Firestar (Marvel Comics character)
Firestar | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends "The Triumph of the Green Goblin (September 12, 1981)" |
First comic appearance | Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends #1 (December 1981) (non-canon) Uncanny X-Men #193 (May 1985) (first canon appearance) |
Created by | John Romita Sr.[1] Rick Hoberg[2] Dennis Marks[3] |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Angelica "Angel" Jones |
Species | Human mutant |
Team affiliations | Avengers Hellions New Warriors Orchis[4] The 198 X-Men Young Allies (Heroic Age) |
Abilities |
|
Firestar (Angelica "Angel" Jones) is a
Development and publication history
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Firestar – spelled as Fire-Star – was created for the
providing her voice. This version of the character has the ability to control heat in all its forms, as stated in the 1981 Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends one-shot comic.The creators had wanted to use the Human Torch, but the rights to the character were tied up.[7] Firestar's pre-production names included Heatwave, Starblaze, and Firefly. Dennis Marks, one of the original writers of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, stated in a 2002 interview that he had come up with the name of Fire-Star's alias, Angelica Jones, taken from one of his old girlfriends.[3]
In the series, Fire-Star is identified as a former member of the
Her origin is explained in "A Fire-Star is Born."[9] Young Angelica Jones was subject to constant bullying by a schoolmate named Bonnie, who calls her "Miss Angelica Jinx" on account of mysterious events that occur in Angelica's presence, which unbeknownst to Bonnie and others around Angelica, are triggered by her newly emerging powers, of which Angelica is gradually becoming aware. As Angelica becomes fully aware that she is a mutant with superhuman abilities, she saves her father at one point during an accident while disguised.[episode needed]
Early in her senior year of high school, Bonnie and her boyfriend framed Angelica for the theft of a school trophy, causing Dean Wilmer to temporarily suspend Angelica from school. A strong need to correct this situation leads Angelica to become Fire-Star for the first time. She finds proof of Bonnie's deception, retrieved the missing trophy, and compels Bonnie to confess, which justifies her expulsion from school. She is later approached by Cyclops, Angel, and Iceman to join the X-Men. She accepted and was seen helping them against Magneto and the Sentinels.[episode needed]
The animated series and the one-shot Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends comic book[10] (which adapted an episode for print) are not considered part of standard Marvel Universe continuity. However, the 2006 one-shot comic Spider-Man Family: Amazing Friends (August 2006) features an in-continuity story, "Opposites Attack!", in which the three superheroes work as a short-lived team. This story takes place shortly after the up-and-coming hero Firestar becomes a founding member of the New Warriors.
Firestar mini-series
Firestar's first in-continuity comic book appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #193 (May 1985).[11] She next appeared in her own mini-series, which presented her definitive, in-continuity origin.[12] The Firestar four issue mini-series depicts events both before and after Firestar's appearance in Uncanny X-Men #193, showing her development from a shy, insecure girl afraid of her developing powers to a confident young woman capable of easily defeating Emma Frost.
The mini-series also established that Firestar's powers were microwave-based, rather than the more common fire-generation power that her animated counterpart displayed; the comic-book Firestar essentially harnesses ambient microwave radiation from her environment, making her powers far stronger in an environment such as space, where the concentration of microwaves is much greater than within a planetary atmosphere.
Established character
Despite the mini-series' efforts to flesh out the character, Firestar was not featured in any stories for a few years (aside from a five-part serial in the Marvel Comics Presents anthology series; issues #82–87) and seemed destined to fade into obscurity until she joined the New Warriors. She would go on to appear as a regular character in Avengers, and the informal all-female team "Marvel Divas".
After the special Firestar one-shot issue (April 2010), Firestar returned to full-time superheroics as a character in the short-lived comic series Young Allies.[13][14] Firestar appears as a main character in the I Am an Avenger comic book mini-series.
Firestar was one of the feature characters in the 2011 six-issue limited series Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt.
