THE FLASH'S ROGUE GALLERY TOUR

DC Comics has a multitude of superheroes in its stable.  With the possible exception of Batman, the hero with the best array of villains has consistently been the Flash.  

On this tour, we will take a look at the Rogue Gallery of the Silver/Bronze Age (Barry Allen) Flash.

The full-page pin-up above, drawn by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson, first appeared in 80 Page Giant #4 in 1964. Before this pinup, these villains were not considered part of any group, formal or informal. But, inspired by this pinup and the fan comments it generated, many of the Flash's villains would begin teaming up... often. And they would refer to themselves as The Rogue Gallery, or simply, The Rogues. Let's take a look at each of these villains, as well as the few that would join their ranks in the years that followed this pinup.

CAPTAIN COLD (Leonard Snart)
First Appearance: Showcase #8 (Aug 1957)

Official member of the Rogues

Captain Cold is the creation of  John Broome and Carmine Infantino

MR. ELEMENT / DR. ALCHEMY (Albert Desmond)
First Appearance: Showcase #13 (April 1958)

He was never considered an official member of the Rogues, but he was featured in the initial Rogues Gallery pin-up.  Desmond had dissociative identity disorder and operated as two different villains.

Mr. Element and Dr. Alchemy are the creations of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

MIRROR MASTER (Sam Scudder)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #105 (March 1959)

Official member of the Rogues.

Mirror Master is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

PIED PIPER (Hartley Rathaway)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #106 (May 1959)

Official member of the Rogues.

Pied Piper is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

GORILLA GRODD (Grodd)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #106 (May 1959)

Gorilla Grodd is featured in the original Infantino/Anderson Rogues Gallery pin-up. He would be the character responsible for freeing all the original rogues members from jail. His involvement with the team was more occasional.

Gorilla Grodd is the creation of  John Broome and Carmine Infantino

WEATHER WIZARD (Mark Mardon)
First Appearance: The Flash (vo.l. 1) #110 (January 1960)

Official member of the Rogues.

Weather Wizard is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

TRICKSTER (James Jesse, originally Giovanni Giuseppe)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #113 (July 1960)

Official member of the Rogues.

Trickster is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

CAPTAIN BOOMERANG (George "Digger" Harkness)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #117 (December 1960)

Official member of the Rogues.

Captain Boomerang is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino 

The TOP (Roscoe Dillan)
First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #122 (August 1961)

Official member of the Rogues, though his membership was short-lived as he died in The Flash (vol 1) #243 (1976).

The Top is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

ABRA KADABRA (Abhararakadhararbarakh) First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #128 (May 1962)

Included in the original Infantino/Anderson pinup, Abra was typically considered more of an honorary member of the Rogues.

Abra Kadabra is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

REVERSE-FLASH (Eobard Thawne)
First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #139 (September 1963)

While Reverse-Flash was included in the original Infantino/Anderson pin-up of the Flash Rogues Gallery, he was never officially a silver-age member of the group.

Reverse Flash is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

HEAT WAVE (Mick Rory)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #140 (November 1963)

Official member of the Rogues Gallery

Heat Wave is the creation of John Broome and Carmine Infantino

GOLDEN GLIDER (Lisa Snart)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #250 (June 1977)

Golden Glider is the sister of Captain Cold. Though not much of a team player, she is officially recognized as a member of the Rogues beginning in 1986.

Golden Glider is the creation of Cary Bates and Irv Novick

RAINBOW RAIDER (Roy G. Bivolo)

First Appearance: The Flash (vol. 1) #286 (June 1980)

Rainbow Raider would be confirmed as an official member of the Rogues in 1985.

Rainbow Raider is the creation of Cary Bates and Don Heck

Rainbow Raider would be the final official villain of the Silver and Bronze Age Flash Rogues Gallery. , During the events of the Crisis on Infinite Earths maxi-series published in 1985/1986, Barry Allen died. The mantle of Flash would pass to his former sidekick, Wally West (Kid Flash). Wally inherited many of the Rogues, but also found himself battling new ones and updated versions of previous ones. These will be the subject of another tour to come down the road at this site! Flash and all related characters, names, and elements and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of DC Comics, Inc.