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KC Carlson
by KC Carlson
Today marks the begin of DC Comics’ questionable Villains Month, an event so poorly organized as well as carried out that it most likely shouldn’t even be talked about. So I won’t.
Let’s talk about other villain projects.
I’ve always liked villain groups, even a lot more than I like teams of superheroes. There’s something generally absurd about poor people teaming up (although lots of caper motion pictures have precisely this exact same setup). With hero groups, you expect them to be forthright as well as conscientious as well as upstanding. You understand — boring! With villains, it’s undoubtedly a powder keg full of super-dynamite. Every villain for themselves. All for one as well as none for all! as well as you never understand when that hearty backslap will include a knife in the hand!
Secret society of Super-Villains #1
I like the idea of the trick society of Super-Villains. The issue with them is that the execution of their stories is commonly so inconsistent as well as seemingly random. Oh, as well as I like star Sapphire. Wait, this is not the exact same star Sapphire that you’re believing of. who is she? We’ll get to that later. (But they never truly do…) whenever that group gets together, it has an completely different reason for existing. as well as a totally different membership. Some people like that. particularly creators. It cuts down on research. Me, I like the continuity as well as family member consistency. I truly dislike it when things get so complex that they just say, oh, let’s begin whatever over once again from the beginning. particularly when they do it to total universes.
RAMBLIN’ ROGUES
So let’s talk about a smaller, a lot more concise super-bad team. The Rogues. The people that torment the Flash. Batman may have much better private poor guys, however they’re mainly anti-social. as well as psychotic. The Bat-Villains tend to only get together in gigantic comic books with numbers ending with 00. as well as not so much anymore. mainly since nobody publishes series that get to problems that end with 00 anymore (unless they cheat)!
But the Flash people — they’re kinda chummy. A couple of them may really be rock-head stupid. however they have a great bit club going on, as well as they enjoy each other’s backs as well as have a code of sorts. A twisted, villainous code… however a code nonetheless. I kinda admire them for that. particularly these days, when a lot of superhero teams seem a lot more psychotic as well as back-stabbing than the worst villains.
I like the Rogues. perhaps since I have a youth attachment to them…
Flash #155
The Rogues very first appeared as a team in The Flash #155 (1965), although this is generally a Grodd (the huge monkey, not an official Rogue) story, as well as the Rogues are just pawns in Grodd’s game of life. The traditional original Rogues (Mirror Master, Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, warm Wave, the Top, as well as the Pied Piper) next appear in The Flash #174 (1967). Isn’t that an outstanding cover? one of the very best ever, by Carmine Infantino as well as Murphy Anderson.
Flash #174
The Flash #174 likewise has a extremely personal connection for me, as well as for my 50-some years included with comic books. It is the one problem that impacted me so much that, after I checked out it a few times, I made a decision that I was going to gather every problem of the series. I was 11 years old at the time, as well as I didn’t truly understand what that was going to entail, however I did begin getting every problem of The Flash (as well as all the associated titles over the years). I have done this for each problem since. however all things come to an end, as I just recently dropped the new 52 version of The Flash (with the upcoming problem #24), as I was just not enjoying it anymore. So much for “promises” made when I was 11…
In retrospect, I’m shocked that I didn’t decrease The Flash nearly promptly after #174 back in 1967. longtime Flash fans understand this problem extremely well. It turned out that this Rogues story would be the last Flash story (for a long while) drawn by routine artist Carmine Infantino, who had drawn every solo experience of the Barry Allen Flash considering that the very first one in showcase #4 in 1956. (Which most likely went on sale just seven days after I was born. How’s that for a connection?) Carmine was stepping away from on a regular basis drawing comic book stories, taking a personnel task as DC’s Cover Editor, as well as ultimately climbing the business ladder to ending up being DC Comics’ Publisher. after that task as well as Carmine parted company, he did ultimately return for one more long run as artist on The Flash, a lot of notably during the “Trial” problems of the book in the 1980s.
