Firefly (DC Comics)

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Firefly
Firefly (Garfield Lynns).png
Firefly as depicted in Detective Comics #690 (October 1995). Art by Staz Johnson (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), and Matt Hollingsworth (colors).
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Detective Comics #184 (June 1952)
Created by France Herron (writer)
Dick Sprang (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoGarfield Lynns
Species Human
Team affiliations Secret Society of Super Villains
Abilities

Firefly (Garfield Lynns) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by France Herron and Dick Sprang, he made his debut in Detective Comics #184 (June 1952). [1] Initially portrayed as a criminal who utilized lighting effects to commit robberies, Firefly was later reimagined as a sociopathic pyromaniac with an obsessive compulsion to start fires following Crisis on Infinite Earths ' reboot of the DC Universe in the 1980s. This darker depiction of the character has since endured as one of the superhero Batman's most recurring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his central rogues gallery. [2]

Contents

Firefly has been featured in various forms of media, including several shows set within the DC Animated Universe (voiced by Mark Rolston), The Batman animated series (voiced by Jason Marsden), the first season of The CW's live-action Arrowverse television series Arrow (portrayed by Andrew Dunbar), and the Batman: Arkham video game franchise (voiced by Crispin Freeman).

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis

Firefly, as he originally depicted. Art by Win Mortimer. Firefly (Garfield Lynns circa 1952).png
Firefly, as he originally depicted. Art by Win Mortimer.

Garfield Lynns was a down-and-out film special effects expert whose plan to rob a theater by faking a fire was foiled by Batman and Robin. As Lynns fled the scene, Batman mistook a distant firefly for Lynns' lit cigarette and gave chase in the wrong direction. Lynns saw this as a sign of fate and became the Firefly, a costumed criminal who utilized various lighting effects and optical illusions during heists. [2]

Post-Crisis

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths ' reboot of the DC Universe, Firefly was re-imagined as a much darker and more violent character. [2]

After being taken away from their abusive parents, Garfield Lynns and his sister, Amanda, grew up at the St. Evangelina Home for Orphans. Unlike his relatively normal sister, Garfield was a problematic child whom nobody wanted to adopt. As an adult, Lynns became a pyrotechnics and special effects expert in the film industry but eventually fell victim to Gotham City's severe poverty issues and turned to a life of crime as a result. While he initially only committed arson during his robberies as a hobby, Lynns' compulsion to start fires soon turned into a pyromaniacal obsession as a result of his abusive and troubled childhood; he believed that he could see visions in the flames he created.

Lynns then becomes a professional arsonist known as the "Firefly", and allies himself with fellow supervillain Killer Moth in an attempt to kill Batman and Robin. Their alliance falls apart, however, when Killer Moth realizes the full extent of Firefly's madness and feared for his own well-being. The two villains are then taken into custody. During the Batman: Knightfall storyline, Firefly escapes from Arkham Asylum and attempts to burn all of the places that he lacked the privilege to go to as a child. [3] After successfully destroying a pier and a theater, Firefly is stopped by Batman as he tries to scorch the Gotham Zoo. [4] In his next attempt to burn Gotham to the ground, Firefly is horribly scarred when an uncontrollable fire that he starts at a chemical factory causes it to explode; over 90 percent of his body is burned, so he designs a fireproof battle suit to protect himself from his own flames from this point on. [2]

During the No Man's Land story arc, Firefly is one of the inmates at Blackgate Penitentiary when it is taken over by Lock-Up. When Nightwing is captured after trying to retake the prison from Lock-Up, Firefly attempts to kill him and wear his skin over his burned body. [5]

During the DC One Million crisis, Firefly nearly burns down Gotham while infected with the Hourman virus, requiring Nightwing and Robin to work with the future Batman to stop him.

Firefly makes a short appearance in the Justice League of America story arc "Crisis of Conscience", fighting Catwoman in Gotham City over a diamond before Batman arrives. Although an epic battle between the Secret Society of Super Villains and the Justice League ensues, Firefly is knocked unconscious and remains that way during the entire battle. [6] He makes another short appearance in the 2005 miniseries Villains United when the Secret Six attempts to escape the Society's grasp.

Firefly is among the numerous heroes and villains apparently murdered by the OMACs in the pages of DC's The OMAC Project , although he later appears alive in Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special and Gotham Underground . Firefly appears with Mr. Freeze facing Batman (though Firefly is wearing the same uniform as the Firefly design of The Batman ). [7] He and Mr. Freeze are again shown as having worked together a month after the events of the Crisis, Batman working with a redeemed Harvey Dent to take them down before he takes his year of absence while leaving Dent to guard Gotham.

Following the Final Crisis , Firefly was with Cheetah's Secret Society of Super Villains at the time when Genocide was created. He was defeated by Wonder Woman alongside Shrapnel, Phobia, and T. O. Morrow.

