SUNFIRE
(of Earth-8107)

Real Name: Shiro Yoshida

Identity/Class: Extradimensional/alternate reality (Earth-8107) human mutant

Occupation: Adventurer, Ichiban Electronics employee

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Ms. Lion, May Parker, Spider-Friends (Firestar/Angelica Jones, Iceman/Bobby Drake, Spider-Man/Peter Parker)

Enemies: Flame Monster, Genju, Samurai Robots;
    briefly Spider-Friends (Firestar/Angelica Jones, Iceman/Bobby Drake, Spider-Man/Peter Parker)

Known Relatives: Genju (uncle)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile throughout New York City, New York, USA and presumably Japan

First Appearance: Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode, "Sunfire" (October 3, 1981)

Powers/Abilities: Sunfire is a mutant who can absorb solar radiation and redirect it as intense heat. He can also shift from his civilian clothes into his costume at will.

He is also proficient in aikido.

Height: 5'10" (by approximation)
Weight: 175 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black

History: (Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode - "Sunfire" (fb) -BTS) - Shiro Yoshida was a mutant known as Sunfire. At one point he "tangled" with Iceman but the results of said encounter were not revealed to the public. At some point, Shiro began working for Ichiban Electronics, a company operated by his uncle Genju, who secretly manipulated Sunfire for his own purposes, secretly wishing to harness Sunfire's power to create a Flame Monster. As part of the creation of the Flame Monster, Genju developed a false fusion reactor, which he told Sunfire was intended to be a clean source of energy.

(Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode - "Sunfire") - Shiro and his uncle watched Firestar on a monitor. When the American mutant destroyed a meteorite and saved New York, both men were impressed. Shiro complimented her beauty and skill while his uncle warned his nephew to focus on her power. Taking his nephew into his lab, the older man ordered his nephew to bring Firestar to him. Shiro agreed but claimed it wouldn't be Shiro Yoshida asking but rather the mutant Sunfire. He then left.

The next day at a local fair, Shiro acted as an announcer, showcasing Ichiban Electronics' latest robots, built to resemble the samurais of old. When he noticed a nearby helicopter about to crash, Shiro slipped away and turned into Sunfire. He helped Firestar (who had attended the fair in her civilian identity of Angelica Jones) safely land the copter and rescue the people trapped inside. He flirted with Firestar briefly before flying off, leaving a trail of steam behind him. Getting back to the demonstration, Shiro was invited to dinner by May Parker (on behalf of Angelica Jones). He was then invited to dinner and soon found himself eating with the alter egos of the Spider-Friends, although he was unaware of their identities. Shiro impressed Angelica by guessing Ms. Lion's breed, noting that dogs like her were often used in Tibetan temples as guardians. After dinner, he gave a brief demonstration on aikido, flipping Peter Parker over his shoulder.



Receiving a communication via his wristwatch, Shiro returned to his uncle's lab, bringing Angelica with him as a guest. As Shiro went to talk with his uncle, showing Genju his date via video monitor, Angelica started messing with a nearby viewscreen and spotted a supposed fusion reactor, causing her to be attacked by a Samurai Robot. Witnessing the attack via the monitor, Shiro watched in horror and, turning into Sunfire, he flew to Angelica's location. Finding only the ruined remains of a robot (and unaware that Angelica had turned into Firestar and flew away), Sunfire changed back into Shiro when he heard footsteps. Rounding a corner, he found Angelica, who claimed to have fainted when the robot attacked. He took her home.

Later that night, Sunfire flew over the city and sky wrote Firestar's name in flame. The message had the intended effect and the two flame-powered mutants soon streaked across the night sky together. They quickly came across a plane suffering engine failure. Combining their powers, they managed to save the plane and its passengers. Continuing their date, they spotted a daredevil attempting to leap a gorge on a rocket-powered motorcycle. When the stunt failed, Firestar saved the man while Sunfire flew the bike across the finish line. Once they were alone, Sunfire asked Firestar to help him and his uncle. When she agreed, he took her back to his uncle's lab and both were unaware Firestar's allies Spider-Man and Iceman had followed and were attacked by Sunfire's uncle. Entering to tell his uncle the good news, he ignored the prone form of the defeated Spider-Man laying on the lab floor and instead (at his uncle’s orders) went hunting after the escaped Iceman. Finding the icy hero quickly, Sunfire reminded him of their previous encounter and refused to listen to Iceman's excuses that he was attacked by Sunfire's uncle, taking the excuses as "proof" the hero had attacked an innocent old man. The two fought with their respective powers canceling each other out. The battle was only ended when Sunfire's uncle Genju intervened and slapped a mind control harness on Iceman's head. Ignoring his nephew's pleas to release the captured heroes, Genju ordered his captives brought to the main lab with the reactor.


Sunfire and Firestar stood at the ready before the reactor but the moment was spoiled when a samurai robot entered and referred to Spider-Man and Iceman as the captives. When Firestar tried to leave, Sunfire grabbed her and increased his personal flame, forcing her to compete to prevent herself from burning up. Their combined heat was enough to crack open the reactor and unleash the Flame Monster. When the monster drew out their combined heat, Sunfire begged his uncle for help but the old man dismissed him as weak. Taken to a dungeon, Sunfire slipped free of his guard. Stealing a Sonic Stick weapon, he sliced the robots to pieces, freeing the Spider-Friends. Heading to the reactor room, Sunfire and Firestar bemoaned their lack of power but Spider-Man suggested the smoldering reactor core might hold enough energy to recharge them both. The pair walked into the core and quickly walked out, their powers back to normal.

