Pyro debuts in the famous “X-Men” comic arc “Days of Future Past” (which inspired the 2014 movie). He’s part of Mystique’s new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, alongside precognitive Destiny, earth-moving Avalanche, and the immovable Blob; the Brotherhood debuts in costume on the final page of “Uncanny X-Men” issue #141, aka “Days of Future Past” part 1.

The Brotherhood intends to assassinate Senator Robert Kelly, an anti-mutant demagogue. Unbeknownst to them, Kelly’s death will result not in mutant dominance, but mutant extinction at the hands of robotic Sentinels. Kate Pryde, once the teenage X-Man Shadowcat, travels back in time (possessing her younger self) to stop Kelly’s assassination and change the future.  Thanks to Kate, the X-Men show up to battle the Brotherhood (the battle unfolds in issue #142).

Marvel Comics

Pyro uses his power creatively, not simply blasting flames at the X-Men but forming the fire into the shape of a monster. It takes Storm calling down a monsoon to defeat him.

Pyro endured as a member of the Brotherhood (even if they later rebranded as Freedom Force, employed by the U.S. government). Every “X-Men” cartoon has followed suit (including the failed pilot “Pryde of the X-Men”), depicting Pyro as a “muscle” super-villain employed by Mystique or Magneto. It helps that his powers are easy to understand and depict in action scenes.

The animated Pyro closest to the comics is the one from the 1992 “X-Men” cartoon, where he’s also part of the Brotherhood and has the same costume as the comic iteration (Pyro is one of the mutants on Magneto’s side charging against the X-Men in the series’ opening title sequence). The “X-Men” animated series even adapted “Days of Future Past” for its first season finale; some details were rearranged, but Pyro’s supporting role wasn’t.