Firefly (DC Comics)

For the Archie Comics character, see Firefly (Archie Comics). For the G.I. Joe character, see Firefly (G.I. Joe).
Firefly
Firefly as depicted in Detective Comics #690 (October 1995). Art by Staz Johnson (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), and Matt Hollingsworth (colors).
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceDetective Comics #184 (June 1952)
Created byFrance Herron (writer)
Dick Sprang (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoGarfield Lynns
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsSecret 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]

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

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Pre-Crisis

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Firefly, as he was 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

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Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity reboot, Firefly is re-imagined as a darker and more violent character.[2]

After being taken away from their abusive parents, Garfield Lynns and his sister, Amanda, grow up at the St. Evangelina orphanage. Unlike his sister, Garfield is a problematic child whom nobody wants to adopt. As an adult, Lynns becomes a pyrotechnics and special effects expert in the film industry before falling victim to poverty and becoming a criminal.

Lynns then becomes a professional arsonist known as "Firefly", and allies with Killer Moth in an attempt to kill Batman and Robin. Their alliance falls apart, however, when Killer Moth realizes Firefly's madness and fears for his own well-being. The two villains are then taken into custody. In Batman: Knightfall, 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 scarred in a chemical explosion and designs a fireproof battle suit to protect from further incidents.[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]

In DC One Million, 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 characters apparently killed by the OMACs in The OMAC Project, although he later appears alive in Villains United and Gotham Underground.[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.

In Final Crisis, Firefly is with Cheetah's Secret Society of Super Villains during the creation of Genocide. He was defeated by Wonder Woman alongside Shrapnel, Phobia, and T. O. Morrow.

Black Mask recruits Firefly into his group 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. Dick desires to know what Blackspell's true intentions are in regards to killing the Riddler.

Powers and abilities

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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

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Ted Carson

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A man named Ted Carson becomes the second character to adopt the Firefly identity. 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 before 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 who Bane attacks 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

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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

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An alternate timeline variant of Firefly appears in the Flashpoint tie-in The Canterbury Cricket as a member of the Ambush Bugs who is killed in battle against the Amazons.[15]

In other media

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Television

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Firefly as depicted in The New Batman Adventures
Firefly as depicted in The Batman
  • The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by Mark Rolston.[16] This version is a former pyrotechnics engineer who was fired by his singer ex-girlfriend Cassidy for intentionally botching a pyrotechnics display during one of her concerts.
    • Firefly is introduced in The New Batman Adventures episodes "Torch Song" and "Legends of the Dark Knight", with the former seeing him attempting to seek revenge on Cassidy before Batman foils him. The producers had wanted to use Firefly in the preceding series, Batman: The Animated Series, but Fox forbade them from using pyromaniac characters.[17] Additionally, Cassidy was planned to return and become a new Firefly, stemming from her trauma and pyrophobia at Lynns' hands, but was ultimately scrapped.[18]
    • Firefly returns in the Justice League episode "Only a Dream", in which he forms a casual interest in the similarly-themed Volcana.
  • The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears in The Batman, voiced by Jason Marsden.[16] This version bears a suit more akin to his namesake with arm-mounted lasers and a jetpack. Following his introduction in the episode "The Big Heat", he has several encounters with Batman and other Gotham City supervillains over the course of the series, such as Mr. Freeze in the episode "Fire and Ice". In the episode "White Heat", Firefly and Dr. Jane "Blaze" Blazedale steal a phosphorus isotope to upgrade his suit, but an accident causes the isotope to mutate Lynns into the pyrokinetic metahuman Phosphorus. He goes insane and attempts to destroy Gotham, only to be defeated by Batman and remanded to Arkham Asylum.
  • The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Robin Atkin Downes. This version is based on his pre-Crisis counterpart.
  • Garfield Lynns appears in the Arrow episode "Burned", portrayed by Andrew Dunbar. This version is a former member of the Starling City firefighting unit "The Fireflies" who was presumed dead in a building fire. Having survived in a disfigured state, Lynns became a vengeful recluse. After his wife leaves him and takes their children, Lynns dons a firefighter uniform and begins killing his old crewmates for abandoning him. This attracts the attention of the Hood, who eventually defeats him. Following this, Lynns commits suicide.[19]
  • A female incarnation of Firefly named Bridgit Pike appears in Gotham, portrayed by Michelle Veintimilla[20] in the second season and the second half of the fourth season and by Camila Perez in the third season and the first half of the fourth. Bridgit is the quasi "step-sister" of arsonists Joe, Cale, and Evan Pike, who abused her and had her work around their apartment. After Evan is killed by Jim Gordon and Nathaniel Barnes, Bridgit is forced to help Joe and Cale burn down Wayne Enterprises buildings at Oswald Cobblepot and Theo Galavan's behest.[21] However, she goes to her old friend Selina Kyle for help and the pair rob a brothel so Bridgit can leave Gotham City. When Joe and Cale kidnap and threaten her, Bridgit kills them with a flamethrower. During a confrontation with Gordon, a gas leak results in Bridgit accidentally setting herself on fire. She is brought to Arkham Asylum, where Professor Hugo Strange heals her and gives her a fireproof suit before Kyle eventually helps facilitate her escape. Throughout the third season Bridgit found work at a metal refinery before Cobblepot and Ivy Pepper convince her to join them in retaking Cobblepot's criminal empire from the Riddler. In the fourth season, Bridgit joins Jerome Valeska's "Legion of Horribles" to assist in their plan to disperse the Scarecrow's fear toxin throughout Gotham. After Jeremiah Valeska destroys Gotham's bridges and declares the city a "no man's land", Bridgit and her gang claim the Bowery district.
  • An unidentified Firefly appears in Harley Quinn, voiced by Alan Tudyk. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.

