Even in the mid-90’s, the idea of having a group of characters exist in a single, cohesive universe was not something unusual. Television networks would often have their scripted comedies and dramas crossover with each other, hinting at a larger universe these shows inhabited. For decades, DC and Marvel had mastered the art, orchestrating large scale storylines that took place in dozens of published titles. And the Walt Disney Company? Even before House of Mouse and Kingdom Hearts, it wasn’t unusual to see Mickey and Minnie having a conversation with Snow White and Dumbo, even if it was to just wink at the camera during a segment of The Wonderful World of Disney.
However, as Gonterman busily worked on his earliest of Sonic the Hedgehog fanfics, an idea struck. What if Disney’s intellectual property crossed over in a far more ambitious way than had ever been attempted? That any animated short, full length feature, and everything in-between was fair game?
Thus, Firestorm was born. With such a wide scope, David Gonterman never intended to be the sole author. Indeed, he called upon his fellow Sonic fanfiction writers to assist in creating this vast world, Paul Lapansee co-authoring the first Firestorm story, The Rangers of NIMH. Even from the get-go, the rules were bent, as The Secret of NIMH was not a Disney film. But that did not matter, as part of the mandate was to make works that could not possibly exist in the status quo of Michael Eisner’s Disney.
Unable to resist temptation, the Firestorm world of stories also crossed into the David Kintobor universe, while also having David Gonterman himself appear. However, just like Blood and Metal and Sailor Moon: American Kitsune, the project was abandoned. While certain elements would be revisited in later Johnny Briz tales, the full scope of Firestorm would never be reached.