Back in 1967, the next routine artists on The Flash were the teamof Ross Andru as well as Mike Esposito (best understood by me at this point for question lady as well as metal Men). I didn’t like their art in any way when I was a kid, however I stuck with the book since I truly took pleasure in the stories (mostly). When my art tastes ultimately matured, I realized exactly how great Andru truly was.
THE VILLAINS’ PLOT
The Flash #174 (titled “The Stupendous victory of the six Super-Villains” — “Rogues” still isn’t in typical utilize yet) starts out as a Mirror Master story that only includes the other Rogues when Mirror Master comes up with a excellent plan to defeat the Flash as well as wishes to share it with his colleagues. Ironically, there’s a footnote to the earlier Flash #155, however it doesn’t recommendation the very first Rogues gathering — it comments on the weapon that was utilized by Grodd in the previous story. The excellent plan doesn’t work out, as well as the Flash almost captures the Rogues by page 9, except for Captain Cold’s well-placed application of ice in the Flash’s path (with CC commenting that that technique always works! Hokey Smokes!).
As the Rogues re-group, much of the rest of this story revolves around the Mirror Master’s earlier discovery of a mirror-world, where he observes a heroic Mirror Master defeating a criminal Flash! MM travels to that world, is hailed as a hero, quickly gets gain access to to the prison cell where the criminal mirror-Flash is being held, as well as assists him break out of jail — by leaving the prison door unlocked! (Gotta like the Sixties!)
Next, the mirror versions of the Flash as well as MM make get in touch with as well as battle, while “our” MM observes why the mirror technique didn’t work on “our” Flash earlier — there’s a “special way” (actually, a certain angle) the mirror is held that “our” MM didn’t notice before. Meanwhile, the mirror-MM swiftly defeats mirror-Flash as well as drags him back to jail.
Back on Earth-One, the Rogues swiftly lure the Flash to them — by Captain chilly making a floating message constructed out of ice on clouds in the sky (huh?). Of course, Flash comes running, as well as MM blasts him with the mirror (at the right angle) triggering the Flash to “blink” in as well as out for a second. Which is not the method that it’s meant to work.
Turning the page, we find that the evil mirror-Flash has likewise found the trick of the body-switching mirror, which he stole out of “our” Mirror Master’s back pocket when he wasn’t looking. (Rats! Thwarted by a pickpocket! That Flash IS bad!)
So what occurs when “our” Flash blinks out for a second is really him being body-swapped with the evil Flash in that split-second. Thoughtfully, the evil Flash has left the great Flash a note — foolishly telling him exactly how much he’s disgusted by him utilizing super-speed for great instead of evil — however inadvertently cluing the great Flash in as to what has happened.
Bad Flash now faces the fury of the integrated Rogues as well as is swiftly defeated by them (thus making the title of the story true). Meanwhile, great Flash reads the note from poor Flash as well as wastes no time in escaping from the prison cell (as well as with the dimensional barrier, utilizing practical energy tracks as road markers). He shows up back on our earth just in time to stop the Rogues from blasting poor Flash to Smithereens! (Yes, it really states that!) great Flash swiftly defeats all the Rogues with a sonic boom, as well as they all go flying since he’s traveling so fast.
In the next panel, the Flash is shown taking the Rogues to the regional authorities Station. (He just lays the unconscious villains on the floor in front of the desk Sergeant’s desk.) as well as in the next, he returns poor Flash to the authorities station in the mirror dimension, keeping the body-switching mirror before depositing him. one more trophy for the Flash Museum!
EXTRAORDINARY EPILOGUE
Barry’s thankful he got this situation wrapped up in time, so he can still be on-time to satisfy his other half Iris for a charming late-night dinner, celebrating their very first anniversary. Barry’s been agonizing for a year’s worth of stories since he vowed that he’d tell Iris that he was truly the Flash on their wedding event day, however that didn’t happen. He then vowed that he’d lastly tell Iris on the night of their anniversary. as well as he lastly does.
