Firestorm (Volume 2) #1 is an issue of the series Firestorm (Volume 2) with a cover date of June, 1982. It was published on March 4, 1982.
Synopsis for "Day of the Bison"
Firestorm lowers his molecular density and attempts to take a nap on a cloud. Upon falling asleep however, his mass returns to normal and he begins plunging to the earth below. Professor Stein telepathically screams at Ronald to "wake up". Firestorm awakens minutes before hitting the ground. The two men separate, and Ronnie returns to his home to catch up on some sleep.
Elsewhere, a teacher named John Ravenhair prepares to leave for school. His great-grandfather, an aging Native American named Bison-Black-As-Midnight-Sky, reads a newspaper and learns that New York senator Walter Reilly has recently donated a collection of artifacts belonging to the "Black Bison Cult" to the Museum of Natural History. The old man becomes enraged and begins screaming at his grandson about how the modern world has stolen their heritage. Ravenhair does not have time to listen to his grandfather's ramblings. Before the younger man leaves, Bison-Black-As-Midnight-Sky gives John a talisman of the Bison Cult. John leaves and heads towards Bradley High School.
Bison-Black-As-Midnight-Sky walks down to Central Park, where he begins conducting a supernatural ritual. After completing the ritual, two muggers named Zero and Beanbag come up behind him. They club him over the head in the hopes of stealing some money. The blow is too much for the old man, and he dies moments later.
At Bradley High, Ronnie meets with his girlfriend, Doreen Day, and has another of his classic altercations with the resident school jerk Cliff Carmichael.
As luck would have it, John Ravenhair is chaperoning his students on a class trip to the New York Museum of Natural History. He lectures his students on the century-long history of the Bison Cult. As he nears one of the display cases, the spell woven by John's great-grandfather begins to take effect. The spirit of Bison-Black-As-Midnight-Sky takes control of John Ravenhair. He breaks open the display case and steals the Bison headdress and a mystical coup-stick
Calling himself Black Bison, he uses the magic of the coup-stick to animate the stuffed animal displays causing them to run riot throughout the museum. Ronnie Raymond turns into Firestorm and tries to save as many people as possible from the stampeding animals. Bison himself animates a white steed and declares revenge upon all of those who have tarnished the sacred tradition of the Bison Cult. Firestorm is too distracted with saving his fellow students to notice Black Bison leaving.
Bison appears in front of the home of senator Walter Reilly.
Appearing in "Day of the Bison"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Cliff Carmichael
- Doreen Day
- Edward Raymond
- Jefferson Jackson (First appearance)
- Lorraine Reilly (First appearance)
- Quentin Quale (First appearance)
- Vanessa Tremont (First appearance)
- Walter Reilly (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Bison-Black-As-Midnight-Sky (First appearance)
- Black Bison (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Beanbag (First appearance)
- Zero (First appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- 1st appearances of Zero and Beanbag.
- Contains a flashback to the origin of Firestorm from Firestorm #1.
- Contains flashback cameos of several of Firestorm's foes, including: Hyena, Killer Frost and Multiplex.
Trivia
- Lorraine Reilly will soon become the super-hero known as Firehawk in Firestorm (Volume 2) #17.
- This issue features a letters column entitled "Nuclear Reactions". It includes an article by writer/editor Gerry Conway speaking about his history with the Firestorm character.
- This comic book contains advertisements for the following products:
- — Avco/Embassy Pictures - Swamp Thing movie poster
- — Bubble Yum bubble gum
- — DC Comics - Firestorm #1 and Tales of the Teen Titans #1 comic books
- — Grit Magazine subscription service
- — Cube Lube - an accessory for the Rubik's Cube
- — DC Comics - Flash, Arak, Saga of the Swamp Thing, Green Lantern and Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew comic books
- — DC Comics - Batman and Detective Comics comic books
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Firestorm Recommended Reading
- Firestorm (Volume 1)
- The Flash (Volume 1): The Flash #289– #304
- Firestorm (Volume 2)
- Justice League of America (Volume 1): Justice League of America #179– #225 & Justice League of America Annual #1–2
- Extreme Justice (Volume 1)
- JLA #69– #82
- Identity Crisis #5
- Firestorm (Volume 3)
- Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men (Volume 1)
- Legends of Tomorrow (Volume 1)