Firefly Origins – This Pyromaniac Batman Villain Burns The World To Tackle His Childhood Trauma

When a small-time artist with a talent for starting flames and explosives loses his employment, what happens next? It is no surprise that nothing positive will come of it! Introducing Garfield Lynns, often known as ‘The Firefly,’ an arsonist with psychopathic tendencies who enjoy torching cities.

This villain has a pyrotechnics background and carries with him the explosions and sparks that cause devastation in the metropolis. The ‘Firefly,’ created by France Herron and Dick Sprang, originally appeared in Detective Comics (Issue 184) in June 1952. Firefly’s first appearance in the comics depicted him as an illusionist who used fireworks as his primary weapon of destruction. However, he evolved into a psychopathic arsonist with a compulsion to burn things on fire all around Gotham City.

Firefly has appeared in DC animation programs, video games, live-action films, and television shows. The highly awaited villain will be shown in the upcoming ‘Batgirl’ picture, so we will not have to wait long for his next appearance.

FireFly Story: From Batman The Animated Series

So, what events led a pyrotechnics worker to turn into a dangerous arsonist? In this series episode titled ‘Torch Song’, Garfield Lynns worked alongside pop artist Cassidy and managed the fireworks and lighting at her shows. As they worked together, Garfield developed a crush on her and the two ended up going out together. Meanwhile, after Cassidy gets to perform at Gotham’s Rock City nightclub, she decides to lay him off. A frustrated Lynn causes a scene at the club by overriding the pyrotechnic displays and lighting, and thus begins the journey of the firefly.

While working, Lynns had been working on an insulated suit that comes with a jetpack and helps him to fly.  He also uses his expertise with fireworks, and everything pyrotechnics to create a gel that burns through anything. He intends to flee Gotham with Cassidy, but Batman eventually intervenes and puts an end to the Firefly’s plans.

In the ‘Legends of the Dark Knight’ episode, Firefly ends up in jail, where he devises a new plan as he bides his time. After his release, Firefly begins to work as a freelance arsonist and uses his abilities to cause fires that help his clients to commit insurance fraud. These ‘mystery fires’ begin to catch attention, and three young children follow the Firefly around and end up getting caught in his plans. Yet again, Firefly ends up face to face with the Batman who saves the children and captures Firefly, locking him up in the Stonegate Penitentiary.

Due to overcrowding at Stonegate, the Firefly is shifted to Stryker’s where he manages to break free during prison riots. In this Justice League episode titled ‘Only a Dream’, he teams up with Volcana, and they break out of the prison together and show interest in each other.

As they create chaos around Metropolis, they manage to catch the eye of the Justice League. Batman, along with Green Lantern discovers the duo as they attack the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit, and the Green Lantern traps them in a power ring. Firefly tries to burn his way out, but is unsuccessful and ends up losing consciousness as the oxygen supply runs out. He gets recaptured and is returned back to Stryker’s. As the years’ pass, we discover that the Firefly’s special suit has been confiscated by The Batman, who displays it in the Batcave.

Interestingly, The Firefly’s pyromaniac nature led him to be one of the select few villains that were not introduced in the ‘Batman: The Animated Series. Over the years, the rules became less rigid and he was finally introduced in ‘The New Batman Adventures in 1997.

Firefly Backstory

Now let us explore some of Firefly’s most famous misadventures in the original comics.

The Man of 1000 Lights- The Human Firefly [DC #184]

The Human Firefly is set during the grand opening of a musical ‘Aqua Melodies of 1952’ at the Gotham City Theater. The event begins with a water show with stunning lights that turn red and eventually into fire, causing a frenzy. Garfield Lynns is then introduced in the comics, as ‘Firefly’ who causes this distraction to divert the attention from a robbery.

Batman and Robin set out to find Lynn, and chase him through forests. However, the FireFly seems to be two steps ahead as he tricks them and manages to lure them into the lighthouse.

While the duo looks around the place for the FireFly, Lynn traps them in a cellar prison and reveals himself from the outside. He then unleashes a ‘Cyclops Light’, a powerful rainbow-colored light that can blind them. FireFly laughs at their misery and even warns them that the battery will last for 3 days and the blinding lights will cause them to lose their sanity. He escapes and meets up with his clan to discuss their next robbery, a rare shipment of gems coming in at the airport.

Meanwhile, Batman and Robin cover their eyes and somehow manage to find an electric plug for the blinding lights. They escape the lighthouse with the help of some coast guards and use the Batplane to hurry to Gotham Airport. They manage to divert the plane from the airport, saving the gems, and then spot the robbers. Batman uses Firefly’s own creations, the rainbow lights, and blinds the whole gang except Firefly. Of course, they then place him under arrest and thus put an end to his menace!

The Menace of the Firefly [Batman Comics #126]

Exploring Ted Carson’s Firefly, this segment begins with a group of criminals, led by the Firefly,  sneaking their way into a party at the Carson Mansion. As the criminals execute their plans of stealing gold nuggets from the mansion, Batman and Robin try to catch them in the act. They chase the robbers outside but the Firefly flashes dazzling light into their faces and momentarily blinds them, giving his clan time to escape with the gold.

