DC Next Level is keeping its promise and is super-charging DC’s mainline in startling ways

A new era has started in DC Comics — DC Next Level. Instead of just bringing back a superhero of Justice League fame, DC Next Level is doing the unthinkable. It is infusing a horror-themed take on Firestorm, the Nuclear Man.

Warning! Proceed at your own risk! The Fury of Firestorm #1 Spoiler ahead!

The Fury of Firestorm #1, written by Jeff Lemire with art by Rafael de Latorre, gives us a quick recap of the origin of the hero from a nuclear power plant accident, which created a fusion of two people, a student — Ronnie Raymond and a professor — Martin Stein, with the ability to alter matter at the atomic level and his different personas. But not before they reveal to us the Nuclear Man appearing in the town of Bedford and, in a Genesis-fashion, committing atrocities.

This forces the American military to recruit Firehawk, another superhero with similar powers, and was Ronnie’s girlfriend, so they hoped she could help him work around whatever he was going through. Also, the military believes that Ronnie tried to become Firestorm all alone and that power drove him mad.

The truth is much worse! The new Firestorm is a megalomaniac power without humanity!

We eventually learn that Ronald Raymond encountered the sentient matrix, and it seems the matrix incinerated him, and now it is in full control of the Firestorm persona. Also, it seems Professor Stein became aware of Firestorm matrix being a sentient as one of the ‘Project Firestorm’ notes that he was burning reads, “Is it sentient?”

This is an intriguing one and has the readers waiting anxiously for the next issue.

The Fury of Firestorm #1 is now available at stores.

^{Pic Credits: DC Comics}