this chapter, for now. Lemme know if you're interested in any further ideas about Man-Bat that I may have. Next time, we move on to...oh, right. This one's gonna be an overhaul, which is controversial because this was a REALLY popular character. But yeah...let's talk Doctor Phosphorus.

See you next time (maybe, no pressure)!

Part One: Introduction and Adaptation Part Two: The Original Creature Commandos Part Three: Amanda Waller and Rick Flag, Sr. Part Four: The Frankensteins Part Five: G.I. Robot Part Six: Weasel Part Seven: Doctor Phosphorus

[bronzemettle]

In the Captain Marvel post, you mentioned Firestorms plural while talking about Binary; who all is Firestorm in the BronzeRealms? The comics have Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch, both of whom fused with Martin Stein to my knowledge, and the Arrowverse introduced Jefferson Jackson, who *also* fused with Martin Stein. Has Martin Stein just moved from host to host as time has gone on? Who fuses with Carol Danvers to create Binary?

That earlier post can be found here.

The Firestorm Matrix is a physics formula that was developed by Martin Stein to explain the phenomenon after he and Ronnie Raymond were accidentally fused together into the first Firestorm.

Once separated, they realized that both of them had been permanently altered from the original event and would become destabilized and explode if they spent too long isolated without being able to form Firestorm. After confirming that fusing with other people wouldn't similarly destabilize them, Stein partnered with Jefferson Jackson and joined the Legends of Tomorrow, and Ronnie partnered with Jason Rusch as the new main Firestorm.

At some point, Lorraine Reilly is put through similar experiments transforming her into Firehawk so that she can fight against Firestorm. Some time later, she reforms from villainy and falls in love with Ronnie Raymond. At first, her powers seem self-sufficient, but slowly she begins to destabilize like the others, just on a much longer and more forgiving timescale. She and Ronnie fuse a few times just to reset her clock, when she can't find someone else.

When there's a falling out between Ronnie and Rusch, Ronnie re-partners with Lorraine full time as Firehawk, and Rusch deliberately subjects himself to the Firestorm Matrix so that he can continue on his own as another Firestorm, despite not having a consistent partner at the ready.

This leads to years of Rusch rapidly cycling between hundreds of different partners as needed, some of them strangers who almost seize control over Firestorm from the inside for their own ends, and some of them strangers who Rusch stays fused with for too long and partially burns out, leading to scars, exhaustion, radiation burns, and general frailty that can last weeks after he leaves them. But eventually he settles down enough to make some friends who become recurring partners for him, and they help him mellow down a little, while he also cares too much about them to overdo it and risk hurting them.

So, to summarize the current status quo, there are four "destabilized" people who can (and periodically must) initiate a Firestorm Matrix, Ronnie Raymond, Martin Stein, Lorraine Reilly, and Jason Rusch. There are three currently active heroes who use the Firestorm Matrix, Firestorm (Rusch, partnered with various trusted friends), Firestorm (Stein, partnered with Jax as part of the Legends of Tomorrow), and Firehawk (Lorraine, partnered with Ronnie).

Binary has been most often formed between Carol Danvers and Ronnie Raymond, since Lorraine's powers can uniquely continue functioning for a short time without hurting her after separating, which means Firehawk can arrive at the scene, and both Firehawk and Binary continue to fight together for an hour or two before Lorraine needs to either stop using her powers or take Ronnie back. But Carol has also formed Binary on individual occasions with Lorraine and Rusch.

[augustheart]

g-d i love lorraine so much but i dooooo prefer her relationship with jason to her relationship with ronnie. like her and ronnie compliment each other so well but a firestorm fusion between the two of them would be completely unbalanced--we see that a lot of members of the matrix are fusion compatible (drift compatible if you're more familiar with pacific rim than firestorm) with each other but i genuinely do not believe that just her and ronnie or just her and stein would be.

jason and lorraine however!! they're besties they're firestorm they're senator reilly and the guy she keeps bringing onto the floor with her they're jason and the lady spying on campus for the government they're soooooo good. i post about this all the time but they're literally just That good.

[the-might-v]

FIRESTORM

Jack Darby sixteen years old.

Raised by single parent.