At the 2013
Fictional character biography
Hellions
A lonely girl raised by her single father Bartholomew and paternal grandmother, Angelica Jones discovered that she possessed
Firestar was later emotionally manipulated by
While a student of the Massachusetts Academy, Angelica had Hellfire mercenary Randall Chase assigned to her as a bodyguard. Growing close to Angelica, Randall eventually began to suspect the White Queen's true motives and was to be terminated. He escaped, mortally wounded, and managed to warn Angelica of Frost's duplicity just before he died. In retaliation, Jones attacked and defeated the White Queen, and decimated the hidden training complex beneath Frost's Massachusetts Academy. Afterwards, she returned to living with her father (as she was still a minor at the time) but kept the unique costume and identity of Firestar given to her by Frost.[20]
Firestar was later to become one of the few surviving original Hellions after most members were murdered by Trevor Fitzroy.[21] She, Warpath and Empath were the only members of the team not present during the massacre. Firestar and Warpath (accompanied by Warpath's X-Force teammate and Firestar's former love interest Cannonball), travelled to Nova Roma in Brazil to inform Empath and former New Mutant Magma of their teammates' deaths. The trio then went to the Massachusetts Academy where they removed the few remaining files on record of the Hellions' existence.[22]
New Warriors
Shortly after her resignation from the Massachusetts Academy, Firestar became a founding member of the
The team battled the second
Back on Earth, the New Warriors battled the
Eventually, she fell in love and became engaged to teammate Vance Astrovik (also known as
During a revenge scheme by a gang of thugs called the Poison Memories, Firestar's father was shot in the chest.[34] He nearly died but recovered.[35] Firestar also faced a time without Vance, as he had to serve a prison term for the involuntary slaying of his own abusive father.[36]
Firestar also provided vital assistance in helping Spider-Man tackle
Avengers
Firestar and Justice eventually left the New Warriors together. Some time later the two joined the Avengers after an alternate-universe adventure and a struggle against Morgan le Fay.[39] Firestar helped demonstrate her fitness for the position when she and Vance took down Whirlwind, a villain that had foiled most of the other Avengers at once.[40]
Firestar demonstrated a more restrained fashion sense, refusing to wear a cleavage-baring costume designed by the
During this period,
Angelica started college and enjoyed a "normal life",[49] but she abandoned wedding preparations, leaving Vance with all of the responsibility. When Vance confronted her about this, she confessed that she needed more life experience before settling into married life. Vance left in anger and presumably ended their engagement.[50]
Retirement
Firestar is one of the few mutants left on the planet with her powers intact after the
Firestar responded to the
Marvel Divas
In the limited series
One-shot and Young Allies
Firestar continues her education while engaging in super heroics part-time. In her one-shot issue, she is wearing a long-haired red wig as her natural hair has not grown back yet.[59]
When the
The group worked to track down the Bastards of Evil, Firestar partnering with Gravity while the others pursued independent leads. In addition to tracking the Bastards, Firestar and Gravity begin to patrol the city at night fighting street level crime. During this period, Angelica is dismissive of Nomad and Spider-Girl, which she later regrets as it wasn't that long ago that she was an adolescent super hero.[62][63]
When Nomad and Spider-Girl are captured by the Bastards on their way to meet Gravity and Firestar, Angelica is able to use her microwave powers to track the Bastards and is able to drain the radiation that empowers them. With Gravity's help, she is able to expel the energy harmlessly into space. Nomad suggests that they remain together as the Young Allies, which everyone objects to, and they appear to go their separate ways.[64]
In the final issue of Young Allies (issue #6), Emma Frost attempts to recruit Angelica to move to Utopia with the rest of the mutant population. No offer to join the X-Men was explicitly made, but as most of the mutants living in Utopia appear to be on call as needed, it can be assumed that if Firestar moved she would have been available to the team. Angelica refused the offer, eventually burning down Emma's hotel room to be left alone. Gravity and Firestar continue their evening patrols, and Frost suggests that Gravity has a romantic/sexual interest in her. He also appears to recognize her civilian identity when he sees her in a coffee shop, but she does not notice him.[65]
The Young Allies are continuing to operate as a loosely affiliated team to fight
