Rainbow Raider on the Flash TV Series

Back in August I wrote also about one of DC's strangest villains Rainbow Raider, in it I wrote how I hoped that the character would appear on the Flash TV series. Well my wish came through, Roy G. Bivolo did appear on the show even if they didn't call him the Rainbow Raider, I'll take it as a win.

Here is a recap about who the Rainbow Raider is and why he should be a full fledged Rogue.

Created in 1957 by Cary Bates and Don Heck, Rainbow Raider made his first appearance in The Flash #286.  This issue is can be found for about $5. It is worth a look.

First Appearance
Roy G. Bivolo was a wonderful painter from an early age but he was also color-blind. His father could not except this for his son, so the famous optometrist created a device that would allow his son to see in full color. Upon the death of his father the device was given to Roy but it did not correct his color-blindness. These vision goggles did do was some other things like project beams of light that could become solid objects, make him invisible, blind his opponents, or affect the emotions of his opponents. Roy could no longer follow his career as an artist so  he chose a life of crime instead. He became the Rainbow Raider and joined Flash's Rogues Gallery.

On the Flash TV Series
Played by Paul Anthony Roy G. Bivol appeared in the Flash Vs. Arrow Episode of the Flash Series. He had the meta human power to control people's emotions. Sadly he did not wear the Rainbow Costum and he is called Prism instead of Rainbow Raider, true fans know who he was.

Rainbow Raider was produced as a figure for the first time in the Flash heroclix line.

You can read more about the Rainbow Raider other apperances in our last Rainbow Raider post titled DC Comics Most Colorful Villian.

Go on out there and hunt down his many appearances.

Good Luck on Your Hunt!

Heat Wave to appear on The Flash TV Series

This weeks marks the return of the Flash television series from its winter hiatus. They sure are starting off with a bang as it looks like the Rogues are starting to come together. Captain Cold will be joining forces with Heat Wave. We will look at the history of Heat Wave in this post, you can read about Captain Cold in one of our earlier posts.

Created in 1963 by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, Heat Wave made his first appearance in The Flash #140.  This issue is can be found in a CGC high grade for around $2,000. Lower ungraded for about $300. This issue also features the first team-up and battle between of Captain Cold and Heat Wave.

The Flash #140 CGC graded 9.8

First Appearance
In the story titled  "The Heat is on .... for Captain Cold", Captain Cold escapes prison in order to  win the hand of "the Dream Girl". Just as the Flash is about to defeat him he is shot from behind by Central City's newest villain, Heatwave. The Flash is blasted into unconsciousness. The two villians get away and Captain Cold invites Heatwave back to his secret lair. The two makes plans to be partners until Heat Wave also reveals he is after the hand of "Dream Girl".  The two begin to battle and trying to one-up each other until they have to battle the Flash again. 

They join forces again and begin firing their weapons at the Scarlet Speedster. The Flash uses his super speed to turn the duos respected weapons against the other. Again the Flash wins.

About Heat Wave

Mick Rory was born on a farm outside Central City. There he became obsessed with fire and one night he set his family home on fire killing them. He then went to live with his uncle where his pyromania continued, he burned down another home. Rory decided to join the circus as a fire eater. Upon seeing some of the other villains battling the Flash in Central City he decided to become Heat Wave. After battling Captain Cold a couple of times he is invited to join the Rogues.

On the Flash TV series
Heat Wave will be portrayed by Dominic Purcell. He makes his first appearance, although un-seen as Mick Rory in the episode "Going Rogue". He receives a heat gun from Captain Cold, Leonard Snart,  during the final scene of the episode. The two will team up in this weeks episode "Revenge of the Rogues." It is important to note that Captain Cold is played by Wentworth Miller, he and Purcell stared alongside one another in the show Prison Break. 

Heat Wave and Captain Cold

Heat Wave was originally supposed to appear as one of the villains for the greatest carton ever made,  Superfriends series, in a group called the League of Evil. He was replaced by Captain Cold and the group was renamed the Legion of Doom. 

Heat Wave did appear on Justice League Unlimted as a member of Gorilla Grood's Secret Society in the episode "To Another Shore".

Heat Wave on Justice League Unlimited

Enjoy the Flash and ....

Good Luck on Your Hunt!

The Flash #123 - Earth 2 returns or begins or rebegins

With the DC Universe Multiversity series continuing throughout the year and the Flash celebrating his 75th anniversary we thought it would be a good idea to look at the first appearance of the original Multiversity world, that being Earth-2.
Earth-Two was DC comics way of connecting their forgotten Golden Age characters with their new Silver Age characters. It first appeared in The Flash #123, released in 1961.

Prior to this historic issue, Alternative-reality Earths had been used in DC stories, but they usually only appeared in one particular story. Most of these alternative Earths were usually so vastly different that no one would confuse that Earth and its history with the so-called real Earth. All that would change with this Flash issue.

The title of the story was called "Flash of Two Worlds". In the story the Silver Age Flash Barry Allen accidentally vibrating at just the right speed to appear on Earth-Two, where he meets Jay Garrick, his Earth-Two counterpart. Barry Allen claims that Gardner Fox,  the original writer of the Flash, dreams were tuned into Earth-Two. Barry Allen was a comic book fan and took his name from Jay Garrick Flash.

