Firefly, as he was originally depicted. Art byWin Mortimer.
Garfield Lynns was a down-and-out filmspecial effects expert whose plan to rob a theater by faking a fire was foiled byBatman andRobin. 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 andoptical illusions during heists.[2]
Following theCrisis 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 withKiller 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. InBatman: Knightfall, Firefly escapes fromArkham 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 theNo Man's Land story arc, Firefly is one of the inmates atBlackgate Penitentiary when it is taken over byLock-Up. WhenNightwing 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]
InDC One Million, Firefly nearly burns down Gotham while infected with theHourman virus, requiring Nightwing and Robin to work with the future Batman to stop him.
Firefly makes a short appearance in theJustice League of America story arc "Crisis of Conscience", fightingCatwoman in Gotham City over a diamond before Batman arrives. Although an epic battle between theSecret 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 miniseriesVillains United when theSecret Six attempts to escape the Society's grasp.
Firefly is among the characters apparently killed by theOMACs inThe OMAC Project, although he later appears alive inVillains United andGotham Underground.[7] He andMr. Freeze are again shown as having worked together a month after the events of the Crisis, Batman working with a redeemedHarvey Dent to take them down before he takes his year of absence while leaving Dent to guard Gotham.
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 beJeremiah Arkham, Firefly was arrested and put into Arkham Asylum. A short time later, Firefly is broken out of Arkham Asylum byDick 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 theRiddler.
In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books calledDC Rebirth which restored its continuity to a form much as it was beforeThe New 52. Garfield Lynns operated as Firefly before being killed by his usurperTed Carson.[9]
In the "Infinite Frontier", Lynns turns up alive and still operates as Firefly alongside Carson.[10]
FollowingCrisis 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 intensepyromania. Even prior to becoming Firefly, Garfield Lynns was already an expert inpyrotechnics andexplosives with a thorough knowledge of flammable agents. After he is horribly scarred by a blaze at a chemical factory, Lynnsmechanically engineered an insulated, fireproofbattle suit to protect himself. This specialized outfit is equipped with an extensive arsenal of fire-creating weapons, including a military-gradeflamethrower, variousincendiary devices (such asgrenades,napalm, andsmoke bombs), and a sword-like blade of superheated plasma for close-rangedhand-to-hand combat. Ahigh-tech, wingedjet pack is also mounted on the back of the armor to allow for high-speed flight.
A man namedTed Carson becomes the second character to adopt the Firefly identity. Created byBill Finger andSheldon Moldoff, he first appeared inBatman #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 andBatwoman.[11]
In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Ted Carson is a former high schoolteacher who tries to incinerate everything that will separate him from his ex-girlfriend Cindy Cooke, though he is ultimately defeated byNightwing andBatgirl.[12]
In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books calledDC Rebirth, which restored its continuity to a form much as it was beforeThe New 52. Ted Carson andKiller Moth attempt to kill Batman to collectTwo-Face's multi-million dollar bounty.[13] Carson is later seen as one of the many villains who Bane attacks in his quest to reach Batman at Arkham Asylum.[14]
During the gang war betweenJoker andRiddler, Carson is shown siding with the Riddler's faction.[15]
After killing Garfield Lynns, Carson took onBridgit Pike as a protégé at the time when they were hired byKobra to kill Batman.[9]
Ted Carson's protégéBridgit Pike (a character introduced in the TV seriesGotham) adopts the identity ofLady Firefly. She first appeared inDetective Comics #988 (September 2018) and was created byJames Robinson and Stephen Segovia.
Lady Firefly and Carson are hired byKobra to kill Batman while he investigates a murder.[9]
An alternate timeline variant of Firefly appears in theFlashpoint tie-inThe Canterbury Cricket as a member of theAmbush Bugs who is killed in battle against theAmazons.[16]
The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears in series set in theDC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced byMark Rolston.[17] This version is a formerpyrotechnics engineer who was fired by his singer ex-girlfriend Cassidy for intentionally botching a pyrotechnics display during one of her concerts.
