Wildfire: the energy superhero DC left behind

In the vast universe of DC Comics, some heroes shine with their own light, literally. Such is the case of Wildfire, the alter ego of Drake Burroughs, a character created by Cary Bates and illustrated by Dave Cockrum. His story is peculiar: a pilot who dies in an explosion and is reborn as a pure energy entity trapped in a containment suit. Despite his power and design, his presence in the publishing house has been almost nonexistent since the 1980s.

humanoid figure composed of translucent orange energy trapped inside a cracked metallic containment suit, floating mid-air in a dark laboratory, one hand releasing a concentrated plasma blast toward a broken reactor core, sparks and electrical arcs jumping across exposed wires, holographic monitors displaying fragmented energy readings, cinematic engineering visualization, dramatic blue and orange lighting, metallic suit surfaces with rivets and warning stripes, smoke rising from the reactor, photorealistic technical render, ultra-detailed mechanical joints, motion blur on the energy blast

The suit that traps a star: how Wildfire works ⚡

Drake Burroughs, after his accident, was transformed into energetic plasma. To prevent him from disintegrating, the Justice League scientists designed a special containment suit for him. This metallic frame, with a visor and an internal generator, allows him to channel his energy in the form of explosions, flight, and plasma rays. However, the suit has limitations: if it is damaged, Drake risks dissipating. It is a functional but fragile design, turning Wildfire into a powerful being yet dependent on his technology.

The hero DC left on the charger 🔋

The curious thing about Wildfire is that, despite being a walking human battery, DC has kept him in power-saving mode for decades. He appeared in some issues of the Justice League and then vanished without a trace. Perhaps the editors thought a guy who speaks through a speaker and cannot touch anyone without burning them was not the most social of the group. At least, he never had to worry about paying the electricity bill.