Firestar applied for a teaching job at the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning but when she admitted that she had a thing for Iceman she was rejected as Kitty Pryde, the headmistress of the school who was doing the interviewing, was at the time Iceman's girlfriend.[69]
X-Men
Firestar joined the
Powers and abilities
Firestar is a
Though exposure to high levels of microwave radiation can be harmful or fatal to living beings, Firestar is apparently immune to most of the damaging effects of her powers. Unlike most mutants, her immunity to her own power was not complete; she was in danger of rendering herself sterile until a cure was discovered by
On rare occasion, Firestar has demonstrated the ability to disrupt the
The nature of Firestar's power grants her the capacity for large-scale destruction. She typically limits how much of her own power she accesses for fear of permanently damaging the planet, its atmosphere and electromagnetic field. In space, she is far less inhibited, and can access greater levels of ambient electromagnetic energy to fuel her powers. She easily produced an attack that injured
Reception
Critical reception
Deirdre Kaye of
Anthony Orland of Digital Trends called Firestar one of the "12 new Marvel characters we want to see in the Spider-Man 4 movie."[84] Jordan Iacobucci of Screen Rant included Firestar in their "10 Marvel Superheroes From The ‘80s Who Should Join The MCU" list,[85] while Lukas Shayo named her one of the "10 Iconic New York City-Based Marvel Superheroes We Haven't Seen In The MCU" list.[86]
Impact
In July 2022, Marvel Comics announced that Firestar was the winner of the second annual X-Men fan vote.[87][88][89]
Other versions
Spider-Verse
Appearing in Edge of Spider-Verse: Web of Fear, Spider-UK (a British Spider-Man who is a member of the Captain Britain Corps) witnesses Morlun kill Spider-Man, as well as Firestar and Iceman lying dead.[volume & issue needed] This universe is an alternate version of Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends (Earth-1983).[90]
Exiles
An alternate version of Firestar was forced to join the team known as
Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness
In issue #3 of this miniseries, she is shown, in flashback, to be among the reserve members of the Avengers answering Colonel America's distress signal (unaware it was a trap), and subsequently leaving the mansion (with fewer people than went in) infected and hungry for human flesh.
MC2
Firestar appeared in a flashback[93] detailing the last adventure of the original Avengers. Firestar was among the team members who died in the team's final battle.
Mutant X
In the Mutant X Universe, Firestar's powers had evolved to the point where her entire body was composed of microwave energy. She was one of the many people trying to resist the rule of Madelyne Pryor.[94] She, along with numerous other heroes, died in battle in the final issue of Mutant X.
Spider-Man Loves Mary-Jane
Firestar appeared in Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane. In the initial Firestar story, Mary Jane watched Spider-Man and Firestar battling crime together and became very jealous. In subsequent issues, Firestar expressed a true romantic interest in Spider-Man. The Firestar story arc took place in issues #16-20 of the series and was compiled in digest format as Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Vol. 4. Also, Iceman appears in a few pages of the final issue of the story arc, showcasing a rare comic-book moment in which the "Spider-Friends" are shown together.[volume & issue needed]
Ultimate Marvel
Brian Michael Bendis, writer of Ultimate Spider-Man, revealed his intentions to have the Ultimate Marvel version of Firestar appear in the book in an interview on Comic Book Resources on July 20, 2007. Bendis further stated he had spent 120 issues working toward this and making it an "organic" event and not something "I pulled out of my ass".[95]
Ultimate Firestar makes her debut in Ultimate Spider-Man #118, when Liz Allan claims to be suffering from some bizarre ailment shortly after kissing the Human Torch, and at the close of the issue catches fire while at a beach party with her friends. In the final moments of the story, Liz's body becomes a living mass of flames, signaling her transformation into what could be considered Ultimate Firestar.
The next issue (#119) deals with Liz as she tried to come to grips with her powers. The Human Torch is forced to deal with a call from the Fantastic Four, while Shadowcat is grounded, leaving only Iceman and Spider-Man able to go after Liz, an homage to the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends television series. After some friendly banter, Magneto shows up, asking Liz to come with him so that he can take her to her biological father. Unsure of what to do, Liz goes home to confront her mother who reveals that her uncle Frank is in fact her real father. Magneto and the X-Men, summoned by Spider-Man, then show up asking Liz to side with one of them. Liz chooses neither and flees to Mary Jane's house.
