So it this week's Flash (#7), Patty Spivot has dropped by the home of the crime lab director, David Singh. She spots some flutes arranged on a stand, and says she didn't know he played. He says, "They're not mine," and changes the subject.
We don't know a lot about Singh, other than he's Barry's boss, and he's much more interested in getting fresh cases solved than cold cases (probably not an unusual priority for someone in his position). He's also not a big fan of the Flash, feeling like stopping crime is the job of the police, not amateurs. But now we also know that he knows someone well enough to keep flutes in his house -- and that detail is important enough to devote a couple of panels to.
That sounds to me like it could be Hartley. I'm racking my brain, and I can't think of any other flautists in Flash history who it might be.
Replies
If it is the Pied Piper, hopefully they'll give him a better costume without the floppy hat, giant polka dots and mini-skirt!
DC only does bad-asses now, so maybe a leather bikini and a large hammer?
An update: Piper shows up in the latest issue of Flash... and appears very clearly unhappy when David Singh introduces him (after a pregnant pause) as "...a friend." Someone's in the closet, but I don't see that lasting long.
Is this the first of the Rogues to appear? (I'm trade-waiting Flash.)
Captain Cold was featured in 6 & 7, and appeared in a couple of issues before. (In 6 & 7 he's trying to save the life of his sister Lisa, who has not yet become the Golden Glider, it seems.) I think we've seen glimpses of a couple of others in Iron Heights, too -- I think Axl (Trickster II), perhaps, and maybe one of the newer ones, like Girder or Tarpit.
Also, some people are speculating that this issues time-displaced Tuskegee airman with spinning powers named Turbine is essentially an updating of the Top. I think they're likely correct, and I can't really complain, since I think he'll become an interesting character in his own right.
Also, we've been seeing glimpses of Grodd here and there, and it looks like he'll be getting the spotlight next issue.