With the recent reveal of Spymaster for Marvel Legends, I’m really starting to feel that any character that requires minimal tooling is possible. Rock Python might be one of the more prime examples of that, but Spymaster really does add more evidence to the pile.
I’m all for getting some of these lesser-known, low-tooling characters in the line. I’m not someone who needs their eyesthetics massaged by brand new sculpts and psycho-detail for every single figure. I’m not against it, and all new tooling is more than welcome, but if a more-or-less blank base body can get the job done and get another character out there, I am a fan.
Along those lines—and adding another Iron Man villain to the ranks (now that we have such a pitch perfect classic Iron Man)–Firebrand is my next choice for a low-tooling release off of an existing blank body.
I first ran across Firebrand in Invincible Iron Man #172 and was immediately grabbed right in the face by his colorful yellow-and-red design. Being a fire dude, Firebrand was going to have yellow and red and his main color scheme. That’s a given. It’s a basic design, but it’s also a good one. Simple with a few flamey notes and some of that old bronze age flair.
At this point in time, as you can see by that cover up there, Tony Stark was once again drunk off his balls and boozing it up almost non-stop. Since a wino in state-of-the-art armor is no good for the world, Tony had given up being Iron Man, letting his friend Rhodey become the main Iron Man of the time. Demons in bottles and all that.
Despite being enemies, Firebrand had a little in common with Stark. He wore a special suit of armor that gave him abilities, and he was also a dirty stinking drunk. However, while Tony had the moral compass to say to himself “Naughty Tony, you shouldn’t go blazing through the skies blitzed out of your brainpan” Firebrand had no such compunctions. Drunkeness and fire should not go together; that’s how farts get set on fire, that’s how arses get torched. Don’t say you didn’t learn anything from this column, kids.
Firebrand would not have such a great career. After spending the better part of his career having his flaming tuckus handed to him by Iron Man )and, on occasion, Spider-Man) he would wind up being one of of a large group of villains killed by Scourge, which was Marvel’s attempt at clearing out some of the lower-tier villains. Kind of misguided, if you ask me. He was later brought back to life by the Hood, and then he was shot in the head by the Punisher because the dude just could not catch a break. That’s the life of a villain. Death, resurrection, and then Frankencide.
I believe he remains dead, but that never stopped anybody from getting a toy. Half my toys have died at one point or the other. Hell, maybe three-quarters. It’s just a weird mass plastic graveyard. I’m having a hard time thinking of a toy that hasn’t died in one way or the other. Damn, comics are dark.
Firebrand would work well on a body with butterfly joints like the Silver Surfer body, for the dramatic poses and so forth. Since the character utilized boot jets that could use those same jet effects that ere used for the 80th Anniversary Iron Man.
Firebrand’s flames are launched out of jets on the back of his hands, so hed probably need some new flame jet hands. Some flame effects that could attach to those would be pretty cool. I don’t necessarily need them, but they would look cool in pictures.
Ever since I got this 80th Iron man in hand I’ve been both thirsty and hungry for more villains to go up against him. Firebrand might not be on the level of Crimson Dynamo or the Titanium Man, but he’s got a great look and would make a cool-looking toy.