Tuesday Top Ten: The Best Rogues

Many criminals have vexed the Fastest Man Alive; be it for fame, money, or revenge. After a healthy amount of drinking,swearing and fighting, we ranked our Ten favorite Rogues from The Flash comics…

#10. The Top

“Nobody tops the TOP!”. Besides Number One that is. What started out as a bank-robber obsessed with spinning top toys grew into one of Barry Allen’s most twisted and dangerous enemies. Modifying his tops to explode shrapnel and smoke, Roscoe Dillon also learned how to spin at speeds riveling the Flash’s. Even in death, Dillon would plague the Flash by possessing innocent citizens with his spirit to prove he was the best.

#9. Heatwave

Mick Rory is a man who loves fire, a love that has lasted most of his lifetime. That love not only helped him earn a spot on The Rogues but also a rivalry with Captain Cold. Rory is one of the few Rogues who tried to reform but ultimately returned to his villainous ways. Like most (comic-book) pyromaniacs Rory will become so enamored with the dancing flames he will tune out everything else around him. The Rogues put up with him because he’s made the Flash sweat more than once.

#8. Weather Wizard

Mark Mardon either killed his brother for his invention of a weather-control device or took it after he died to become a career criminal. Either way, Mardon owes his status as a Rogue to his brother. Mardon could be called the “muscle” of the Rogues, finding various ways to cover their operations as either a distraction or force of nature. Able to summon tornadoes,  lightning, or fog; Mardon always makes things cloudy for the Flash.

#7.The Trickster

James Jesse has always wanted to be a star; when being a circus performer wasn’t enough he sought to become famous for outlandish robberies. Soon after he learned that he could be in the history books if he could stomp the Flash with one of his contrivances. When he died Axel Walker took his bag of tricks and joined up with the Rogues. Despite being a teenager, he is committed to the Rogues cause and in proving himself. Mark Hamill gave an entertaining portrayal as the Trickster in the 90s Flash show and is rumored to appear in the current one as a retired James Jessie.

#6.Pied Piper

Hartley Rathaway is another Rogue whose main ambition was toying with the Flash. Able to use sound-waves to create concussive blasts or hypnotize people into doing his bidding, he was a regular member of the Rogues for years. Eventually he came out as gay and walked away from the criminal lifestyle choosing instead to help the Wally West Flash and assist others as a hero. Hartley still chooses to do as he pleases and “once a Rogue, always a Rogue”.

#5.Mirror Master

If Weather Wizard is the muscle Mirror Master is the get-away driver. Able to use reflective surfaces to create illusions or portals into the Mirror World, Mirror Master is a unpredictable and elusive foe. Also a legacy villain, the first MM was Sam Scudder and then later, McCulloch (introduced in Grant Morriosn’s Animal Man run). Both have taken the Flash through the looking glass and beyond.

#4.Captain Cold

Leonard Snart’s only source of comfort is the cold. An abusive upbringing taught him to suppress his emotions and do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals. Stealing a weapon that projects a “cold-field” Snart sought the perfect score so he could be set for life. The Flash has crushed that dream over and over again much to Snart’s anger and dismay. He formed the Rogues to up his chances with the Flash and established rules to keep the group from falling apart. Snart’s leadership, planning, and mastery over his weapon make him a formidable foe.

#3.Reverse-Flash

Eobard Thawne had one dream and that was to be the Flash of the 25th century. His dream led to him becoming a thief and being foiled by the Flash.  Through the use of time-travel Thawne stalked Barry Allen throughout his lifetime. Eobard would love nothing more than to kill Barry Allen but would erase his own powers of super-speed in doing so. Instead he plans to make Allen’s life more and more miserable in recompense for Barry ruining his life.

#2.Gorilla Grodd

Grodd is the worst criminal of Gorilla City, an advanced hidden city in Africa. Gifted with telepathic powers Grodd seeks to enslave everyone on Earth. This goal has led him into conflict with not just Flash but the Justice League as well. Recently, Grodd has shown an interest in mastering the Speed Force giving him one more reason to fight the Flash to the death and become on of the hero’s deadliest foes.

#1.Captain Boomerang

Digger Harkness came to the States to be a mascot for a toy company selling boomerangs. Preternaturally skilled with them, Harkness decided the real money was in pulling off heists. His numerous defeats have lowered his standing in the villain community even earning him the name “Boomer butt”,  but that never deterred him from trying again and again. Even among the Rogues, Harkness plays fast and loose with their rules and lest we not forgot was the most reckless of the Suicide Squad; a team composed of super criminals from a maximum security prison that were sent on “suicide missions”. Harkness has lived, has died, has been reborn as a thief and will likely die a thief again. He is the epitome of what the Rogues stand for; a blue-collar career crook with an absurd modus operandi that plagues the scarlet speedster.