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    Rogues

    Team » Rogues appears in 466 issues.

    The Rogues are a tight-knit group of blue collar criminals operating in Central and Keystone Cities, home of the Flash.

    Short summary describing this team.

    Rogues last edited by NightFang3 on 12/12/22 11:12PM View full history

    Origin

    The Rogues are a group of blue-collar criminals who joined together to support one another in the commission of various crimes. Spurning the title of "super-villains" and the goal of world domination, they prefer to engage in relatively minor crimes. It is unclear how or why they first came together, though it is clear that the were initially brought together by Captain Cold, and eventually defeated by the Flash. When the team first came together, it consisted of Captain Cold, and Golden Glider, who alternate as the leader, Mirror Master, Heat Wave, Trickster, Weather Wizard and Pied Piper. Captain Cold lead several group members into a DNA sequencer in an attempt to bolster their powers, but it went wrong. For some time after this the group split up, before eventually being drawn back together by Golden Glider.

    Creation

    The Rogues team was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. They made their first appearance as a team in The Flash #155. The New 52 iteration of the team was created by Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul.

    Team Evolution

    Silver Age

    In their first iteration, the villains first teamed up after being broken out of prison by Gorilla Grodd. Following their defeat, a lasting team was created when Captain Cold and Heat Wave recruited several other villains in the hopes that greater numbers would help defeat the Flash. Throughout the Silver Age, the main Rogue team consisted of Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, Trickster, Weather Wizard, and the Top. Occasional members included Golden Glider, Abra Kadabra, Rainbow Raider and Dr Alchemy. This iteration is notable for its looser moral restrictions and vicious, occasionally deadly in-fighting.

    Modern Age

    In the Modern Age, several Rogue identities became legacies, with new characters inhabiting old identities. Several old Rogues were significantly revamped. During this period, the Rogues variously consisted of Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Mirror Master, Trickster, Double Down, Tar Pit, Abra Kadabra and Captain Boomerang. The Modern Age iteration of the team is notable for introducing the no-kill policies, strict moral rules, and closer bond between members. Also during this Age, Blacksmith created a version of the team consisting of Magenta, Plunder, Girder and Murmur, along with Mirror Master, Trickster, and Weather Wizard. Many team members became heroes following mental manipulation by the Top, who had been mind-wiped by Zatanna.

    New 52

    Following Flashpoint, the team rebooted, and their current origin was introduced. Team members appear to be generally close friends, and are low-level villains who obey a strict moral code. This iteration initially consisted of Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Heat Wave, Trickster, Weather Wizard and Pied Piper. Several members have gained superhuman powers.

    Major Story Arcs

    The Flash

    Various iterations of the team clash with the Flash in the course of their crimes. Often they engage in crime specifically for the thrill of combating the Flash. Following Barry Allen's death, many team members go part-time or quit crime altogether.

    Underworld Unleashed

    Members of the Rogues are offered a deal by Abra Kadabra, working as an agent of Neron. Eager to become famous villains, they sell their souls. However, they are deceived, and killed by Neron in the process of his arrival on Earth. Their bodies, without their souls, are later animated by Neron and sent back to Earth to cause massive destruction. Their souls are ultimately returned to their bodies with the help of the Flash. Following their experience, Heat Wave leaves to become a monk, Trickster joins the FBI, and Captain Boomerang retires and later dies.

    Crossfire

    Blacksmith creates a new team to fill the void left by the first team's collapse, partially from original members, and partially from new villains. She leads them in an effort to conquer Central City and Keystone City, and succeeds in defeating some of Flash's allies. However, they are ultimately defeated by the Flash and Goldface, and the team dissolves.

    Rogue War

    Captain Cold seizes control of the Rogues who managed to escape the collapse of their takeover attempt and creates a new version using both new and old members. He also forms alliances with Gorilla Grodd, Dr Alchemy and the Secret Society of Super Villains. This draws the attention of the FBI and their former ally, James Jesse. Jesse creates The Project, a team featuring former members Magenta, Pied Piper, and Heat Wave, as well as Ashley Zolomon. The Project attacks the Rogues, starting a city-wide battle that ends when the Top arrives and lifts the hypnotic effect that had caused several of the former members to become heroes. Heat Wave, Pied Piper, and Jesse immediately rejoin the Rogues, though Piper leaves almost immediately after, due to his friendship with Flash. Top attempts to join the team but is rebuffed by Cold, who kills him. Cold calls on his new allies to attack the Flash, but they are interrupted and scattered by Professor Zoom. The Rogues retreat and reform the group, returning to their old ways.

    Full Throttle

    Inertia solicits the help of the Rogues in putting into action a plan that he says will allow them to stop time and plunder the frozen world. They invade the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and set up Inertia's machine there. When they come under attack by Bart Allen, they are surprised to find that the machine doesn't freeze time, instead stripping Allen of his powers. They best and unmask him, realising in so doing that they have been used. When Allen attempts to regain his speed, Captain Cold, Heat Wave and Weather Wizard all fire on him, unintentionally killing him.

    Salvation Run

    The death of Bart Allen spurs a massive backlash in the superhero communities, and is one of the precipitating factors behind the transportation of nearly all super-villains to the planet Salvation. Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Weather Wizard, Abra Kadabra and Mirror Master are the first villains sent to the planet, preceding all others by about two weeks. Pied Piper and Trickster escape transportation. The Rogues on Salvation attempt to locate the Safe Zone. When others arrive they initially attempt to assert authority over them by virtue of their greater experience, but ultimately abandon this and appear to join Team Lex. They escape the planet along with most other villains using Lex Luthor's teleporter.

