WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Flash #772, by Jeremy Adams, Will Conrad, Alex Sinclair and Steve Wands, on sale now.
While the Flash has run against some of the fiercest supervillains in the DC Universe, his usual set of rogues come with their own noted code of honor, with several going so far as to reform completely and become heroes in their own right. However, one longtime supervillain that has since found redemption in the Arrowverse has taken a decidedly different route in the comic books as the Infinite Frontier era continues in The Flash #772, by Jeremy Adams, Will Conrad, Alex Sinclair and Steve Wands.
And now, Heat Wave wants to burn as much of the DC Universe as he can to the ground in one last fiery show of destruction.
After quietly taking chemotherapy treatments in Central City, Mick Rory learns from his doctor that the cancer he has been battling for months has spread throughout his body and his prognosis appears to be terminal. Urged to get his final affairs in order and enjoy his final days doing what he loves the most, Rory reclaims his supervillain identity as Heat Wave with decided gusto and, for his first order of business, sets the hospital on fire. As Wally West settles back into his own reclaimed role as the DCU's main Scarlet Speedster and races into action to evacuate the building, Wally discovers Heat Wave waiting for him, with the Fastest Man Alive having apparently run headfirst into a fiery ambush.
In the Arrowverse, Rory was a longtime criminal partner of Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold, with Snart giving him his signature heat gun after stealing it, leading the pyromaniacal Rory to create the supervillain persona Heat Wave. Rory and Snart's dynamic remained close, if occasionally conflicted and distrustful of one another before the two joined the Legends of Tomorrow to save the DCTV timeline from the threat of Vandal Savage. Rory would betray the time-traveling heroes on at least two occasions before seeing the error of his ways when he temporarily sided with the Legion of Doom, overthrowing the supervillain team and remaining a gruff fixture on the Legends ever since.
While the DCU Heat Wave has definitely learned more towards remaining a supervillain, he has gone as far as to work with his fellow Rogues towards the greater good on more than one occasion. During Final Crisis, Heat Wave worked with the Rogues to murder the villainous speedster Inertia when he tricked them into killing Bart Allen, and similarly turned on the young Captain Boomerang Owen Mercer during Blackest Night when he revealed he had been responsible for killing children. During the New 52 era, Heat Wave defended Central City twice against a greater threat: First Gorilla Grodd's invading army and then against the Crime Syndicate of America during the crossover event Forever Evil.
With his time on Earth evidently limited, Mick Rory has gone back to doing what he does best: Burning everything that stands in his way to the ground. Wally may be suited back up as the Flash, and with a recent power boost from his recent ordeals through the unstable Speed Force, but he has crossed paths with a Heat Wave more determined than ever that set the world on fire.
With nothing to lose, Heat Wave may have just become the most dangerous man in Central City as he ignites one last blazing rampage.