Following this issue many other Golden Age heroes some long forgotten would appear throughout DC comics. The recent Multiversity titles explore other worlds outside of Earth-1.

How Much?
The Flash #123 is a highly sought after early Silver Age issue of the series. It has sold  recently in CGC graded 9.4 for $23,000. An ungraded copy will run you less then $100. This issue happens to be in the top 5 of my wantlist.

Good Luck on Your Hunt!

DC Scribblenauts Series 5

The Scribblenauts continue with series 5. It continues to amaze at the number of  DC characters that are being included in the figure series. Series 5 is no different,  the World's Greatest Superheroes and Villains in Scribblenauts style. 

Series 4 contains  8 different 2 1/4-inch tall mini-figures (some rarer than others), including Swamp Thing, Harley Quinn, Deathstroke, John Stewart Green Lantern, Alloy, Gold Flash and more! 

Fans should be happy that Swamp Things is getting some love. His title is being canceled in April, his last figure which was supposed to be in the Medicom Line was canceled. He was also supposed to be in series 4 of Scribblenauts but got pushed back to series 5, fingers crossed.

Good luck on your hunt!

DC Comics January Variant Covers - Flash Take-Over

If you have spent any time reading Comic Book Hunter & Gatherers then you know that I am a huge Flash fan. A large part of my collection and Wantlist consists of Flash related comics and collectibles. I am currently trying to complete the entire run of Barry Allen's Flash, only 35 to go.

When I heard that DC would be starting off 2015 celebrating The Flashes 75th Anniversay by doing a Flash variant cover month I was excited to say the least. Now that it is almost here I am looking forward to a big hunt for all the variants.
Each of the Flash variant covers are reimagined classic covers from comic history with the Flash inserted. Some such as the Detective Comics and Green Lantern are really great.

 To help other fans I have compiled a list of the Flash variant covers coming in January.

Good luck hunting them all down.

Justice League #38

Justice League Dark #38

Justice League United #8

Aquaman #38

Teen Titans #6

Wonder Woman #38

Superman #38

Action Comics #38

Batman #38

Detective Comics #38

Superman/Wonder Woman #15

Supergirl #30

Batman/Robin #38

Batgirl #38

Grayson #6

Catwoman #38

Harley Quinn #15

Green Lantern #38

Green Lantern Corps #38

Sinestro #9

The Flash HeroClix Collection

I guess maybe it's because The Flash is celebrating his 75th Anniversary this year or maybe it can be attributed to the new television show, either way heroclix has released a set dedicated to the Scarlet Speedster.

Figures contained within the set span the history of the Flash dating back to Jay Garrick all the way through the New 52 version of the Flash. Set includes allies, enemies, and the Rogues, many making their first Heroclix appearance.
Here at Comic Book Hunter and Gatherers we have produced the only checklist. How do we know it's the only one? Well we looked all over the Internet for one because I am trying to complete the set, the entire set.

Any questions or if you feel we missed any email us Farleyclan003@yahoo.com

#001a The Flash (Jay Garrick)
#001b The Flash (Jay Garrick) Clear
#002 Max Mercury
#003 Jesse Quick
#004 XS
#005 A.R.G.U.S. Agent
#006 Central City Police Officer
#007 STAR Labs Technician
#008 Gorilla City Soldier
#009 Mob Rule
#010 Samuroid
#011 Chill Baine
#012 Captain Boomerang 
#013 Trickster
#014 Girder
#015 Ragdoll
#016 Doctor
#017 Swift
#018 Steve Trevor
#019a The Flash (Barry Allen)
#019b Bizarro Flash
#020 Mirror Master
#021 Pied Piper
#022 Trickster
#023 Captain Boomerang 
#024 The Top
#025 Golden Girder
#026Rainbow Raider
#027 Reverse Flash (New 52)
#028 Tar Pit
#029 Fiddler
#030 Thorn
#031 Turtle
#032 Jerry Quanturn
#033 Jack Hawksmoor
#034 Amanda Waller
#035 Impulse
#036 Tornado Twins
#037a The Flash (Wally West)
#037b The Dark Flash
#038 Captain Cold
#039 Dr. Alchemy
#040 Weather Wizard
#041 Heat Wave
#042 Fallout
#043 Murmur
#044 Savitar
#045 Etrigan the Demon
#046 Harley Quinn
#047 Zoom
#048 Apollo
#049 Midnighter
#050 The Flash
#051 Elongated Man
#052 Captain Thunder (Flashpoint)
#053a Professor Zoom
#053b Zoom Black Lantern
#054 Abra Kadabra
#055 Cobalt Blue
#056 Gorilla Grodd
#057 Magenta
#058 Deathstroke (Flashpoint)
#059 The Shade
#060 The Engineer
#061 Jenny Sparks
#062 Pandora
#063 Phantom Stranger
#064 The Question

Good Luck on your Hunt for all of these wonderful HeroClix.