Firefly is introduced inThe New Batman Adventures episode "Torch Song", which sees him attempting to seek revenge on Cassidy. Despite being foiled by Batman, Cassidy is leftpyrophobia. Additionally, Firefly makes a minor appearance in "Legends of the Dark Knight". The producers had wanted to use Firefly in the preceding series,Batman: The Animated Series, butFox forbade them from using pyromaniac characters.[18] Additionally, Cassidy was planned to return and become a new Firefly as a result of her trauma, but the plans for that episode were ultimately scrapped.[19]
Firefly returns in theJustice League episode "Only a Dream", in which he forms a casual interest in the similarly-themedVolcana during a prison break before they are apprehended byGreen Lantern.
The Garfield Lynns incarnation of Firefly appears inThe Batman, voiced byJason Marsden.[17] 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 asMr. Freeze in the episode "Fire and Ice". In the episode "White Heat", Firefly and his girlfriend Dr. Jane "Blaze" Blazedale steal aphosphorusisotope to upgrade his suit, but an accident causes the isotope to mutate Lynns into the pyrokineticmetahumanPhosphorus. He goes insane and attempts to destroy Gotham, only to be defeated by Batman and remanded toArkham Asylum, where Blaze breaks up with him.
Garfield Lynns appears in theArrow episode "Burned", portrayed by Andrew Dunbar. This version is a former member of theStarling 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. After being defeated by theHood, Lynns commits suicide.[20]
A female incarnation of Firefly namedBridgit Pike appears inGotham, portrayed byMichelle Veintimilla[21] in thesecond season and the second half of thefourth season and by Camila Perez in thethird season and the first half of the fourth. Pre-dating her appearance in the comics, this version is the abused quasi "step-sister" of arsonists Joe, Cale, and Evan Pike. After Evan is killed byJim Gordon andNathaniel Barnes, Joe and Cale force Bridgit to help them burn downWayne Enterprises buildings atOswald Cobblepot andTheo Galavan's behest.[22] However, she goes to her old friendSelina Kyle for help and the pair rob a brothel so Bridgit can leaveGotham 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 ProfessorHugo 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 andIvy Pepper convince her to join them in retaking Cobblepot's criminal empire from theRiddler. In the fourth season, Bridgit joinsJerome Valeska's "Legion of Horribles" to assist in their plan to disperse theScarecrow'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.
The Ted Carson incarnation of Firefly was set to appear in the cancelledDC Extended Universe filmBatgirl, portrayed byBrendan Fraser.[23] This version was a disgruntled veteran who lost his benefits and sought to burn down Gotham City.[24]
He first appears as a boss in the prequelBatman: Arkham Origins.[27] After being hired byJoker disguised asBlack Mask to killBatman, Firefly plants explosives on the Gotham Pioneers' Bridge and takes several hostages to draw Batman out, but the Dark Knight defeats him withGotham City Police Department CaptainJames Gordon's help before leaving him for the police.[28]
Firefly returns inBatman: 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 beinglaid off. However, Firefly betrayed Underhill and kidnapped him and his crew duringScarecrow's takeover ofGotham 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 both him and Underhill at the GCPD lockup.
An action figure of Firefly was released byMattel in 2004 as a part of their toy line for The Batman.
DC Collectibles released a 7-inch action figure of Firefly in Series 2 of theirBatman: 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 fromThe Batman andLego DC Super-Villains.[36]
^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.ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
^Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket #1. DC Comics.
^abcde"Firefly Voices (Batman)". Behind The Voice Actors. RetrievedApril 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.
^Allstetter, Rob (August 1997). "The Dark Knight Returns".Wizard. No. 72. pp. 50–54.
^Freeman, Crispin (November 9, 2013)."Yes, that is me as Firefly". Twitter.Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. RetrievedDecember 13, 2018.
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