Sunfire then went with the heroes to confront the Flame Monster. He partnered up with Firestar, creating two flame tornadoes in New York bay. The water was drawn up and frozen into two solid masses thanks to Iceman. With Spider-Man acting as a decoy, Firestar and Sunfire swooped down to rescue the wall-crawler before the monster stepped on him. Luring the creature into the bay, the monster's own heat melted the ice, the mass volume of water extinguished the monster's fire. Vowing that his uncle's evil was ended, Sunfire dragged the old man off.

Later, at either a rebuilt lab or another one (see comments), Sunfire enjoyed a quiet moment with Firestar. He swore that he would take his uncle "home" (see comments) and make sure he had the best care. He promised to return and the two flame-based mutants shared a kiss as the sunset.

Comments: Created by Christy Marx and Marvel Productions, Ltd. (see Appearances list for list of artists involved).

Jerry Dexter was the credited voice actor. Stats are from his 616 counterpart. Genju was voiced by Keye Luke

The Flame Monster does bear a passing resemblance to the monster often faced in the opening credits of Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends.

When the monster goes on a rampage, it destroys a billboard for Cola-Bola. The model looks a lot like actress Honey Dove.

When the Flame Monster is born, it tears its way out of the lab and reduces it to rubble. At the end we see the heroes sitting on the roof (same establishing shot used throughout the episode). So either they have some fast handymen or maybe they just have multiple similar-looking factories that housed labs?

Home is presumably Japan but nothing is said.

Profile by David Lawrence.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Earth-8107's Sunfire has no known connections to:

Flame Monster

A being of pure flame, it was created when the combined heat of Sunfire and Firestar cracked open the reactor core housing it. Once created and released, the Flame Monster rampaged through New York City, directed by Sunfire's uncle Genju.

The Flame Monster was capable of draining heat from a source. It was vulnerable to water.


--Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode - "Sunfire"

Genju

Shiro's uncle and head of Ichiban Electronics, Genju often dressed as a samurai. The older man claimed to have created a fusion reactor but he needed both his nephew and Firestar's power to bring it online but the reactor was actually a front for the creation of his Flame Monster. When Genju ordered to bring Firestar to the reactor and Sunfire left to woo Firestar, the older man sneeringly called his nephew a trusting fool.

When his nephew later had dinner with May Parker and her boarders, Genju summoned him back to the lab and berated him for not looking for Firestar and for bringing Angelica back with him, unaware that Angelica and Firestar were the same person. While Sunfire and Firestar were later on a date, Genju stayed at the lab. When Spider-Man and Iceman investigated the company, having followed their teammate Firestar there, Genju ordered his robots to attack and capture the heroes.

After Firestar was convinced to work with them, Genju retreated to the control room to prepare for the experiment when a samurai robot revealed the captured Spider-Man and Iceman. His monster was nonetheless finally created and Genju did nothing as his nephew was injured by it. Offering him a chance to serve under him when he took over mankind, Genju ordered his robots to lock his nephew up with the rest of the Spider-Friends as the Flame Monster rampaged. Donning a glider, Genju followed his monster out into the city and directed its path of destruction. When the monster was destroyed, Genju dropped the remote in shock and hung his head in defeat as his nephew dragged him away. Sunfire later assured the Spider-Friends that Genju would be returned home to get the best care.

--Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode - "Sunfire"

Samurai Robots

Programmed robots built to resemble the samurai of old, the Samurai Robots came equipped with Sonic Sticks resembling katanas. First displayed at a local fair, the Samurai Robots later accompanied Genju and Sunfire back to Genju's lab, where one later attacked the visiting Angelica Jones. When Angelica (as Firestar) and Sunfire turned against Genju following the release of the Flame Monster, the Samurai Robots dragged Sunfire and Firestar into Genju's dungeon. The Samurai Robots were ultimately destroyed when Sunfire stole one of their Sonic Sticks and sliced the Robots apart.

The Samurai Robots were capable of slicing through wood, bronze, and ice. They were vulnerable to extreme heat and cold.

--Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode - "Sunfire"

images: (without ads)
Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode, "Sunfire" (all images in this profile)

Appearances:
Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon episode, "Sunfire" (October 3, 1981) - Christy Marx (writer), Bruce Bennett, Norm Cabral, Dan Faucett, Neil Galloway, Greg Garcia, Gary Graham, Rick Graham, Karl Hepworth, Stuart Heimdall, Elaine Hultgren, Boyd Kirkland, Debra Pugh, Dave Sharp, Roy Smith, Tom Tholen, Grant Wilson, Roy Wilson, Bob Foster (layouts), Jan Green, Rick Hoberg, Cullen Houghtaling, Larry Houston, Sherman Labby, Will Meugniot, Dick Sebast, Bob Schaffer, Don Shepard, Hank Tucker, Warren Tufts (storyboards), Gerry Chiniquy, Steve Clark, John Gibbs, Sid Marcus, Bob Richardson, Nelson Shin, Arthur Vitello (animation directors)

First Posted: 01/07/2020
Last updated: 01/07/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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