When I started searching for back issues at yard sales and flea markets as a youngster, I bought DC Special #14 (O'71) which was the second Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains collection that led to the short-lived though sorely missed reprint series. There was a 1947 Superman story where he fought the Toyman and his Dollies of Doom! And there was a 1952 Batman versus Penguin tale and the "baby" of the bunch:
The Flash #140 (N'63), "The Heat Is On...For Captain Cold!" by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella and edited, of course, by Julius Schwartz featured the first appearance of Heat Wave, the last of Flash's major Silver Age foes. It begins with Barry Allen at his fiance Iris Allen's apartment after a night on the town. Caught ogling at beautiful TV personality Dream Girl (not the Legionnaire!), Barry makes up a story confinds in Iris about the Flash having to find a missing heiress with an unusual birthmark and how that would greatly benefit Central City's poor. And he has ONE day to do so! No pressure since Barry took the night off!
However the Crimson Comet learns that Captain Cold has escaped from prison because the guards let him work with freezer units! Next time just leave his door open! But does the Polar Pirate seek revenge? Power? Money? None of the above as he is now madly in love with the mysterious Dream Girl! The Romantic Rogue fell hard for her in jail (and that's not the first time Len Snart thought with his heart not his head!) and since her "Dream Man" is the Flash (irony of ironies!!), he will commit a super-crime that will show up the Scarlet Speedster and would surely impress the new light of his life. At least that's his plan!
Later, while robbing an arriving foreign treasury with "ice-lightning" which is pretty neat, the Frigid Felon is confronted by the Flash whose about to collar him in record time when his backside is scorched by the debutting Heat Wave, whose weapon looks like it was made with a cigarette lighter! Taken by surprise, the Flash is knocked unconscious by a blast of intense heat in Heat Wave's finest hour! The two Rogues quickly join forces. Heat Wave reveals that he is a former circus fire-eater who "lost (his) taste for the work!" And in an amazing coincidence, he decided to become a super-villain because he was in love with Dream Girl, too!! This does not sit well with Captain Cold who attacks but their weapons cancel each other's out. So the Rogue Rivals have a crime contest with Dream Girl as the unknowing prize!
While they are committing these crimes, the Temperature Terrors continue having these stalemate battles, causing tremendous damage. The Flash races off to stop them only to have the two stop fighting each other and attack him! Somehow running between them, the Modern-Day Mercury is frozen on one side, seared on the other! But he uses his "complete control over his molecules" thing to break free and in TWO panels captures both villains! The last two pages are used to connect Dream Girl, who had no idea of the trouble she "caused", with his first page problem with a happy ending for all, except Captain Cold and Heat Wave, of course.
I can't recall if Heat Wave ever got a solo battle against the Flash in the Silver Age. The Fiery Fiend either fought with or against Captain Cold or teamed with the other Rogues. Personality-wise the Flash always had the most interesting enemies with very human motivations.
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First he was Mister Element then Doctor Alchemy, then he retired but later they introduced the second Doctor Alchemy.
Did the Flash have any memorable one-shot villains in the Silver Age? Costumed/super-powered ones, not just gangsters or evil scientists. Nor villains from other heroes/books like Vandal Savage, the Shade, Professor Ivo or Doctor Light.
Offhand I can only come up with the Golden Man.
I totally agree that The Flash had the best stable of villains to choose from. Commander Benson was the one who pointed out to me hat Captain Cold was usually stalking pursuing some young lady in the Silver Age adventures, which definitely makes him unique.
I don't think anybody's mentioned the Weather Wizard yet, another good "baddie."
Travis Herrick said:
Oh, yes, Captain Cold was quite the fickle horndog. His Silver-Age infatuations were, in order:
Iris West, reporter for the Picture News "The Big Freeze", The Flash # 114 (Aug., 1960)
Priscilla "Dream Girl" Varner, television model "The Heat is On for Captain Cold", The Flash # 140 (Nov., 1963)
Ayesha, the Marharanee of Jodapur "Captain Cold's Polar Perils", The Flash # 150 (Feb., 1965)
"Miss Fashion Gem of Central City", fashion model "Tempting Target for the Temperature Twins", The Flash # 166 (Dec., 1966)
Laura Lamont, former silent-film star "Captain Cold Blows His Cool", The Flash # 193 (Dec., 1969)
The funny thing about this issue was that Captain Cold and Heat Wave truly believed that by beating the Flash and each other, they would win Dream Girl's affections!
Because if I really wanted to impress a girl, dressing up in a gaudy costume and getting my hindquarters handed to me by the Fastest Man Alive* probably wouldn't be my "Plan A"! (Not even for Plan B!)
*Let's face it, if Heat Wave didn't show up, Captain Cold would have caught by Page 9, and the first 8 were all exposition!
I once had a trivia question at my panel of "What two villains fought over the affections of 'Dream Girl'?"
When I told them the answer, after they all missed it, Waid almost threw his horn at me. He of course knew what I meant as soon as I said Captain Cold.
Guys always think girls will be impressed by what would impress them. I've found it seldom works that way. Knowing what two villians fought over Dream Girl is a good example. The notion that she was going to be impressed by these two guys was pretty unlikely. But it was fun to watch CC try to win over his crush.
I always considered Captain Cold to be the Flash's arch nemesis. Prof. Zoom seems the obvious choice, but the best arch foes are the *opposite* of the hero (Luthor, Joker), and Captain Cold was all about slowing molecules down, while the Flash was about speeding them up.
-- MSA
As far as "dangerous" Flash foes go, to me it's:
Where do you put the Golden Glider?
Philip Portelli said:
I was focusing on the Silver Age Rogues but I'm glad that you brought up The Golden Glider, Travis. She was between a real threat (because she was psychotic and deadly) and a component adversary because she always gave the Flash a hard time. I would also rank her fellow Bronze Age Rogue, The Rainbow Raider, as compotent as the myriad uses of his powers could stump any hero.
Another thing about the Glider was when they created a female Rogue, they prevented any romantic tangles with Captain Cold by making her....his sister!
The Thinker: "You have a sister, Len Snart."
Captain Cold: "The Golden Glider...she's my sister!"
The Thinker: "Your instincts serve you well."
Captain Cold: "What instincts?? She's the only girl here!"
Of course, then they had to match her up with the Spinning Heel, the Top!
After I read this thread, I wasn't sure we had hashed out all of the ages yet.
Philip Portelli said:
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