Martin Stein is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is commonly associated with, and sometimes is, the superhero Firestorm. Stein has made several appearances in DC-related media. He is portrayed by Victor Garber in the Arrowverse and voiced by Stephen Tobolowsky in Justice League Action.

Publication history

He first appeared in Firestorm the Nuclear Man #1 (March 1978), and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom.

Fictional character biography

Martin Stein is an esteemed physicist who created the Hudson Nuclear Power Plant. Following an attack on the plant, Stein and civilian Ronnie Raymond are fused into Firestorm. Due to Stein being unconscious during the accident, Ronnie controls Firestorm's body, with Stein advising him. Stein is initially unaware of their dual identity and unable to remember his actions while transformed before Ronnie informs him of the truth. After the accident, Firestorm takes to defending New York City from villains. During this time, several supporting characters are introduced: Firestorm's love interest Firehawk and stepmother Felicity Smoak. After graduating high school, Ronnie enters college in Pittsburgh, where Stein is a professor. When Conway left the series in 1986, John Ostrander began writing the Firestorm stories. His first major story arc sees Firestorm attempting to convince the United States and the Soviet Union to destroy their nuclear weapons. He later battles Pozhar in Nevada, where an atomic bomb is dropped on them. This forms a new Firestorm, composed of Ronnie and Pozhar and controlled by Stein. After Firestorm becomes a Fire Elemental, Martin Stein is separated from the Matrix, but continues to support him. He later becomes the sole Fire Elemental and leaves Earth before returning during Infinite Crisis. In One Year Later, Stein's former assistant Adrian Burroughs / Pupil kidnaps and tortures him before Jason Rusch and Firehawk free him. Later, Shilo Norman informs Stein and Rusch that the Firestorm matrix contains part of the Life Equation. In Brightest Day, Deathstorm kills Stein by turning him into salt.

The New 52

Martin Stein is later resurrected in The New 52 continuity reboot. He is depicted as a scientist who created the "God Particle" and is uninvolved with Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch, who obtain the Particle and become Firestorm together.

DC Rebirth

Doomsday Clock reveals that Martin Stein is the head of the Department of Metahuman Affairs and deliberately transformed himself and Ronnie Raymond into Firestorm to research metahumans. Despite this, the two continue to work together until Lazarus Pit resin corrupts the Firestorm matrix and causes Stein to age rapidly.

Other versions

An alternate universe variant of Martin Stein appears in the "Trinity War" event. This version experimented on humans to unlock the secret of life through death, transforming into Deathstorm and becoming a member of the Crime Syndicate of America. He is killed by Mazahs, who steals his powers.

In other media

Television

Arrowverse

Martin Stein / Firestorm appears in media set in The CW's Arrowverse, portrayed by Victor Garber.

Video games