Pozhar

Superherobox|

caption=Pozhar's new costume,
Art by Jamal Igle.
character_name=Pozhar
publisher=DC Comics
debut="Fury of Firestorm" #62, (August 1987)
creators=John Ostrander (writer) Joe Brozowski (artist)
alter_ego = Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin
species =
homeworld =
alliances = Red Shadows
Rocket Red Brigade
aliases =
supports= Firestorm
powers = A living nuclear transformer.

Pozhar is a fictional DC Comics Russian superhero. He first appeared in "Fury of Firestorm" #62, (August 1987), and was created by John Ostrander and Joe Brozowski.

Fictional character biography

Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin was a nuclear technician at the Chernobyl nuclear power generating plant in Russia. After an accident in reactor #4 caused an out-of-control fire, his metagene was activated. Major Zastrow, leader of the Red Shadows arrived at the scene of the accident and recruited Mikhail.

In 1986 after Gerry Conway's departure, John Ostrander took over the writing chores on Fury of Firestorm. Ostrander, a more politically aware writer, sought to make Firestorm more relevant to the world. His first major story arc pitted Firestorm against the world, as the hero (acting on a suggestion from a terminally ill Professor Stein) demanded the U.S. and the Soviet Union destroy all of their nuclear weapons. After tussles with the Justice League and most of his enemies, Firestorm faced off against Pozhar in the Nevada desert, where both had an atomic bomb dropped on them.

When the smoke cleared, a new Firestorm was created who was made up of Raymond and Arkadin, but controlled by the disembodied amnesiac mind of Professor Stein. The stories featuring this version of the hero were highly political, with a good deal of action taking place in Mikhail Gorbachev's Moscow. The Raymond/Arkadin Firestom proved to be a transitional phase, as in 1989, writer John Ostrander fundamentally changed the character of Firestorm by revealing that Firestorm was a "Fire Elemental". Taking his cue from Alan Moore's Swamp Thing (a plant elemental), Firestorm now became something of an environmental crusader, formed from Raymond, Arkadin, and a Soviet clone of the previous Firestorm, but with a new mind. Professor Stein, no longer part of the composite at all, and cured of his cancer, continued to play a role as advisor.

Eventually, it was revealed that Stein had originally been intended to be the fire elemental solely by himself: the inclusion of others in the Firestorm entity, such as Raymond and Arkadin had always been by accident. In order to defeat the monster Brimstone, who was threatening to destroy the Sun, Firestorm split into his three parts and allowed Stein to transform into Firestorm. Arkadin then presumably returned to his homeland, depowered.

Mikhail's niece is Serafina Arkadin (Firebird), she is the leader of Soyuz, the Russian equivalent of the Teen Titans.

One Year Later

Mikhail Denisovitch Arkadin returned as Pozhar in "Firestorm the Nuclear Man v3 #27", September 2006. In issue #29 Mikhail reveals that he regained his powers after being exposed to the Plutonium released by a dirty bomb.

Powers and abilities

*Pozhar can alter the density of his own body, project bolts of nuclear energy, fly at great speed, and absorb radiation in to his body harmlessly.
*According to Firestorm v3 #29, Pozhar is an energy transformer, not an energy battery like Firestorm or Firehawk, so he is incapable of retaining large stores of energy and uses up whatever he absorbs. Pozhar usually converts matter into energy to recharge himself, but can also absorb extant radiation.

Notes

*In Russian the word "pozhar" means destructive fire.

ee also

*List of Russian superheroes

External links

* [http://firestorm.mandlo.com/bios/mikhail.php Firestorm 2 HQ: Pozhar]
* [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=pozhar DCU Guide: Pozhar]
* [http://www.dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=pozhar DCU Guide: Pozhar Chronology]