In this review of The Fury of Firestorm #4, Stein tells Lorraine about secrets from the past, but can he help her to save Ronnie or is it too late?
THE FURY OF FIRESTORM #4
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art and Main Cover: RAFAEL DE LATORRE
Variant Covers: GUILLEM MARCH, RAHZZAH, ETHAN YOUNG
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 7/8/26
This review contains spoilers
After finding Stein at the cabin in the Adirondacks in The Fury of Firestorm #3, Lorraine is told the truth about Project Firestorm. It was part of a larger Superman Project the government had Stein working on to create superpowered soldiers. The two go back and forth, arguing about the virtues and vices of the program until Lorraine becomes angry and chokes Stein.
She quickly comes to suspect that her Firehawk persona may have been created as part of this project, as well, and pushes Stein on the matter. He finally reveals he orchestrated the “accident” that gave her powers. Even angrier now, Lorraine is about to attack Stein again, but he stops her by saying he’s been working on an experimental last resort to stop Firestorm.
It’s a large, heavy machine meant to absorb the Firestorm matrix. The problem is getting it close enough to the Nuclear Man for it to work. They manage to strap it to the top of Lorraine’s car and head to Pittsburgh.
The final page of The Fury of Firestorm #4 reveal shows a massive, skyscraper sized crystal in the middle of Pittsburgh, with soldiers indicating that Firestorm is inside.
Analysis
The Fury of Firestorm #4 is light on action, but heavy on revelations. Of course, the big one is Stein’s full reveal of Project Firestorm to Lorraine. Those panels are packed with emotion. Lorraine’s anger when Stein tries to rationalize the project radiates from the pages.
Jeff Lemire’s Professor Stein doesn’t seem remorseful about his actions that have resulted in the deaths of many people. He even comes across as arrogant, throwing Lorraine’s request for help back in her face, as well as stating he planned to be the failsafe to keep the matrix in check, thinking that would be enough.
The second big reveal is Firehawk’s origin. It changes the way Lorraine views her and Ronnie’s relationship. This packs an emotional punch on the overall story, especially since she believes that all hope is lost for Ronnie.
The last revelation provides some hope and a way out of this situation. When Stein shows her his machine, she realizes this may be the last, best chance to save Ronnie. She has to force herself to calm down in order to begrudgingly work with Stein.
We don’t get much in the way of Firestorm (other than flashbacks and memories), but I didn’t mind the change of pace here. When I can find out more of the backstory, it helps me to enjoy the action sequences even more. I like having a balance and Lemire has been able to provide that in these first four issues.
Rafael de Latorre and Marcelo Maiolo continue to provide beautiful artwork from beginning to end of The Fury of Firestorm #4. They do a fantastic job of conveying the anger and energy that Firehawk carries inside. Facial expressions are a big focus in this issue, as many of the panels feature Lorraine or Stein’s face up close, showing us what the characters are feeling, even without looking at dialog. Flashbacks continue to have an old school look to them, effectively distinguishing them from the main story.
Final Thoughts
The Fury of Firestorm #4 fills in the details about the past for Ronnie, Stein, and Lorraine. While there’s less action than previous issues, there’s still plenty of excitement in the storytelling. Have fun, comic lovers!