Spider-Man quickly follows her there, and to convince her of his words, he reveals his true identity. She is greatly moved by this and refers to him as an "amazing friend". Swayed, Liz then thinks it might be cool to join the X-Men, leaving for the mansion alongside Iceman. The issue ends with a flashback that reveals that Liz's father is in fact the
Liz Allan was believed to have been missing in action after Ultimatum, but survived and is featured in Ultimate X beginning with issue #4.[96] In this issue, it is revealed she, her mother and her newfound half-brother Teddy (and son of the Blob) try to make a fresh start in California. She often teases Teddy because, as she says, he reminds her of her father, though her mother speculates it might be because he reminds her of what she is. When Teddy's friend kills the high school's principal, Teddy's powers manifest, and the situation goes awry. When approached by Jean Grey's Tomorrow People and Quicksilver's Brotherhood, Liz chooses to follow Jean whereas Teddy joins Quicksilver.[volume & issue needed] After briefly working with the team,[volume & issue needed] she settles in Tian, a safe haven for mutants,[volume & issue needed] until its destruction.[volume & issue needed] She then rejoins the X-Men.[volume & issue needed] She also attended a small party that commemorated Peter a few years after his death with Iceman and Human Torch.[volume & issue needed]
In other media
Television
- Firestar appears in Sentinel-dominated future.
- Firestar appears in in her civilian identity.
Video games
- Firestar appears as an assist character in Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage.[99]
- Firestar appears in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, voiced by Kimberly Brooks. This version is an ally of Captain America in opposing the Superhuman Registration Act and appears as a mini-boss in the pro-registration campaign and as a boss in the anti-registration campaign.[100]
- Firestar appears as a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, voiced again by Tara Strong.[101]
Miscellaneous
In 1987, Firestar appeared as a guest in Marvel Comics' live reenactment of Spider-Man's wedding to Mary Jane Watson.[citation needed]
Merchandise
Numerous items were marketed that feature Firestar. In 1994, a Firestar Real Heros cup was available at
References
- ^ CBR.com. Archivedfrom the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ a b "An Interview with Rick Hoberg". www.spider-friends.com. May 2010. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c "An Interview with Dennis Marks". spider-friends.com. June 2002. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1 #75
- ^ Goldman, Eric (July 3, 2012). "Spider-Man's TV History". IGN. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ "Spider-Man on TV". IGN. 3 May 2007. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
- CBR.com. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
The network wanted the series to feature the Fantastic Four's Human Torch, but he was off-limits due to licensing conflicts.
- ^ Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. Season 1, Episode 8: "The Prison Plot".
- ^ Mitchell, Nigel (2018-01-12). "The Best Of The Best There Is: 15 On-Screen Wolverines, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
In 1982, the animated Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends TV show aired "A Fire-Star is Born," the origin of Firestar and how she gained her powers.
- ^ Later reprinted as Marvel Action Universe #1.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
- ISBN 978-1465455505.
- ^ "Firestar #1 (2010)". Marvel Catalog.
- ^ Rogers, Vaneta (March 9, 2010). "Young Allies Joins Marvel's Summer Youth Movement". Newsarama.
- ^ "Amazing X-Men #1 from Jason Aaron and ed McGuinness Features Wolverine, Storm, Beast, Firestar, Iceman, Northstar, And... Nightcrawler". 21 July 2013.