Both victims of the Darkseid war event. June captured in the slave camps while her son separate in a stronghold safe with the other normal individuals.

After the JL was successful in defeating Darkseid’s forces the teenagers life was seemingly returning to normal. However, All of that changed when MECHA attempted to steal a new weapon of unknown origin for their own evil purposes.

Jack gave aid to stop organizations attempt’s but failed and was caught in the cross explosion of professors Stein’s newest experiment the firestorm matrix’s mixed the explosive dark matter material. Left both the boy & scientist with a strange mental connection as well as nuclear fusion radiation poisoning with only one way to save both their lives Dr. Steinmann’s daughter Clover suggests quantum splicing the two into one would stabilize the condition but could also kill then along with millions.

The die was cast and thankful luck was on their side now both Jack n Stein are two-halves of a meta human, the burning man

FIRESTORM

(Flame on)

Too hot to handle.

[fireorstormystuff]

Alright, so. I've finally been able to fully read through all of Firestorms stuff up until new 52, and I am currently reading through that- THAT series is going to be another post for another day.

But rn I kinda wanna talk about my biggest problem with Jason's time as Firestorm.

And it all starts with Ronnie and Prof Stein. In one of the later issues of his run, when Ronnie and Martin were at the College, there is an entire arch about how they need to trust each other and not force the Firestorm transformation, because its like taking someone elses body and using it. They need to rebuild their trust, and they only become Firestorm is Prof Stein says so, or if someone will die otherwise if Ronnie doesn't act. (Ronnie also saves Cliff's life during this time) Long story short, the two of them set boundaries and try and work together again.

IN JASONS TIME- He just takes people, They wont remember anyways, he just body snatches left and right! HE HAS GOTTEN MULTIPLE PEOPLE KILLED DOING THIS- And like, he never learns! He NEVER talks to anyone about this and it's never mentioned! Random homeless person on the street? MINE- Oh He's annoying? Drops him to find someone else. Even people begging him to let them go he just doesn't!

THEN As the story goes on, Ronnie's friends find Jason and offer him help! First Firehawk, who awakens a piece of Ronnie still left in the firestorm Matrix (Or something) but he sacrifices himself so Cliff (Who became evil) doesn't go and hunt down Jason and Ronnie's families, Then Professor Stein, who gives up immortality and the secrets of the universe to help Jason, and lastly Mikhail who is here to try and help as well! And you know what? This picture right here should tell you EVERYTHING you need to know about Jason's era-

Everyone trying to work together, but Jason is off to the side sulking because he wants to do this alone. But gosh darn it Jason, Firestorm is a TEAM.

Side note, I still enjoyed Jasons era, it was fun and there were a few really good ideas there, it's just the body snatching and refusal to work as a team that gets me. (There's probably more, but like there's good stuff here)

[izzys-issues]

30. "No Security"

(Firestorm, the Nuclear Man Vol. 3 # 18 December 2005)

RATING: 7 ⚛️ Sciencey Marriage Conflicts out of 10

The beginning of this started off so strong. I am a huge fan of Firestorm’s uniqueness as I’ve seen so many fun things done by different writers with the two - sometimes three - distinct characters that it takes to utilize the Firestorm Matrix. Plus he has such a sick power set and it can lead to some really cool conflict resolutions like turning the air into solid titanium as a restraint. The cover on this also totally slaps and would make an incredible poster but there’s nothing in the story even vaguely resembling that scene. The story took a really sharp downturn in the last half; there was a jarring shift from the whimsical fight scene to a domestic dispute between Dr. Phaedon and his wife with some really stereotypical “omg wives r the worst am I right” dialogue. Also there is some really good story space set up with Jason in a very “broke scientific genius Peter Parker” situation that is enticing to see where it goes.

FAVORITE: I completely vibe with collapsing on the floor of S.T.A.R Labs out of exhaustion

LEAST FAVORITE: Having so many friends and family members in the food service industry, Dr. Hsu & Jason’s interaction feels uncomfortably akin to the discrepancy between restaurant managers and their employees when it comes to how the layoffs and furloughs from last year hit. I give massive props to Jason for not just using his powers to like wreck the local economy by just making gold bars to pawn, but I feel as though he could cut himself some slack on the morality of it since he’s about to lose his place to live. 