    Final Crisis

    Returned to Earth and embittered by the villain community's lack of assistance following the death of Bart Allen, the Rogues are among the very few villains who refuse to join Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains. Libra forms a new team of Rogues to directly counter the originals. These New Rogues capture Captain Cold's father and threaten his life unless the Rogues join Libra. The Rogues defeat and kill these impostors. Planning to retire after seeking revenge on Inertia, the Rogues finally track down the villain, now calling himself Kid Zoom. He kills Weather Wizard's infant son, but is himself killed by the Rogues all attacking him at once. The team decides not to retire upon learning that Barry Allen has returned.

    Blackest Night

    During the Blackest Night, several deceased Rogues are brought back to life by Black Lantern Rings. The Black Lantern Rogues assault Iron Heights, while the living Rogues attempt to stop them. Owen Mercer splits from the rest of the living Rogues to help his Black Lantern father, Captain Boomerang. The living Rogues are able to defeat the Black Lantern Rogues by freezing them. They discover Mercer has trapped his father in a pit and is tossing people, including women and children, into the pit to feed him. They throw Mercer into the pit, and, when he is killed by his father and becomes a Black Lantern, Captain Cold freezes them both.

    Brightest Day

    Dealing with the recent return of the formerly dead Captain Boomerang, the team is confronted by 25th century versions of themselves, The Renegades. They fight the other team, as well as the Flash, and expose the Flash to the slow-acting poison of the looking glass before fleeing.

    Gorilla Warfare

    The Rogues join forces with the Flash to defend Central City against an invasion by Gorilla Grodd. They help him capture several gorilla soldiers. The team suffers a brief internal schism, but unites when it becomes clear that Grodd is taking human hostages. Working together, the team is able to pull busloads of hostages into the Mirror World. Golden Glider also manages to pull the gorillas' projection equipment into the Mirror World, making the situation in Central City clear to the world. When the danger has passed, they return the hostages to Central City.

    Forever Evil

    Following the arrival of the Crime Syndicate, the Rogues are invited to join the new Secret Society. Initially ambivalent, they refuse to join after being returned to Central City, which has been left in ruins by Gorilla Grodd, and being instructed to level what remains. Eager to protect Golden Glider, who is in a coma, the team are attacked at her hospital by emissaries of the Society. The Rogues attempt to flee through the Mirror World, but Captain Cold is separated from them when Power Ring smashes the window. The team tries to return to Central City, only to find that the Mirror World no longer obeys Mirror Master. They end up in Gotham, where the bounty on their heads and their powers draw the attention of several different factions of the feuding Gothamites. Heat Wave sacrifices himself to allow the team to escape Gotham, but they are captured by the Royal Flush Gang, who have also taken Glider hostage. Weather Wizard leaves the group, while Trickster and Mirror Master allow themselves to be taken to Central City. There, they form an alliance with the cops and former member Pied Piper, who helps them and the newly returned Weather Wizard battle the Royal Flush Gang and newly arrived emissaries sent by the Crime Syndicate. Piper's music awakens Glider, and she helps the team trap the other villains in the Mirror World, the window into which is then shattered by Trickster.

    Alternate Versions

    Renegades

    Appearing during the Brightest Day, the Renegades are a heroic version of the Rogues from the future who come back in time to prosecute the death of one of their members, Mirror Monarch. This team consists of Commander Cold, Heatstroke, Trixter, Weather Warlock and the Top.

    Flashpoint

    In the alternate Flashpoint universe, the Rogues are brought together by Mirror Master, who induces them to team up against Citizen Cold. This iteration of the team consists of Mirror Master, Trickster, Weather Wizard, Tar Pit and Fallout.

    Injustice: Gods Among Us

    Several of the Rogues appear as escaped prisoners who agree to side with Batman against Superman and the Regime. The team consists of Golden Glider, Heatwave, Mirror Master and Weather Wizard.

    In Other Media

    Film

    Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

    Several members of the Rogues appear as lures used by Professor Zoom to aid in the destruction of Central City. This version of the team consists of Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Heat Wave, Mirror Master and Top.

    Television

    Justice League Unlimited

    The Rogues appear in the episode "Flash and Substance" as second-rate villains who constantly attack the Flash but rarely succeed. The team consists of Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master and Trickster.

    Batman: The Brave and the Bold

    The Rogues appear in the episode "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!", robbing banks because they miss Barry Allen. When he returns they are so happy to have him back that they allow themselves to be caught. The team consists of Captain Cold, Heat Wave and Weather Wizard.

    The Flash

    This series partially charts the initial emergence of the Rogues. Beginning in "Going Rogue," characters are introduced and join Cold's villain team. By the end of "Rogue Air" the team consists of Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Golden Glider, Rainbow Raider and Weather Wizard.

    Video Games

    Batman: The Brave and the Bold - The Video Game

    The version of the team introduced in the show appears in this video game. The three villains are bosses.

    DC Universe Online

    The Rogues appear as sub-bosses of the Stryker's Island Penitentiary Alert. They also appear in the Central City Bounties part of the Lightning Strikes downloadable content as independent villains. Team members are Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Owen Mercer, Heat Wave, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, Pied Piper, Trickster and Top.

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