Alias: Angelica Jones
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men
#193
Base of Operations: New York City, New York
Occupation: Adventurer
Place of Birth: Unrevealed
Classification: Mutant
Marital Status: Single
Membership Status: Inactive
Weapons / Paraphernalia:
Affiliations: Avengers, Hellions, New Warriors
Powers:
Firestar is a mutant who possesses the superhuman ability to project
microwave energy at varying intensities, which she can utilize in
different ways. Microwaves are comparatively short waves of
electromagnetic energy. Firestar continually absorbs microwave
energy from the stars, and continually broadcasts it at low levels.
In order to use her microwave energy for specific purposes, Firestar
must mentally concentrate, thus causing the microwaves to swirl
about her body, creating a visible aura around her. In order to
project the microwave energy towards a specific target, she must
mentally push some of the energy swirling around her towards that
target. Firestar can use her microwave energy to generate intense
heat. Initially when she began training in the use of her powers,
she could melt a metal object the size of a cannon almost instantly.
She could also fly through a thick wall of solid rock and melt
through it so quickly that she could continue flying right through
the hole she had melted without pausing. At this point, due to
further training, Firestar can release enough microwave energies to
incinerate an entire continent or even destroy the planet Earth
itself. However, she usually refrains from exerting the use of her
powers at such high levels unless she is operating in outer space.
By mentally pushing microwave energy behind or beneath herself for
propulsion, Firestar can fly. Her maximum speed has yet to be
established, but she can already fly quite swiftly and maneuver in
flight quite well. She can generate enough propulsive force to carry
considerable weights to great heights at high speed. For example,
she has carried Colossus, in his metal-like form, which weighs 500
pounds, high into the air.
She wears a special full-body sheath of microcircuitry designed by
Hank Pym and worn under her uniform; siphons off excess microwave
emissions to proctect Firestar's physiology from her own radiation.
Theoretically, Angelica continutes to mature, her natural immunity
to microwave radiation will increase and she may no longer need this
special uniform.
History:
Angelica Jones is another young mutant who first began training at
the Massechusetts Academy, a mutant training center, under the
administration of Emma Frost/White Queen, who manipulated her
emotionally in hopes of traning her as an assassin. When Angelica
discovered the corrupt nature of Frost and the Academy at the time,
she left angrily, trying to resume a normal life. She turned down an
offer of membership with the X-Men, but reluctantly returned to
adventuring when she was persuaded to become a founding member of
the suer-hero youth team known as the New Warriors. During her time
with the Warriors, Firestar gradually became a more confident and
formidable fighter, and she also began a loving, lasting romance
with teammate Vance Astrovik (now known as Justice), a relationship
that survived a long separation when Vance was jailed for
accidentally killing his abusive father.
When Firestar learned that her microwave powers posed risks to her
own health (including possibly rendering her sterile), she and
Justice began to spend less time on superheroics, and Firestar again
became reluctant in adventuring. Despite this, they continued to
assist in New Warriors cases on an irregular basis, and were
eventually drawn into a conflict between Morgan Le Fay and the
Avengers that led to the post-Onslaught reorganization of the
Avengers. Justice played a key role in the Le Fay case, and then
convinced Firestar to help him subdue Whirlwind, a super-criminal
who had previously escaped the Avengers. This prompted Avengers
veteran Hawkeye to recommend the young couple for Avengers
membership. Justice, a lifelong admirer of the Avengers, agreed
elatedly, and an unenthusiastic Firestar accepted the offer as well.
The couple were designated reservists at first, but soon upgraded to
active membership, filling vacancies in the active roster and moving
into Avengers Mansion. Soon afterwards, Hank Pym found a way to cure
the fangerous side effects of her microwave powers, and she became
more confidant and enthusiastic in becoming a superheroine again.
Angelica and Justice were brought to the Avengers by their fellow
New Warrior Rage, who was an association of the hero team. The three
helped the Avengers reform after a period of long disbanding, and
Angelica and Justice captured the villain Whirlwind to prove their
worth to the team. They were accepted as reserve members under the
tutelage of Avenger Hawkeye, and soon graduated to full membership
status. Angelica was initially reticent about her role with the
team, but she remained with them out of sympathy for Justice who was
enamored of the team. Then she shared her medical problem with the
team and was helped by Dr. Henry Pym who eventually cured her - she
was running the risk of radiation poisioning and or sterility before
she had gotten the help of Pym. After this Angelica felt
increasingly a part of the team, and when Speedball tried to get her
and Justice to rejoin the Warriors, they declined. Firestar
eventually asked Justice to marry her.
Firestar