[the-antiapocalyptic-man]

Do you have any plans for firehawk?

I basically conceptualized them as elite Firestorm Protocols that prioritize speed and fine control over raw power while also not requiring the two-pilot model of first generation Firestorms. They can fuse with Firestorms, other Firehawks, and (to their surprise and distress) Apokoliptan Brimstones and Infernals.

Mass Production Firestorm Protocols can switch to Firehawk form on the fly but their artificial Matrix makes them much weaker despite their versatility.

[mariatorska]

Unstoppable Palisades Fire: Los Angeles Fire Department Battles Historic Blaze | 17,200 Acres Burned

The Palisades Fire isn’t just a disaster; it’s a fiery reckoning, a relentless force reminding us of nature’s power and humanity’s fragility.

The winds howled like a dirge sung by the abyss itself, carrying embers that leapt through the air with a malevolence beyond nature. This was no accident; it was too perfect, too cruel. Whispers among the displaced spoke of a curse upon the land, of rituals performed in secret, and of a reckoning summoned by forces long dormant. The very earth seemed to reject its burden, heaving up flames that consumed not only homes but the dreams and histories of countless lives.

Los Angeles became a battleground for an elemental war. The air crackled with an energy that felt ancient, a dark power coiling and uncoiling like a serpent of smoke. As flames devoured their prey, some swore they saw patterns in the destruction, shapes etched into the ground as if by unseen hands — sigils of fire left behind by the wrath of gods or the work of shadowed figures cloaked in secrecy.

Mayor Karen Bass called it a “historic firestorm,” but for those caught in its path, it felt like the unraveling of the world itself. The Pacific Coast Highway, now a path of the damned, was littered with abandoned cars, their owners having fled on foot as the fire’s voracious appetite (because funding for the Fire Department was cut by 40%) spread faster than mortal comprehension. Thick plumes of black smoke blotted out the sun, leaving the city bathed in a surreal twilight — a realm where time itself seemed suspended.

In this apocalyptic landscape, even the elements seemed bewitched. Winds reaching 100 mph tore through the hills, fanning the flames with a demonic fervor. Their unrelenting force carried glowing embers like messengers of destruction, spreading the conflagration with precision that seemed almost guided. Firefighters battled not just the blaze but the sheer impossibility of its fury. “It’s as if the fire has a mind of its own,” one whispered, his voice trembling, his face streaked with soot and disbelief.

Among the ash-choked streets, survivors murmured of ancient powers awakened. Stories of blood rituals and forbidden incantations passed from lip to trembling lip. Could this inferno be a punishment wrought by forgotten deities? A curse brought down by humanity’s desecration of sacred knowledge

With the onset of darkness, apocalyptic smoke appeared, and then fire began to descend from the sky, the city’s spiritual fabric seemed to tear. In the hillsides, where shadows played tricks on the weary and desperate, some claimed to see figures cloaked in fire, performing unholy rites amidst the devastation. Eyes gleamed in the smoke, and whispers carried on the wind spoke of ancient names, names that should never be uttered.

The shelters became places of uneasy refuge, filled with stories of black magic and apocalyptic omens. “This is no ordinary fire,” an elderly evacuee murmured, clutching a charm against his chest. “This is a cleansing, a ritual of the old gods.”

As Los Angeles burns, the question lingers: is this the wrath of a wounded planet, striking back against humanity’s hubris, or the culmination of forbidden practices, rituals conducted in the shadows to summon forces that should never have been disturbed? The flames, relentless and alive, carry no answer—only destruction, only the crackling laughter of an ancient, unknowable power unleashed.

And as the city smolders under the weight of its apocalypse, somewhere beyond the smoke, the watchers of the ritual prepare for the next chapter.

May strength and resilience accompany each of you in this destructive time. While the flames of destruction rage, remember not to lose heart, no matter what—create beauty and build your own inner World. My thoughts are with those, with the true magicians, who seek to change this World. This is the Matrix—catastrophe is what they want to impose! So don’t let them take over your thoughts and soul. — yours Maria Torska