Film

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Video games

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Garfield Lynns / Firefly in a promotional image for Batman: Arkham Origins (2013).
  • The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[24]
  • The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears in the Batman: Arkham video game series, voiced by Crispin Freeman.[25]
    • He first appears as a boss in the prequel Batman: Arkham Origins.[26] After being hired by the Joker disguised as Black Mask to kill Batman, Firefly plants explosives on the Gotham Pioneers' Bridge and takes several hostages to draw Batman out, but the Dark Knight defeats him with Gotham City Police Department Captain James Gordon's help before leaving him for the police.[27]
    • Firefly returns in Batman: Arkham Knight. The side mission "The Line of Duty" reveals that prior to the game's events, Gotham City Fire Department Chief Raymond Underhill gave Firefly a list of abandoned buildings to burn down in hopes of preventing his firefighters from being laid off. However, Firefly betrayed Underhill and kidnapped him and his crew during Scarecrow's takeover of Gotham City. Upon discovering what happened, Batman saves the captured firemen from Firefly's thugs and uncovers Underhill's corruption. In the side mission "Gotham on Fire", Firefly attempts to destroy Gotham's firehouses, but Batman pursues, defeats, and imprisons him at the GCPD lockup.
    • Firefly makes a vocal cameo appearance in Batman: Arkham Shadow, having been imprisoned at Blackgate Penitentiary following the events of Arkham Origins.[16]

Lego series

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Miscellaneous

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Merchandise

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  • DC Collectibles released a 7-inch action figure of Firefly in Series 2 of their Batman: Arkham Origins line, based on his design in the 2013 video game of the same name. This statue was sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios.
  • Lego released a minifigure of Firefly in the set "Bat Mech vs Poison Ivy Mech". This version's appearance is based on his design from The Batman animated series and Lego DC Super-Villains.[35]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^ a b c d 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
  3. ^ Booker, M. Keith, ed. (2014). Comics Through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. ABC-CLIO. p. 909. ISBN 9780313397516.
  4. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 136–137. ISBN 9780345501066.
  5. ^ Nightwing vol. 2 #35–39. Marvel Comics.
  6. ^ JLA #115–119. Marvel Comics.
  7. ^ Superman/Batman Annual #3
  8. ^ Batman: Streets of Gotham #1
  9. ^ Batman #126. Marvel Comics.
  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. ^ a b c d e "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 credits or other reliable sources of information.
  17. ^ Allstetter, Rob (August 1997). "The Dark Knight Returns". Wizard. No. 72. pp. 50–54.
  18. ^ "Aquaman, Creeper, and...a LADY FIREFLY? Oh My! (Writer Rich Fogel)". YouTube. Watchtower Database. May 23, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  19. ^ New Arrow Promo & Villain Confirmed (October 16th, 2012).
  20. ^ Ausiello, Michael (17 August 2015). "Gotham Launching Season 2 Firefly Arc (and There's a Cool Casting Twist)". TV Line. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  21. ^ Bruno Heller, Megan Mostyn-Brown (2015-10-19). "Scarification". Gotham. Season 2. Episode 5. Fox.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ Gelman, Samuel (July 31, 2022). "Batgirl: Brendan Fraser's Firefly Reportedly a New Take on the Classic Character". CBR. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  24. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 4, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  25. ^ Freeman, Crispin (November 9, 2013). "Yes, that is me as Firefly". Twitter. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  26. ^ Haas, Pete (August 20, 2013). "Batman: Arkham Origins Firefly Trailer Is Full Of Villains". CinemaBlend.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  27. ^ Guerrie, Brandon (October 2013). "Batman: Arkham Origins Walkthrough- How to Apprehend Firefly at Pioneer's Bridge". Prima Games. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  28. ^ Eisen, Andrew (9 June 2014). "Characters - LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Guide". IGN. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  29. ^ Michael, Jon; Veness, John (2 November 2018). "Characters - LEGO DC Super-Villains Guide". IGN. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  30. ^ Smallville: Lantern #2
  31. ^ "FCBD 2011 Young Justice Batman BB Super Sampler #1 - Face Your Fears; Let Me Tell You About Bruce Wayne... (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  32. ^ Whitbrook, James (February 4, 2016). "Everything You Need to Know Going into Batman v Superman, According to Dr Pepper". io9.com. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  33. ^ Batman: The Adventures Continues #3
  34. ^ Batman '89: Echoes #1
  35. ^ Brown, Luke (September 12, 2013). "DC Collectibles - Batman: Arkham Origins Series 2 Trailer". Screen Crush. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
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