- Newsarama.com. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ Firestar #1
- ^ Firestar #2
- ^ a b The Uncanny X-Men #193
- ^ a b Firestar #4
- ^ The Uncanny X-Men #281
- ^ a b The New Warriors #31
- ^ The New Warriors #1
- ^ The New Warriors #2
- ^ Thor #411-412
- ^ The New Warriors #3
- ^ The New Warriors #4
- ^ The New Warriors #5
- ^ The New Warriors #6
- ^ The New Warriors #7-9
- ^ The New Warriors #10
- ^ The New Warriors #75
- ^ The New Warriors #64
- ^ The New Warriors #37
- ^ The New Warriors #43
- ^ The New Warriors #20-26
- ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #202
- ^ The New Warriors #62
- ^ The Avengers vol. 3, #1-3
- ^ Avengers vol. 3, #4
- ^ Avengers vol. 3, #5-6
- ^ a b The Avengers vol. 3, #12
- ^ The Avengers vol. 3, #28
- ^ The Avengers vol. 3, #48
- ^ The Avengers Annual 2001
- ^ The Avengers vol. 3, #19-23
- ^ The Avengers vol. 3, #52-55
- ^ Generation X #59
- ^ Nova vol. 4, #20
- ^ I ♥ Marvel: Masked Intentions (one-shot)
- ^ X-Men: The 198 Files #1
- ^ She-Hulk vol. 2, #8 (2006)
- ^ Civil War: Front Line #2
- ^ "MyCup o' Joe Tea, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning". MySpace Comic Books. April 9, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ a b Marvel Divas #1
- ^ Marvel Divas #2
- ^ Marvel Divas #3
- ^ a b Marvel Divas #4
- ^ Firestar #1 (2010)
- ^ Young Allies #1
- ^ Young Allies #2
- ^ Young Allies #3
- ^ a b Young Allies #4
- ^ Young Allies #5
- ^ Young Allies #6
- ^ Onslaught Unleashed #1-4
- ^ Fear Itself: Youth in Revolt #1
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #666
- ^ Wolverine and the X-Men #19
- ^ Amazing X-Men #1
- ^ Amazing X-Men #4 (2014)
- ^ Amazing X-Men #7 (2014)
- ^ Harn, Darby (2022-07-25). "10 Only Marvel Comics Fans Know About Firestar". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ^ Harn, Darby (2022-07-25). "10 Only Marvel Comics Fans Know About Firestar". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ Firestar v. 1 Issue #3, 1985
- ^ The New Warriors Annual #3
- ^ The New Warriors #42
- ^ The New Warriors #41
- ^ "Looking For A Role Model? These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic". Scary Mommy. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ Franich, Darren. "Let's rank every Avenger ever". EW.com. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ a b Allan, Scoot (2019-06-04). "The 10 Most Powerful Members of The New Warriors, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ C. B. R. Staff (2018-09-02). "Fast Times At Mutant High: The 20 Most Powerful Mutants From The '80s". CBR. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ Avina, Anthony (2020-03-25). "Marvel Comics: The 20 Most Powerful Female Members Of The Avengers, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ "12 new characters we want in the MCU's Spider-Man 4 movie". Digital Trends. 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
- ^ Iacobucci, Jordan (2021-12-05). "10 Marvel Superheroes From The '80s Who Should Join The MCU". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ Shayo, Lukas (2022-05-02). "10 Iconic New York City-Based Marvel Superheroes We Haven't Seen In The MCU". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ "The New X-Men Lineup Revealed". Marvel Entertainment. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ^ "Marvel Gives the Winner of the X-Men Fan Vote a New Costume". Marvel. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ^ George Marston (2022-11-01). "Firestar's place among the mutants is explored in X-Men Annual #1". gamesradar. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
- ^ "Spider-Verse kills off Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends". October 11, 2014.
- ^ Exiles #40
- ^ Exiles #44
- ^ A-Next #7
- ^ Mutant X Annual #1
- ^ Richards, Dave (June 20, 2007). "Tangled Web of Relationships: Bendis talks 'Ultimate Spider-Man'". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ^ Ultimate X #1-5
- ^ "Voice Of Firestar – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ "Voice Of Firestar – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ "7 Super Nintendo Games We Wish Were Included in the SNES Classic". Nerdist. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 Video Game, E3 09: Exclusive Villains Trailer". GameTrailers.com. May 29, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
- ^ "Firestar / Angelica Jones". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
- ^ "Merchandise / Licensed Products". October 31, 2007.
External links
- Firestar at Marvel.com
- Gustines, George Gene (June 29, 2009). "'Marvel Divas': Cancer and Cheesecake". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- UncannyXmen.net Spotlight on Firestar
- Firestar on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki