Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville

Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1-6

by Joanne Starer, Tamra Bonvillain (colorist), Natacha Bustos (inker)

Things could not possibly be worse for Fire and Ice, in Beatriz da Costa’s professional opinion. Superman sends the former Justice Leaguers packing for Smallville following an extremely public and utterly disastrous rescue mission (that was all Guy Gardner’s fault, thank you very much) and in doing so doomed them to a fate worse than irrelevance.Unexpectedly, Ice finds herself drawn to the quiet life and dreams of planting roots. But Fire…well, Fire will do just about anything to get the heck out of dodge and back on the hero circuit including challenging the DCU’s biggest villains to a knock-down, drag-out, livestreamed brawl in the streets of Smallville!A raucous, timely, unflinching comedy from rising star Joanne Starer (The Gimmick, Sirens of the City) and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur co-creator Natacha Bustos about a decades-long friendship on the brink of disaster and what it means to be a superhero at a crossroads in your life, Fire & Welcome to Smallville launches from its Justice League International roots and introduces the iconic duo to a new generation of fans! Collects Fire & Welcome to Smallville #1-6.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Humor

152 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2024

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.4 stars.

[Optimus Prime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun comic book silliness. Goes a little too far with the silliness and very crowded, but pretty funny and nice.

[Ronald · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear that was bad. Not only was the story disjointed, but the dialog was stilted and uneven. The art was fine to excellent.

All the characters were all some type of stereotype, they were racist characters, some were sexists portrals. Even the people of Smallville were shown as some stereotype of small town hicks. It was very disappointing, somehow none of the characters kept any of their character development. Even the D list Fire & Ice had lost what little development they had over the years. Heck, I did not ever recognise this version of Superman - this Superman was a dick.

Yuck.

[FrontalNerdaty · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw this mini series announced I was interested because Fire & Ice are relatively obscure and I was intrigued to see if they were taken in a modern direction. To an extent they were. The tone and the writing is fun and the more ‘cartoony’ art style compliments the tone well.

It was not quite the reimagining I was hoping for but it was a fun read.

3/5

[Maxine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this, but I found all of the characters to be really, really annoying. The entire cast was 1- or 2-note stereotypes.

I'm a not a big DC reader, so I'm not familiar with Fire and Ice as characters, but I hope this wasn't an accurate portrayal of how they usually are. 😬

[Belfry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Solid art but the story is frenetically overstuffed, with all of the antics becoming noise and no real emotional weight to glue it together.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

They should kiss

[bryce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave Fire and Ice a chance because DC have been doing so many good 'random' character mini-series and I am so glad I did. The art style was gorgeous, I'm not DC native so I felt like I was playing catch-up sometimes with some characters but the comic did well enough at hand-holding for a lot of characters. Also led me to buy Justice League #34 which might be one of my new favourite comic covers ever. Still in shock low-key at the Lobo arc! This comic is exactly what it needs to be, just two girls being girls. Friendship highs and lows!!


Read as single issues.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haters gonna hate, but I thought this was DELIGHTFUL. Tam is an absolute gift to this earth and I love how female relationships drive the whole story. ❤️

[Ignacio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Homenaje a la Liga del Bwa-Ha-Ha centrado en dos de sus personajes y sus dinámicas absurdas (rodeados de personajes a cada cual más ridículo). Irregular pero bastante divertido en su exaltación de la comedia de superhéroes.

[Jamie Revell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a comedy story featuring Fire and Ice trying to sort their lives out by taking a break in Smallville. Fire's insecurity and irritation that nobody knows who she is are a central theme. Ice acts as a the voice of sanity while her partner strives to build a brand on social media by fighting, and then rehabilitating, Z-list villains. For once, the collection includes a short story from a different comic run that sets this up, as well as a brief intro to the leads. Indeed, it's noticeable that Starer recognises that many fans might not know who her two heroines are (there are a couple of gags reminding us they haven't been used much since the '90s), leaving one with the impression that she's as much trying to restore the image of her characters as they are in-story.

We do, of course, eventually get a real threat turning up, but along the way there's an entertaining storyline with a predominantly female cast that gets in a few wry swipes at the DC Universe in general and at the role of women in particular. The art is decent, but not much more than that - although there are some great alternate covers interspersed through the collected edition. There's also a couple of surprisingly gruesome elements (off-camera, to be sure, but they're there) and some sexual innuendo but nothing too up-front. It's entertaining and reasonably fast-paced, with some hectic comedy and feminist themes that aren't just about bashing bad guys.

[Obi Juan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible todo. Empezando por el dibujo. Que no te engañe la portada. El arte interior está a la altura de un libro de cuentos infantiles. Con el mayor de los respetos a ese género. Por desgracia, las bromas y situaciones del cómics nos recuerdan que estamos muy lejos del cuento infantil, por lo que el dibujo se transforma en un tremendo dolor de retina.
El guión no ayuda.
Un pastiche de conceptos wokes forzados, que intenta ser feminista pero en muchos aspectos tiene tintes tan machistas como si lo hubiese escrito cualquier peneportante. El agravante es que es obra de una mujer. Un terrible despropósito que nada aporta al canon de dos personajes icónicos para algunos de nosotros. La relación de Bea y Tora es casi tóxica, y el plot de la historia, un despropósito.
La edición de Panini, muy bien. Como siempre.
Lo mejor: las portadas alternativas. Eso sí es arte.

[Erik J · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first - Ice is my favourite superhero and has been since I was a kid. So her getting a chance to shine in a title of her own was extremely interesting and exciting for me.

That being said, this title was ... awful. Fire and Ice came off as inexperienced and as jokes (especially Fire). It was disrespectful to their impact and legacy.

I will rate it a bit higher for the Ice factor alone.

Overall - 3/5

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personajes surgidos de la era ochentera DCita y de una cabecera tan subversiva como JLI, la pareja de "besties" superheroicas Fuego y Hielo se han mantenido unidas y presentes en el canon DCita ha pesar de tantas debacles y circunstancias (Tora por ejemplo se pasó un tiempo muerta). Pero las relaciones, aunque tan puras y estrechas como la amistad de estas mujeres, son ejemplo de constancia y alegría... es natural que aparezcan asperezas que intentar limar. Con lo que un "tiempo muerto" de seguir aplicando actitudes disfuncionales en sus aportes superheroícos se siente adecuado (aunque más para Tora que para la incombustible Bea). Más si el consejo viene del Hombre de Acero en persona, invitándote a un retiro en su pueblo natal, Smallville.

Está claro que Hielo y Fuego: Bienvenidas a Smallville, no será un habitual derroche de trepidante acción super comic book con ese planteamiento. Aún con todo, Joanne Starer adecua a la escala y contexto de esta miniserie bastantes personajes y elementos que terminen derivando en más situaciones habituales de estas historias que tan solo centrarse en el habituamiento de ambas super mujeres en el pueblecito campestre. Ya de entrada, Fuego busca generar un "reallity show" camuflado de programa de reinserción de villanos de 3º categoría tras hacer un primer llamamiento para que los "malosos" se enfrenten a este Dúo Dinámico en pleno centro de Smallville. Tora por su parte, empieza a hacer buenas migas con una lugareña que se colará en la relación de amistad con Fuego.

"Bienvenidas a Smallville" hace bastante por mantener vigentes a unos personajes habitualmente menos tratados por el foco DCita (aunque Hielo viene de ser co protagonista de lujo en el Blanco Humano de Tom King). Natacha Bustos entra de lleno en la dinámica más "casual" de la cabecera con un trabajo de la colorista Tamra Bonvillain bastante colindante a trabajos en la reciente línea de novelas gráficas juveniles de DC. Aunque esta historia logra agitar bastante las aguas más vibrantes y "sexys" que puede ofrecer Bea y algún personaje usualmente "tranquilo" como Martha Kent, adentrándose en esta dinámica "fire and chill". Hasta un cameo como el de LOBO se "suaviza" para que los humos generados entre el macarra cazarrecompensas alienígena y la superheroína brasileña no asusten de entrada a potenciales nuevos lectores.

[Velhala · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story: Bea gets into a fight w Guy because… well, he was being Guy, there’s some public endangering, and Bea and Tora are arguing, then Superman (or Captain Underpants, I guess? Bea called him that, and he confessed Lois calls him that too, so… yeah, that happened). Where was I? Oh yeah, so Bea and Tora move to Smallville, open a hair salon, start a reality TV show about reforming a bunch of highly goofy villains, and a couple villains from their past show up and they try to patch up their friendship while hopefully saving the day an stuff.

Writing: The plotline is well constructed and pretty good quality, though you might not be looking out for it because the dialogue is so completely entertaining. The cast is fairly big, but none of the characters development is lacking really, which is an accomplishment for just a 6 issue series.

Art: Pretty good! Definitely a match for the story too

Highlights: it’s very fun, you will laugh, you will smile, and occasionally perhaps wonder just what happened in Joanne Starer’s mind that she came up w some of this stuff XD

Should you read it?: I mean, if you’re in the mood for comedy that’s also part heartwarming and part mildly disturbing in some places, then definitely!

[Hannah Crossno · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story itself was interesting, but the plot really felt all over the place. I wasn’t a fan of how things were introduced randomly for shock factor (i.e. the whole island thing, the Norse cannibal creature attack, the random Lobo appearance etc.). It felt like, at times, things were coherent and going in a good direction, and then all of a sudden a new problem or character was introduced to throw off Ice’s mojo and villainize Fire.

I also HATED how Fire was characterized. This is not the badass, powerful League member I remember reading about as a kid - she felt cartoonishly selfish to the point that it felt like a parody. Ice’s characterization was better, but she sometimes felt one-dimensional, like the only reason she was there was to oppose Fire’s antics.

Overall, it was a pretty good story. I did enjoy the silliness and light-heartedness of it. The art was amazing, though! It was really well illustrated. Solid 3/5.

[Ángel Javier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divertida tontuna que no engaña a nadie: nos vamos a encontrar a este dúo tan simpático haciendo el gilipollas en Smallville, básicamente porque Superman está hasta las narices de que hagan el gilipollas en otros lugares, y ahí, por lo menos las tiene controladas. A partir de ahí, pues un montón de chorradas sin demasiado sentido que, en sus mejores momentos, nos recuerdan a las ocurrencias de esta pareja y otros tontainas por el estilo en la inolvidable JLI, y en sus peores... pues nos sacan bastante de la historia, como el hecho de que Fuego se acueste con Lobo, por ejemplo, o que encubra un asesinato y posterior canibalismo para poder seguir con su reality show del tres al cuarto como si tal cosa... pero bueno, problemas del directo. La dibujanta no me mata, pero cumple, por cierto.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are you one of the (handful of) fans of Fire and Ice?
Do you remember the mid 90s Justice League with Guy Gardner, Booster Gold, and the Blue Beetle?
Are you entertained by writers trying to 'refresh' B-Squad (or even C) bland superheroes?

Then BOY, do we have the miniseries for you!
=====
It is what it is. Fire is a Brazilian stereotype (hotheaded) and Ice is so white it hurts. Did the last 30 years not happen for either of them? There's only so much you can do with mid tier heroes and villains. Not even Lobo can save this goofy piece.

[Clint · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Great cover art from the Dodsons and a host of variant artists, plus the internal art is vibrant and fun too. Aside from the eye-catching art, I was interested in this after enjoying Fire and Ice in the early JLI comics and King’s Human Target miniseries, but Starer’s writing is unfortunately just not good. I’ve enjoyed Squirrel Girl comics and a ton of stuff by Mariko Tamaki, so the (broadly) “YA girlies” vibe is more than fine; the problem is dialogue and characterization that all reads like someone’s kooky aunt doing a generic “how do you do, fellow kids?” act.

[Anna Frohling · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute mini series that stars two very under utilized characters in the DC universe, having many callbacks to JLI and using Ice's original origin story. The art and humor are similar to Squirrel Girl. The pacing is fine and contains a good story about Smallville's residents over six issues.
On the negative side, Lobo seems to come out of nowhere and doesn't add much to the story.
All in all , recommended and I hope to see more from the writer some day

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great artwork!

The story ... it had ambition and it had intention. Not every beat landed (could've used some balance in the "Fire screwed up/overreacted, Ice is calm and patient" repetition - maybe Ice is too passive occasionally?), but it sure was fun (SO MANY NERDY IN-JOKES!) along the way. The supporting cast introduced weren't the deepest characters, but they were fun riffs.

[London Heady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the two main characters, and when it solely focusing on them and their relationship, it's decent. But the book is so flooded with characters that don't really do anything and it has a really really bad sense of humor, and for a book that mostly wants to make you chuckle, that's pretty rough.

Mostly nice to look at, and really good coloring, but that's it.

[Niche · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me

I'd picked this up as I was told it was a funny, odd-couple friendship with no romance, but it was pretty much all just thirsty melodrama. Even the friendship angle was pretty much just more drama with one-dimensional characters.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and fun character driven story.

Oh L-Ron’s pies…not since my grandmas pancakes.

Awesome legacy tip to JLI.

[Eva B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was cute and all but Fire and Ice should absolutely have kissed by the end.

[John Reimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a nice fun read. Kept me laughing the whole way through. Love when these characters are used

[K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Proving that even women can write comics that are disgustingly sexist.

[Will Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

A silly adventure with Fire and Ice.