The Flash’s 15 Greatest Villains Ranked

It has long been acknowledged that Bat-Man and Spider-Man have the best rogues galleries in comics, but not far behind is The Flash. Both Barry Allen and Wally West have had to deal with some of the most interesting bad guys in the genre.
15. Malcolm Thawne – Cobalt Blue

Malcolm Thawne as introduced as the secret twin brother to Barry Allen by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn and Jim Aparo. Unlike Barry, who was raised with love, Cobalt Blue was raised by the evil Thawne family. He would be a thorn in the side of both Barry and Wally before being defeated for good.
14. Frances Kane – Magenta

During his Kid Flash days with the Teen Titans, Wally West dated Frankie Kane, who also had powers, but didn’t cut it as a hero. After developing a split personality, she became a villain and had to be stopped in a gentle manner by Wally.
13. Clifford DeVoe – The Thinker

The Thinker didn’t begin as a villain to Barry or Wally, but to Jay Garrick, the original Flash. A former lawyer, he believed he was smarter than most criminals and used a metal thinking cap to project mental force. He was a key villain in Season 4 of CW’s The Flash.
12. Lisa Snart – Golden Glider

Lisa Snart is the Golden Glider, a villain with Olympic-level skating ability who uses experimental skates and gadgets to keep up with and cause trouble for the Flash. She began teaming up with the Top, but will also team up with her brother Captain Cold on occasion.
11. Nanaue – King Shark

Born in Hawaii, the anthropomorphic Nanaue became the King of All Sharks. He has faced off against several superheroes including the Flash. Perhaps the best fight for King Shark came when he took on Gorilla Grodd.
10. Mark Mardon – Weather Wizard

One of many classic villains created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, Weather Wizard first appeared in Flash 110, the same issue that introduced Wally West. Using a weather wand created by his brother Clyde, Mardon has long been a problem for the Flash.
9. James Jesse – The Trickster

The Trickster is a pretty simple villain. He uses all kinds of gadgets and gags to cause trouble for the Flash and other heroes. He also has some heroic impulses at one point sacrificing himself to save the Pied Piper before being revived in The New 52.
8. Digger Harkness – Captain Boomerang

Raised in poverty in Australia, Digger Harkness developed an incredible skill with the boomerang. He would later use these skills to become an adversary to The Flash. Captain Boomerang is also a noted member of the Suicide Squad.
7. Evan McCullough – Mirror Master

Evan McCullough is the second Mirror Master, having been given Sam Scudder’s equipment by a group who wants him to commit crimes for them. McCullough, who used mirror technology to trap the Flash, is among his most powerful villains.
6. Mick Rory – Heat Wave

Heat Wave, who first appeared in The Flash 140, is a pyromaniac who uses his homemade flamethrower to commit crimes, often teaming with Captain Cold. Like Cold, he sometimes looks like he wants to reform, but his addiction to flames typically gets the better of him.
5. Harley Rathaway – The Pied Piper

Harley Rathaway is another Flash villian created by Broome and Infantino and was based on a legend from the Middle Ages. Using sound to hyponotize people, he began as a super villain. Over time Rathaway chose to reform and became an important member of the Flash Family.
4. Gorilla Grodd

A gigantic gorilla, Grodd is among the most imposing of the Flash’s enemies. But he’s not just big, Grodd is also super intelligent, telepathic and driven by a deep hatred. He has fought several other DC heroes, but none more than the Scarlett Speedster.
3. Eobard Thawne – Reverse Flash

A villain from the future, Thawne was originally known as Professor Zoom, but is now more oftern referred to as The Reverse Flash. Obsessed with Barry Allen and focused on destroying his life. Thawne has been killed and resurrected multiple times.
2. Hunter Zolomon – Zoom

Hunter Zolomon was created by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins and soon developed into Wally West’s archenemy. Like Eobard Thawne, Zoom can challenge the Flash with his speed, but Zolomon has a ruthless streak that makes him even more dangerous.
1. Leonard Snart – Captain Cold

Making his first appearance in Showcase 8, Cold has long been a thorn in the side of The Flash. But it is the character’s gray area and code that make him the best adversary the Flash has ever faced. The character is studied ever deeper in the Arrowverse.