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Firebug is the name of three supervillains appearing in media published by DC Comics, primarily as enemies of Batman. All three are insect-themed arsonists, similar to Firefly.

Firebug has made limited appearances in media outside comics, with Tom Kenny voicing the Joe Rigger incarnation of the character in Batman: Caped Crusader.

Publication history

The Joe Rigger incarnation of Firebug debuted in Batman #318 and was created by Len Wein and Irv Novick.

The Harlan Combs incarnation of Firebug debuted in Gotham Central #3 and was created by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark.

The unnamed Firebug debuted in Deadshot (vol. 2) #1 and was created by Christos Gage and Steven Cummings.

Fictional character biographies

Joe Rigger

Joe Rigger is a soldier and demolitions expert who returns to Gotham City when several family members are killed in building-related accidents. Using his military training and a costume containing tanks of napalm, he becomes Firebug and attempts to destroy the buildings to prevent further accidents. He is defeated by Batman atop the Gotham State Building and believed dead after his tank explodes.

Firebug later resurfaces and becomes a rival of Firefly before being scarred in an explosion and retiring. He returns to villainy in The New 52 continuity reboot.

Harlan Combs

The second Firebug, Harlan Combs, is a civilian and thrill-seeker who succeeds Joe Rigger following his retirement. He is later implicated for the murder of his family babysitter Bonnie Lewis and arrested.

Unnamed

An unnamed character using the name Firebug debuted in Deadshot - Urban Renewal #1 (February 2005). He had won the name and costume from an Internet auction. After taking on the Firebug name, he enters the costume business.

Firebug later appeared in a flashback revealing that he teamed up with Mr. Freeze, but was defeated by Batman and Harvey Dent prior to Batman leaving Gotham City for a year.

In other media

• Firebug appears as a boss in Batman: The Video Game. This version is the Joker's bodyguard who seeks revenge on Batman for defeating his brother and possesses super-speed and pyrokinesis.
• The Joe Rigger incarnation of Firebug appears in the Batman: Caped Crusader episode "The Night of the Hunters", voiced by Tom Kenny.

See also

• List of Batman family enemies

References

1. Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. p. 136. ISBN 9780345501066.
2. Detective Comics #689-690. DC Comics.
3. Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. pp. 129–130. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
4. Hero Hotline #5. DC Comics.
5. Gotham Central #4-5. DC Comics.
6. Batgirl (vol. 4) #17 (April 2013). DC Comics.
7. Batgirl (vol. 4) #18 (May 2013). DC Comics
8. Gotham Central #3-5. DC Comics.
9. Deadshot (vol. 2) #1. DC Comics.
10. Deadshot (vol. 2) #4-5. DC Comics.
11. Batman #651-654. DC Comics.
12. Detective Comics #817-820. DC Comics.
13. Flook, Ray (July 22, 2024). "Batman: Caped Crusader Spotlights Firebug, Gentleman Ghost, Nocturna". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
14. "Firebug Voice - Batman: Caped Crusader (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 30, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.

External links

• Firebug (Joseph Rigger) at DC Comics Wiki
• Firebug (Harlan Combs) at DC Comics Wiki
• Firebug III at DC Comics Wiki
• Firebug at Comic Vine

• Characters created by Christos Gage
• Characters created by Ed Brubaker
• Characters created by Irv Novick
• Characters created by Len Wein
• Comics characters introduced in 1979
• Comics characters introduced in 2003
• Comics characters introduced in 2005
• DC Comics supervillains
• Fictional soldiers