When the New 52 started, I picked up the comics that interested me the most. After the first issues came out, I immediately knew which of the books were in my “keep reading” pile and which were in my “drop” pile. There was only one book that I was on the fence with: The Fury of Firestorm: the Nuclear Men.

I always liked Firestorm for some reason, although I never really followed him too closely. Something about his powers appealed to me, and i just really liked his character design, poofy sleeves and all. The first few issues were middle of the road for me. There were concepts I liked, but at times it seemed like there was almost too much going on, as if the Gail Simone and Ethan Van Sciver were trying to throw a million things out there and see which ones they liked. Also, the bickering between Ronnie and Jason seemed somewhat forced, as if the main reason they disliked each other was that they needed to for the story to work. However, I DID like some of the ideas behind us and the art was great, so I decided to stick around and keep reading.

With issue #5, i am officially glad I did, because with this issue, Firestorm has become one of the best comics I am reading. The idea of the Firestorms being the ultimate weapon for the modern day is a great one, especially with the Firestorm protocols” being a huge black market item that terrorists are trying to get their hands on. A way to create a nuclear powered super-being with almost godlike power is far scarier than any bomb that could be stolen.

The tension between Ronnie and Jason has also settled down a lot. In the early issues it seemed forced and unnatural, more a plot point than anything character driven. But in the last few issues, it seems MUCH more natural, occurring more organically and realistically, something that is enhancing the characterization, not just moving the plot forward.

The global story being told, full of international espionage, shadow government organizations and terrorist factions is like something out of a kick ass spy thriller, but with super-powered individuals taking the place of super-spies.

The plot moves along at a brisk pace, with the story not dwelling too long on any one scene, which is a VERY refreshing change in today’s “deconstructed” mode of story telling in comics. The story unfolds at a fast pace, with various plot lines all moving forward with plenty of action scenes that make Firestorm seem like a more cinematic experience than most comics. This is Superman meets the Bourne Identity, a type of story that usually appears in comics featuring non-powered heroes or very low-level powered ones.

Having this type of story with characters as vastly powerful as the ones in Firestorm is a nice change of pace and also serves as a great social commentary on the awesome destructive capabilities of mankind and what can happen when that power falls into the wrong hands. The absolutely chilling final page of this issue shows just how high the stakes are, while leaving the reader with a fantastic cliffhanger that won’t allow issue #6 to get here fast enough.

Their is less to say about the art, as it has remained at a consistently high level since issue #1. Yildiray Cinar’s pencils are excellent, his characters are great and his action is clean and exciting. Firestorm is a tough character to get right, as he can easily become goofy, but Cinar nails it perfectly. Also, each Firestorm (and there have been several) is just different enough that you can tell real thought was put into them. They aren’t just cookie cutter photocopies, each is well designed and distinctive while still staying true to the core concept. The art started at a high level and has maintained that level throughout,.

I have heard a lot of people complaining about this new take on Firestorm, wishing the book was just Ronnie and Professor Stein again, like it was when the character was first introduced. I feel a book should only be judged on what it is trying to be, not what you want it to be. firestorm is exactly what the “New 52” is supposed to be: fresh new looks at old concepts. Firestorm is one of the books that has truly embraced what is capable from the DC “relaunch.” They have taken an old concept, took what works, threw away what was dated, and brought it into 2012 with stories that are relevant to the world we live in today. I think this is far more interesting than a straight rehash of what we have already seen.

After a slightly better than average start, Firestorm seems to have found its footing, and has become one of my favorite titles being put out by any company today. It’s a modern, relevant concept with a plot that is really coming together, characters that are starting to become more layered and interesting and great art to hold it all together. If you aren’t a bitter Firestorm fan from the 70s and can be open minded about the new take on an old favorite, this is definitely a book worth checking out.