Thursday, March 2, 2017

Jack of Hearts and Firestorm



This was a pairing that I saw suggested in the comments a little while back and I have to agree that the costumes do look pretty cool together.  Both outfits look great on their own in the comics despite (or perhaps because of) some odd choices like Firestorm's puffy sleeves or Jack's overly complicated vest pattern.

13 comments:

The Irredeemable Shag said...

Love it, Ross!! But you probably already knew that. :)

Cambias said...

I always thought those two characters were switched at the Comics Maternity Ward or something anyway. Firestorm seems like a Marvel character -- science-accident origin, baked-in personal conflicts, nuclear-metaphor powers (not really even metaphorical in his case). Jack, on the other hand, is obviously a DC hero -- espcecially with the goofy theme costume and name more or less irrelevant to his powers. Maybe the two companies could arrange a trade?

Jay Johnson said...

@Cambias: Yeah, Firestorm was created more or less explicitly to try to get a Nova / Spiderman -type solo character into the DC lineup. And JoH started out as a one-and-done villain for White Tiger, so he does resemble some of Batman's C-List foes. And that original story was in a black-and-white magazine (the late, lamented "Deadly Hands of Kung Fu"), so the 'overly complicated vest pattern' didn't have to worry about what it took to color it.

Bob Greenwade said...

I tried to remember if I was the one who suggested this, and to the best that I can recall I merely seconded it, for the reasons you give. As for what you've done with it, Ross, I have to give you top marks once again, for both the art combination and the implied story.

Just in the past couple of weeks I've been able to start watching The Flash (as well as Arrow). I've only gotten through the first season, but I kind of like what they've done with the Firestorm character. (If I'd had the opportunity I would have loved to at least audition for the part of Professor Stein, but that's a discussion for another time -- perhaps a Firestorm/Wonder Man cover.) The outfit Firestorm wears (as I think you may have noted in the past) even resembles this one a little thanks to the device he uses to control his division back into two people, and I can only hope that it will eventually take shape closer to the tradition, at least in terms of color.

I do miss Professor Stein as a psychically-projected disembodied head, though. My second-favorite moment in comics was when he figured out how to grow a body and beat the crap out of Hector Hammond.

Wolfhammer said...

Now this is a great cover! Maybe an artists nightmare to do a full story with these guys though. For those other commenters that think JOH is a silly C-Lister hero, you need to check out the JOH mini-series. A good story by Bill Mantlo and wonderful art by George Freeman.

I do wish FIRESTORM looked more like the comics version on the CW, but I realize this would be very hard to pull off effectively.

Anonymous said...

BRILLIANT!

Anonymous said...

Mission for whom, I wonder? The alien race jack's mom belonged to? Or the Suicide Squad?

Sonofjack said...

I confess that Jack of Hearts is a character I never warmed up to, and I DID read the Mantlo/Freeman mini-series. (Back then I was getting almost everything.) I absolutely hated JoH's Avengers run. Even so, I have to admit that this is a nice cover, Ross....

Carycomic said...

I, too, would like to know who pitted these two powerhouses against each other. Naja-naja, perhaps?

david miles viers said...

I was the suggestor! Thanks again!!!!! Always wanted to see this!!!! I'm framing this awesome cover!!!

Ross said...

Glad you like it, David!

Unknown said...

Just love this cover and the JOH/GL one as well. As a Jack of Hearts junkie, I love any time I see him get some exposure. Mantlos mini was great, the Avengers run not so much. The Surfer run was some of my favorite stuff featuring JOSH with lots of cosmic characters crossing paths. Now back among the living, I keep hoping for some new writer to get him into a storyline.

Paul Cocker said...

This is one that maybe a lot of people wouldn't ask for because, as rosters go, Jack of Hearts and Firestorm both seem to ride the pine. But I have wanted to see this mashup foe a long time! That, and Vision paired with Martian Manhunter. :)

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