Firefly is recruited by a new Black Mask to be a part of a group of villains that are aiming to take over Gotham, but he follows his own agenda. Inspired by the chemicals that Black Mask used on him, Firefly inserts chips into Gothamites to make them burn. [8] Not long after the identity of the new Black Mask was revealed to be Jeremiah Arkham, Firefly was arrested and put into Arkham Asylum. A short time later, Firefly is broken out of Arkham Asylum by Dick Grayson, who has assumed the mantle of Batman, to assist him in gaining access to Sebastian Blackspell's closest friends. Batman (Dick) desires to know what Blackspell's true intentions are in regards to killing the Riddler.

Powers and abilities

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths ' reboot of the DC Universe, Firefly's depiction was drastically altered from that of a mere criminal who utilized colored lights and optical illusions to that of a violent sociopath with intense pyromania. Even prior to becoming Firefly, Garfield Lynns was already an expert in pyrotechnics and explosives with a thorough knowledge of flammable agents. After he is horribly scarred by a blaze at a chemical factory, Lynns mechanically engineered an insulated, fireproof battle suit to protect himself. This specialized outfit is equipped with an extensive arsenal of fire-creating weapons, including a military-grade flamethrower, various incendiary devices (such as grenades, napalm, and smoke bombs), and a sword-like blade of superheated plasma for close-ranged hand-to-hand combat. A high-tech, winged jet pack is also mounted on the back of the armor to allow for high-speed flight.

Other characters named Firefly

Ted Carson

A man named Ted Carson becomes the second character to adopt the identity of the "Firefly". Created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff, he first appeared in Batman #126. Carson was an ostentatiously wealthy gold mine heir who gambled his family fortune away and subsequently turned to a life of crime as the second Firefly. Carson then goes on a robbery spree before being apprehended by Batman and Batwoman. [9]

In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Ted Carson is a former high school teacher who tries to incinerate everything that will separate him from his ex-girlfriend Cindy Cooke, though he is ultimately defeated by Nightwing and Batgirl. [10]

In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called DC Rebirth , which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to The New 52. Ted Carson and Killer Moth attempt to kill Batman to collect Two-Face's multi-million dollar bounty. [11] Carson is later seen as one of the many villains that Bane pummels in his quest to reach Batman at Arkham Asylum. [12] During the gang war between the Joker and the Riddler, Carson is shown siding with the Riddler's faction. [13]

Bridgit Pike

Ted Carson's protégé Bridgit Pike (a character introduced in the TV series Gotham ) adopts the identity of Lady Firefly. She first appeared in Detective Comics #988 (September 2018) and was created by James Robinson and Stephen Segovia. She and Carson are hired by Kobra to kill Batman while he investigates a murder. [14]

Other versions

Flashpoint

In an alternate reality created during Flashpoint , Firefly is seen as a member of Canterbury Cricket's Ambush Bugs before he is killed in battle against the Amazons. [15]

Batman '89: Echoes

Firefly appears in the Batman '89 series Echoes . This version is actually Bruce Wayne, who changes his name to Robert Lowery (based on the Batman actor of the same name) and presents himself as a serial bomber to get sent to Arkham Asylum. [16]

In other media

Television

Firefly as he appears in The New Batman Adventures Firefly (TNBA).jpg
Firefly as he appears in The New Batman Adventures
Firefly as he appears in The Batman Firefly batman.jpg
Firefly as he appears in The Batman

Film

Video games

Garfield Lynns / Firefly in a promotional image for Batman: Arkham Origins (2013). Arkham Origins Firefly.jpg
Garfield Lynns / Firefly in a promotional image for Batman: Arkham Origins (2013).

The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears in the Batman: Arkham video game series, voiced by Crispin Freeman. [25] This version has burns on 90% of his body. [26]

Lego series

Other video games

Miscellaneous

Merchandise

See also

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 Jimenez, Phil (2008), "Firefly", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 122, ISBN   978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC   213309017
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  4. ↑ Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 136–137. ISBN   9780345501066.
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  6. ↑ JLA #115–119. Marvel Comics.
  7. ↑ Superman/Batman Annual #3
  8. ↑ Batman: Streets of Gotham #1
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  10. ↑ Nightwing Annual vol. 3 #1. DC Comics.
  11. ↑ All-Star Batman #1. DC Comics.
  12. ↑ Batman (vol. 3) #19. DC Comics.
  13. ↑ Batman (vol. 3) #26
  14. ↑ Detective Comics #988. DC Comics.
  15. ↑ Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket #1
  16. ↑ Batman '89: Echoes #1
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Firefly Voices (Batman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 14, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
  18. ↑ Allstetter, Rob (August 1997). "The Dark Knight Returns". Wizard . No. 72. pp. 50–54.
  19. ↑ "Aquaman, Creeper, and...a LADY FIREFLY? Oh My! (Writer Rich Fogel)". YouTube. Watchtower Database. May 23, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
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  23. ↑ Kroll, Justin (2021-10-25). "'Batgirl': Brendan Fraser To Play Villain In New Warner Bros And DC Pic Starring Leslie Grace". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
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