The Rogues are a group of supervillains of the comic book superhero the Flash. Known members throughout its incarnation are Captain Cold, Abra Kadabra, Mirror Master, Heat Wave, the Golden Glider, the Weather Wizard, the Trickster, the Pied Piper, the Top, and Captain Boomerang. This loose criminal association refers to themselves as the "Rogues", disdaining the use of the term "supervillain" or "supercriminal".[1]
The Rogues, compared to similar collections of supervillains in the DC Universe, are an unusually social group, maintaining a code of conduct as well as high standards for acceptance. No Rogue may inherit another Rogue's identity (a "legacy" villain, for example) while the original is still alive. Also, simply acquiring a former Rogue's costume, gear, or abilities is not sufficient to become a Rogue, even if the previous Rogue is already dead. They do not kill anyone unless it is absolutely necessary. Additionally, the Rogues refrain from drug usage.[2]
Although they tend to lack the wider name recognition of the villains who oppose Batman and Superman, the enemies of the Flash form a distinctive rogues gallery through their unique blend of colorful costumes, diverse powers, and unusual abilities. They lack any one defining element or theme between them, and have no significant ambitions in their criminal enterprises beyond relatively petty robberies.
Speedster villains, such as Reverse Flash or Zoom, are typically not welcome within the ranks of the Rogues due to their obsessive, untrustworthy and psychotic behavior.
The Rogues are referenced by Barry Allen to have previously been defeated by him and disbanded. Known members (so far) have been the Golden Glider, the Weather Wizard, Heat Wave, and the Mirror Master.[3]
The Rogues appeared in The Flash (vol. 4) Annual #1 in a war against Captain Cold, the Flash, and the Pied Piper. Confirmed Rogues include the Golden Glider (Lisa Snart) as the current leader, the Weather Wizard (Marco Mardon), the Trickster (Axel Walker), Heat Wave (Mick Rory), and the Mirror Master (Sam Scudder).
A year prior, Captain Cold, Heat Wave, the Mirror Master (Sam Scudder again), and the Weather Wizard underwent a procedure at an unknown facility that would merge them with their weapons, giving them superpowers. The procedure went awry and exploded. Cold's sister Lisa, who was also at the facility, was caught in the explosion. The five were given superpowers, but each in a twisted manner. Heat Wave gained pyrokinesis, but at the cost of his body being burned; the Weather Wizard becomes emotionally tied to his weather wand, causing constant depression; Lisa becomes an astral projection of herself; and Sam would be forever trapped in the Mirror World. The Rogues blamed Cold for this and turned against him. However, they are forced to team up with the Flash, Cold, and the Pied Piper when Gorilla Grodd invaded Central City.[4] As of Forever Evil, they seem to be working together again.
The enemies of the Flash started to use the name the Rogues during the Silver Age of Comics. Originally, the Rogues were just the Flash's enemies teaming together after they were all broken out of jail by another Flash foe, the super-intelligent gorilla Gorilla Grodd, to distract the Flash during Grodd's latest attempt at world conquest. After their defeat by the Flash, they formed a lasting group, and usually a Rogue will never commit a crime by himself. The Silver Age Flash enemies who became Rogues were Captain Cold, the Mirror Master, Heat Wave, the Weather Wizard, the Trickster, the Pied Piper, the Top, Captain Boomerang, the Golden Glider and later, the Rainbow Raider. These villains battled the second Flash (Barry Allen), and the third and fourth Flashes after Allen's death.
In chronological order (with issue and date of first appearance):
In the Modern Age, the graphic novel The Flash: Iron Heights introduced new characters, many of whom would later become a new band of Rogues under the leadership of the crime lord Blacksmith. Some writers revamped classic Rogues, reinventing them through stories such as Underworld Unleashed, the Rogue War, or solo stories, while others reinvented a Rogue through new characters inheriting the identities. While criminals, the Rogues have been shown to have certain codes of honor about their behavior (such as refusing to kill women or children) and have even stated that they will not kill speedsters.[5]
The following are members of Blacksmith's incarnation of the Rogues:
The New Rogues appear in "Gotham Underground", formed and led by the Penguin and consisting of Chill, the Mirror Man, Mr. Magic, and the Weather Witch. Additionally, Dick Grayson works undercover within the group as Freddie Dinardo / Burn.[6] The New Rogues reappear in Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge, with Libra recruiting them and a new Burn to help him force the original Rogues to join the Secret Society. After capturing Captain Cold's father however, the Rogues kill the New Rogues.[7]
A futuristic iteration of the Rogues called the Renegades appear in The Flash (vol. 3). This version of the group are police officers and members of the "Reverse-Flash Task Force" from the 25th century, led by Commander Cold and consisting of Heatstroke, Mirror Monarch, Weather Warlock, Trixster, and the Top.[8][9][10] Following their debut, the Renegades make further appearances in The Flash (vol. 5) Annual #1 and The Flash #761.[11][12]
The Rogues appear in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, consisting of Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Captain Boomerang, the Top, and Mirror Master.
The Rogues appear in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic, led by Mirror Master and consisting of Golden Glider, Heat Wave, and Weather Wizard. Additionally, Captain Cold is said to be in hiding while Trickster appears as a former member. The Rogues are initially incarcerated until Plastic Man breaks them out to help Batman's Insurgency defeat Superman and his Regime. Despite their being criminals, Batman accepts them because they also follow a no-kill rule.[16] Throughout their time with the Insurgency, the Rogues carry out attacks on Regime bases until they are attacked by Bizarro, who kills Heat Wave and Weather Wizard. Trickster, who was watching over them, arrives to distract Bizarro so Mirror Master and Glider can escape. The surviving Rogues later hold a memorial for their fallen teammates.