Later, Bruce Wayne discovers that Kathy Kane is going out with Carson, which gives him an additional thing to worry about. Soon after, Batman, Robin, and Batwoman are dispatched to confront the Firefly in the Gotham Glassworks. However, they learn that the Firefly carries a sonic weapon capable of shattering glass and the trio has no option but to take shelter. Meanwhile, the gang of criminals runs away, though one of them is caught by Batman. As they part ways, Batwoman discloses to Batman that she is aware of his true identity.

Bruce wonders if she has figured it out, and tries to visit her to only find Ted Carson present. When Ted leaves and asks Bruce to take Kathy to dinner instead, she avoids him and still leaves him in the dark. Bruce leaves, and Kathy finds a stray piece of paper that reveals the Firefly’s plans to loot Gotham’s Natural History Museum.

She transforms into Batwoman and goes to Ted Carson’s house, urging him to transform into Batman and join her to bring down the Firefly. It appears that she saw Carson change suits, and assumed him to be the Batman.

Carson walks away and reappears in his Firefly suit. He then ties up Batwoman and joins his group at the museum, where they are trying to steal silver antiques. However, Batman and Robin successfully discover him and reach the scene of the crime. Meanwhile, Batwoman also manages to free herself and the trio comes together to get ahold of the robbers.

However, Batman and Robin successfully discover him and reach the scene of the crime. Meanwhile, Batwoman also manages to free herself and the trio comes together to get ahold of the robbers.

Later, Batwoman admits that she mistook Bruce Wayne for the Firefly since she had accidentally handed  Carson’s coat to Bruce, from which she found out about the robbery plans.    Later, whilst dancing with Bruce, Kathy Kane considers him as a potential Batman, but soon dismisses the idea.

Besides these comics, The Crisis of Infinite Earth’s storyline which pretty much rebooted the DC universe showed the Firefly in its most lethal, sociopathic form and is his best-known arc as a villain.

Also, Firefly is a lead antagonist in the Batgirl comics and is also one of the main threats in the origins story of the Batgirl.

What Makes The Firefly So Dangerous?

Lynn’s background with pyrotechnics and explosives, paired with his knowledge of flammable objects and his pyromania make for a very dangerous villain to fight. Not only can he manipulate explosives and lights, but he uses them to his advantage to wreak havoc by committing arson and torching things to the ground all around Gotham.

He also suffers from obsessive pyromania, which causes him to have impulses to start fires just for self-gratification or to relieve stress. His disorder causes him to lose control over his abilities, thus leading him to commit arson even if it is just for his own pleasure.

Additionally, FireFly is a mechanical whiz who created his own insulated, fireproof FireFly suit that is equipped with flammable devices such as grenades, and smoke bombs as well as a flamethrower that aids him in his misadventures. He also invented a gel that burns through things and aids him. Alongside, Lynn created his own custom jetpack that helps him fly around, along with mechanical wings that make him even harder to catch.

Garfield Lynn is also diagnosed to be a sociopath, which provides some explanation for his lack of conscience and intense feelings of rage and frustration. Interestingly, he is one of the select few villains to be admitted to both Blackgate Prison as well as Arkham Asylum.

Versions Of Firefly In Various Forms Of Media

One can catch a glimpse of The FireFly across various forms of media such as television, animation, video games, and movies across the DC Universe. Let us explore these, as we look into their different versions.

Andrew Dunbar plays Garfield Lynns in the TV series ‘Arrow’ in the episode titled ‘Burned ‘.This Firefly was a part of   Starling City’s firefighting team “The Fireflies” who was believed to have died in a big building fire.

A female version of the Firefly, named ‘Bridgit Pike’ was a long-standing character across seasons two to four in the television series ‘Gotham’. In this series, the Firefly works along with Selina Kyle, as the two rob a brothel together. One must note that DC also introduced a different Firefly [by the name of Ted Carson] in its earlier versions. This Firefly did not share the same features as Garfield Lynn’s but it does show up in the Gotham TV series when Bridgit reveals Ted Carson to be her mentor.

Garfield Lynn’s Firefly [voiced by Mark Rolston] appears in the New Batman Adventures episode titled ‘Torch Song’, as we have seen a while back. He also appears in the episode ‘Legends of the Dark Knight’ and in an episode of Justice League as explored earlier.

The same version also appears in The Batman [animated series] and is voiced by Jason Marsden; with a few changes in the appearance of the FireFly’s suit that resembles a hornet and uses lasers instead of flamethrowers.

Additionally, The FireFly also appears in the ‘Batman: The Brave and The Bold’ and ‘DC Super Hero Girls’;and is also mentioned in the Harley Quinn animated series.

FireFly is set to have a major role in the HBO Live-Action ‘Batgirl’ and will be portrayed by Brendan Fraser.

In the 2016 animated movie ‘Batman: Bad Blood’, the Firefly was voiced by Steve Blum and has a minor role as an assassin working for a higher order.

The Batman: Arkham video game series also stars the Firefly in various instances as he works under the Joker to kill the Batman, and commits arson around Gotham. Firefly even appears on the Lego Batman: Video Game on Nintendo DS, as well as the Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham and the Lego DC Super-Villains. 

Conclusion

Although not as notoriously well known as other infamous DC supervillains, The FireFly sure does rile up quite a lot of trouble in Gotham. Especially in his current deadly avatar, one hopes to not get caught up in his lethal, blinding lights or have to put out his fires. Of course, he has only just begun, and we wait eagerly to see more of his fiery rage in the upcoming Batgirl!