But Iris has a surprise for Barry! She already knew! turns out that Barry talks in his sleep as well as has exposed the reality “scores of times” over the previous year, starting with their wedding event night. Iris additionally states that she didn’t want to mention that, considering that Barry was so intent on keeping the secret. So Iris pretended not to know. Barry feels like he’s off the hook after all, since — technically — he “kept his vow.”
ROGUES with THE YEARS
Subsequent Rogues adventures would ended up being a lot more regular — when the series went with different phases of not utilizing the villains so prominently in the 1970s, 80s, as well as beyond — as well as would see the members change a bit. The original Mirror Master would die in the events of dilemma on limitless Earths and be replaced by a totally different (and Scottish) character. The top was believed dead for a long period, came back, as well as then truly died. His lover, golden Glider (who was likewise Captain Cold’s sister) replaced him in the group, up until she was likewise killed. Captain Boomerang was killed during identity Crisis and was ultimately replaced by his son, Owen. In Blackest Night, Owen dies, as well as his daddy is restored to life to resume being Captain Boomerang. Pied Piper as well as warm Wave both reformed as well as left the Rogues for a time, however both returned. (Piper maybe working undercover. We never discovered out.) other characters likewise came in for stints, including the Trickster (and his son, after his daddy is killed in Countdown), Abra Kadabra, as well as fairly newer characters including double Down as well as Tar Pit.
Flash Vol. 2 #129
In Underworld Unleashed (1995), five of the primary Rogues (Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, warm Wave, Mirror Master II, as well as weather condition Wizard) are killed in the opening pages of the series. writer mark Waid soon recanted his decision to do this, in the Afterword to the trade paperback of the miniseries. all of these characters soon “got better” after Neron revived them in the pages of The Flash #127-129 (1997) by Waid (with Brian Augustyn) in the “Hell to Pay” storyline.
The Rogues one-shot
Of the major Rogues, Mirror Master, Captain Cold, warm Wave, Captain Boomerang, as well as the Trickster were all likewise early members of the trick society of Super-Villains, the major villain group of the DC world (at least, the old one). They have considering that recanted their membership (except the Trickster, who died) as well as now like to just be Rogues. The top (died) as well as Pied Piper (reformed) were never members of the SSoSV.
Of course, your mileage may vary in the new 52 DC.
ELSEWHERE IN NYC…
Avengers #277
While I wished to talk about DC super-villains (because Villains Month is a present DC stunt), as well as as much as I always like seeing either the Rogues or the SSoSV, I’d be remiss in not discussing that I believe that the utmost super-villain story is Avengers: Under Siege by Roger Stern, John Buscema, as well as Tom Palmer, very first appearing in Avengers #270-271 as well as #273-277, as well as now offered in both hardcover as well as softcover. (The present hardcover likewise includes #272, an Avengers/Alpha flight crossover where Namor takes a leave of absence from the Avengers, leaving them underpowered when the Masters of Evil attack.)
In Under Siege, the battle with the large forces of the new Masters of Evil is calculated, fierce, as well as devastating, as well as the epilogue is heartbreaking.
I truly requirement to compose a lot more about that story some day!
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KC CARLSON SAYS: Remember, super-villains are poor people. They may want you to believe that they’re just misunderstood, however they’re truly not. (The writers just compose them that way.) You can tell exactly how evil a super-villain is by cutting him in half as well as counting the rings. The less untidy method is to observe exactly how they’re dressed. Older super-villains can be determined by the outlandish colors that they wear, commonly clashing with the heroes they battle. The great super-villains wear colors that are complementary with their heroes, nearly as if they were particularly created that way. one more tip-off is outlandish props. like gigantic stilts. Or kites. Or gigantic wheels. Or guns larger than an elephant. Or costumes covered with body parts (like eyes or ears). present super-villains often wear finely tailored three-piece suits. commonly they look like politicians or cord news broadcasters. however don’t be fooled. Super-villains are normally smarter.
WESTFIELD COMICS is not accountable for the silly things that KC says. particularly that thing that truly irritated you. DC — do better!
Classic comic covers from the Grand Comics Database.