Martinex1: The late 70s brought us a new wave of Marvel and DC characters. And there were two characters that captured my imagination, but looking back they sure had some similarities. So what do you have to say about Firestorm the Nuclear Man and Nova the Human Rocket?
Here are some things to consider in this episode of The Brave Or The Bold:
The Creators and Artists: Nova joined the Marvel Universe in a 1976 solo series with scripts by Marv Wolfman and art by John Buscema (there was a revolving door of talent as the series continued). Firestorm blasted onto the DC scene with a short run in 1978 with Gerry Conway scripting and Al Milgrom on pencils.
Alliteration: I'm not sure if it was coincidence that the teen heroes were named Ronnie Raymond and Richard Rider.
Powers: Firestorm merged Ronnie with Professor Martin Stein into one flame headed entity who could transmogrify matter and shoot atomic blasts. Nova inherited his rocket powers and spacefaring ways from an alien in a similar manner to Green Lantern.
Affiliates: Nova hung with the New Warriors as "Kid Nova" (I guess Frankie Raye had the Nova moniker at the time). He became good friends with his teammates Namorita and Speedball. He also of course was a member of the Nova Corps. Firestorm joined the Justice League of America and has been a member in good standing for a long time.
Enemies: Each had a series of new villains to tackle. Firestorm had to take on the Hyena, Multiplex, and my favorite Killer Frost. Nova confronted the likes of the Condor, Powerhouse, Diamondhead and the Sphinx.
Modern Times: Others have taken on the mantles of these Bronze Age heroes. They have seen a number of series. The Nova Corp made it into The Guardians of the Galaxy movie. And Firestorm (in a couple of incarnations) appeared on TV's The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.
So take a gander at the art and covers and photos below and share your thoughts on ol' Bucket Head and Flame Head.
