90% sure this isn't a rule when Batman's on the JLA. Ever. From 1982,
Fury of Firestorm #4, "The Icy Heart of Killer Frost!" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Pat Broderick, inks by Rodin Rodriguez.
Killer Frost has sucked the heat out of most of New York, freezing everyone except Firestorm in their tracks: in the best comic tradition, instead of being corpsecicles, everyone could be revived, maybe, if the Nuclear Man can stop her. But, she knows she's got him over a barrel, and starts making demands: namely, for Firestorm to bring her
Burt Reynolds Curt Holland from Hollywood. Before Firestorm can run that little errand, he just has to maybe fight his way past the Justice League, who arrive to take over the situation. But, Firestorm worries they would only make things worse, pointing out Superman himself got beat by Frost before, and he was fighting to save his friends and family.
A short fight, before the distraught hero realizes that wasn't helping. Despite describing themselves as the "pros," the Leaguers are pretty understanding, too; with Zatanna pointing out an "unspoken rule" of the team: "The hero on the
spot has
primary responsibility." In the JLA satellite, Firestorm catches them up on the situation, and reveals what had been a secret to most of them: his true identities, Ronnie Raymond and Professor Martin Stein. While Stein works on a portable refridgeration unit to stop Frost (despite being able to do stuff like launch icicles, she didn't have traditional ice powers; she drained heat, so if she herself was frozen she was powerless) Ronnie and Red Tornado try to recruit Curt Holland, who declines. Still, Ronnie has a plan, and Firestorm brings "Holland" to Frost, who immediately tries to murder him with a kiss. It was really a disguised Red Tornado, who had the freezer implanted in his android body; and he and Firestorm are able to draw enough heat from her to knock her out. The pair are then able to gradually heat up New York and save the citizens, glossing over what would be a ton of flooding and water damage; yay, happy ending!
I'm fairly certain the cover for this one was on a DC house ad at the time, but I first read it this week!
1 comment:
Seems to me that rule should only really ever apply to those who have been doing the hero gig for awhile versus say, a redonkously overpowered rookie. I know Conway had to make him look good, but but Jesus man, seems like he really overdid it on jobbing out the JLA here to make get over Ronnie here.
I mean, if he was that powerful & effective as a rookie, by the time he was an established veteran, he ideally should've been one of THE main top heavy-hitters in the game, and just as a team member.
I do remember this fight because Wizard mentioned it in a 1997 JLA special edition magazine they did.
They also pretty much highlighted how bad Ronnie & the Prof made the team look in comparison.
Post a Comment