Comments on: Comics You Should Own – Firestorm #58-100

By: Eddie80

Eddie80 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:55:58 +0000

If only Ostrander had written Superman IV: The Quest for Peace……His Firestorm story appears a bit more politically astute.

By: Arcainite

Arcainite — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:54:31 +0000

Hello, I just wanted to comment that I appreciate the attention the Firestorm character, but I hold the opposite opinion. Firestorm was one of my favorite comic books UNTIL Ostrander took over. In my opinion, he ruined the series. I did like some of his stories, but the charm of the character was gone forever and would never return even in the recent 2004-2007 run.

By: Ryan Day

Ryan Day — Wed, 30 May 2007 02:16:49 +0000

Hawkworld didn’t really end, but it turned into Hawkman, solo (though Shayera was still there). That book was pretty good for a while – as far as story goes, Ostrander was just continuing Hawkworld.

Then Zero Hour came along and DC decided they needed to “fix” Hawkman again. I think I lost interest after that.

DC really needs to stop trying to fix things that only bother continuity nerds. Also, they need to make Hawkman an alien again.

By: Rebis

Rebis — Wed, 30 May 2007 01:37:45 +0000

“Is there anything John Ostrander canâ€™t make good?”

Well said!

I really enjoyed his Firestorm. Started buying because of him and remember thinking I hadn’t read anything like it. It made me think differently, which very few other comics had done. (I recall Watchmen having that effect. And, while not as successful, Thriller, too.)

Loved his Hawkworld too, though it ultimately descended into a huge mess and I don’t know why. (Did he write it until the end?) But he gave us a freakin amazing Shayera (so sorry Johns & Co. had to kill her off!) and a truly frightening Byth, among their many characterizations. Even hooked a non-comics-reading friend with Hawkworld. (A woman, no less!)

By: Ryan Day

Ryan Day — Wed, 30 May 2007 01:01:34 +0000

The elemental stuff isn’t great, though the last few issues escape the Swamp Thing influence.

It’s more interesting, I think, if you look at it as Ostrander and Mandrake’s rehearsal for The Spectre. Set aside the elemental aspects, and look instead at the idea of a superhero (of sorts) passing judgment on humanity. They do the big, epic storytelling thing very well.

By: Vincent J. Murphy

Vincent J. Murphy — Wed, 30 May 2007 00:43:38 +0000

I’ve always been a big Firestorm fan (from the beginning), and while I enjoyed most of his run, I found the whole Fire elemental thing to be a great bore. Then when they started playing “elemental of the month” with Red Tornado, etc, I completely lost interest.

However, I loved the initial Ostrander take on Firestorm, mixing in Mikhail, and having Firestorm be a separate consciousness was cool.

But I do give Ostrander credit for trying something new, even if I didn’t completely like it: I still bought it.

By: Andrew Collins

Andrew Collins — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:32:00 +0000

Scavenger said:
“Mandrake..one of three artists when combined with Ostrander just make gold.”

Out of curiosity, who do you consider to be the other two? Truman and Duursema?

By: Scavenger

Scavenger — Tue, 29 May 2007 19:33:50 +0000

Mandrake..one of three artists when combined with Ostrander just make gold.

By: Dan (other Dan)

Dan (other Dan) — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:53:41 +0000

Definitely worth it; I ebayed almost the whole series for about 8 bucks, so it shouldn’t be hard to find. I, conversely, have not read the mini-series.

By: Ryan Day

Ryan Day — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:48:48 +0000

You can find almost all of Ostrander’s stuff on eBay pretty cheap. I got my complete Firestorm run (106 issues or so) for under $20, and the complete Hawkworld for around $10.

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:35:21 +0000

Dan – I own the three-issue mini-series of Hawkworld, but not the ongoing. I forgot that Ostrander wrote them, so maybe I’ll have to dig through the back issues!

By: Dan (other Dan)

Dan (other Dan) — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:32:25 +0000

These posts always send me running to the cheap bins! Ostrander is great, but I’ve not read his Firestorm. You seem to have forgotten about Hawkworld, another great series firmly set in the DCU. Ostrander wrote 32 issues plus annuals in the early 90s, including co-writing the early issues with Tim Truman (who had earlier wrote the Hawkworld mini-series). Hawkworld should definitely be a Comic You Should Own. I’m looking forward to the H’s.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 29 May 2007 18:20:25 +0000

Is there anything John Ostrander can’t make good?

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:56:14 +0000

I remember Ryan’s post about Firestorm, but I avoided reading it in case I was saying the same things he was. I didn’t want to cheat! It just shows that he has excellent taste!

By: Ryan Day

Ryan Day — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:48:09 +0000

Deja vu, man.

By: Rick Jones, really

Rick Jones, really — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:32:56 +0000

I remember reading these as they came out, lo, these many years ago. It was really one of the first comics where I absolutely had to have that next comic NOW. I could barely wait four weeks to get the next one. It was a thrilling ride.

By: Andy Turnbull

Andy Turnbull — Tue, 29 May 2007 10:31:16 +0000

I absolutely love the Ostrander take on Firestorm. A classic run that deserves a good trade or two. It really hit it’s stride when Tom Mandrake started on the art duties.

By: Morten Pedersen

Morten Pedersen — Tue, 29 May 2007 09:33:24 +0000

Finally, you get to Firestorm, there is nothing better than JO’s Firestorm and when Mandrake came on board, he moved the foundation of Firestorm into a wonderfull tale, instead of yet another superhero comic book. The fire element story line is superb and so is his Firehawk.

By: stealthwise

stealthwise — Tue, 29 May 2007 06:59:45 +0000

Wow. That… that art is terrible.

By: Bill Reed

Bill Reed — Tue, 29 May 2007 04:39:43 +0000

Comics Should Be Good – The only comic book website where you can find TWO in-depth examinations of John Ostranderâ€™s Firestorm run.

Hahah!

You know, I *thought* this sounded familiar.