Fire is the Test of Gold
As we all know, themes are what makes comics heroes and villains. Just in Batman comics alone there are plenty. Bats, cats, clowns, plants, birds, etc. Many posts ago I wrote about Mr Freeze and his ice theme. Of course there is a villain with an opposite theme: Fire.
The fire theme, like most other Batman themes, also plays on a very real fear. The fear of fire seems to be ancient, primal. Fires can be devastating, uncontrollable, deadly. This villain harnesses this unpredictability, weaponizes it, and uses it to terrorize.
Garfield Lynns was created in 1952 by France Gerron and Dick Sprang and first appeared in Detective Comics #184. A special effects designer for films, this character began as a simple crook who used his effects background to mask his crimes.
Firefly was rebooted, however, in the late 80's as a special effects designer turned pyromaniac and serial arsonist. This Garfield Lynns builds himself a jetpack suit with wings and a flamethrower. He has turned up ever since in various major Batman and JLA events, including Knightfall, No Man's Land, DC One Million, Crisis of Conscience, and Villains United. Sometimes he partners with Killer Moth. He also appears prominently in the Arkham video games Arkham Origins, and Arkham Knight, and in various DC animated projects. Firefly has also appeared in the television show Arrow.
There have also been two other Fireflys. Ted Carson was created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff in 1959 for Batman #126. This Firefly was a broke gambler who used the Firefly persona to recoup his loses. He is rebooted in 2016 as a former teacher who turns to arson.
Bridgit Pike was a character created for the Gotham television series. Like Harley Quinn before her, she transferred over to the comics and first appeared in September 2018 in Detective Comics #988. This Lady Firefly is Carson's partner.
The character (all three?) is compelling, not just because of the use of fire, a primal fear. Arson seems to be a crime rarely tapped by comics fiction. Not all criminals are burglars and bank robbers, planning heists. Like many other Batman villains, Firefly suffers from a psychological disorder. He likes to watch things burn, which makes him dangerous, unpredictable, and seemingly without rhyme, reason, or planning. Serial arsonists light fires just to light fires. Add that to a special effects background and a jetpack, and you get chaos.