Captain Cold
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Captain Cold (Leonard Snart) is a
supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are oft ...
appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
. He is the leader of the Rogues, a loose criminal association, as well as the older brother of Golden Glider. An adversary of the various superheroes known as the
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid ...
, he has served as one of Barry Allen's archenemies, both adversary and begrudging ally of
Wally West Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics as the original Kid Flash and the third Flash (DC Comics character), Flash. His power consists mainly of speedster (fiction), superhuman speed. ...
, and one of the killers of Bart Allen. As part of 2011's
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
reboot, Captain Cold and his team live by a code to never kill. The character has been substantially adapted from the comics into various forms of media, including television series and video games. Actor
Wentworth Miller Wentworth Earl Miller III (born June 2, 1972) is an American-British actor and screenwriter. He rose to prominence following his starring role as Michael Scofield in the Fox series ''Prison Break'', for which he received a nomination for the ...
portrayed Captain Cold in
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
's
Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed. ...
television series ''
The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' and ''
Legends of Tomorrow ''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'', or simply ''Legends of Tomorrow'', is an American Time travel in fiction, time travel superhero fiction, superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klem ...
''. In 2009, Captain Cold was ranked as
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
’s 27th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.


Publication history

Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character made his first appearance in ''
Showcase Showcase or vitrine may refer to: *Cabinet (furniture) *Display case Music * ''Showcase'' (Bill Anderson album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Patsy Cline album), 1961 * ''Showcase'' (Buddy Holly album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Philly Joe Jones album), 1959 ...
'' #8 (June 1957).


Fictional character biography

Leonard Snart was raised by an abusive father and took refuge with his grandfather, who worked in an ice truck. When his grandfather died, Snart grew tired of his father's abuse and set out to start a criminal career. Snart joined up with a group of small-time thieves and in planning out a robbery, each was issued a gun and a visor to protect their eyes against the flashes of gunfire. This visor design would later be adapted by Snart into his trademark costume. In recent years he has added a radio receiver to them which picks up the police band to monitor local law enforcement. Snart and the other thugs were captured by the Flash and imprisoned. Snart decided to go solo, but knew he had to do something about the local hero, the Flash. DC Comics lists Leanord Snart's height as 6 Feet 2 Inches tall; In notable games that include Captain Cold like
Injustice 2 ''Injustice 2'' is a 2017 fighting video game it is the sequel to 2013's '' Injustice: Gods Among Us'' and is the second installment in the ''Injustice'' franchise based upon the DC Universe. It is developed by NetherRealm Studios and publishe ...
, his sprite appears to be similar to most characters. Snart read an article that theorized that the energy emissions of a
cyclotron A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator invented by Ernest O. Lawrence in 1929–1930 at the University of California, Berkeley, and patented in 1932. Lawrence, Ernest O. ''Method and apparatus for the acceleration of ions'', filed: Jan ...
could interfere with the Flash's speed. He designed a weapon to harness that power and broke into a cyclotron lab, intending to use the device to charge up his experimental gun. As he was finishing his experiment, a security guard surprised Snart. Intending to use his gun only to scare the guard, he inadvertently pulled the trigger and discovered that his weapon had been altered in a way he had never imagined. The moisture in the air around the guard froze. Intrigued by this twist of fate, Snart donned a
parka A parka or anorak is a type of coat with a hood, often lined with fur or faux fur. This kind of garment is a staple of Inuit clothing, traditionally made from caribou or seal skin, for hunting and kayaking in the frigid Arctic. Some Inuit ...
and the aforementioned visor and declared himself to be Captain Cold - the man who mastered absolute zero. Snart then committed a series of non-lethal crimes, on one occasion placing the city in suspended animation in an attempt to force
Iris West Iris West is a fictional character, a supporting character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She has been the main love interest and later wife of Barry Allen, the alter ego of the Silver Age version of the superhero The ...
to marry him as he had fallen in love with her when he saw her in the prison, but the Flash got through a wall of ice and was able to reverse the process. He later fell in love with a newscaster, and competed with
Heat Wave A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
(in his first appearance) over her in a crime spree, but they were both beaten by the Flash. But after Barry Allen's death, during the ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths "Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Mar ...
'', Captain Cold became a
bounty hunter A bounty hunter is a private agent working for bail bonds who captures fugitives or criminals for a commission or bounty. The occupation, officially known as bail enforcement agent, or fugitive recovery agent, has traditionally operated outsid ...
with his sister Lisa, the Golden Glider. During the events of ''
Underworld Unleashed ''Underworld Unleashed'' was a multi-title American comic book crossover event released by DC Comics in 1995. The main theme of ''Underworld Unleashed'' involved the new ruler of Hell, a demon-lord named Neron, offering first many of the DC ...
'', Captain Cold lost his soul to Neron but Wally West brought it back to the land of the living. He soon returned to crime, this time a member of Wally's Rogues Gallery. The Rogues had first been assembled when another Flash foe, the super-intelligent
Gorilla Grodd Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain character appearing in American comic books and other media published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in ''The F ...
had broken them out of jail to distract the Flash. The Golden Glider had abandoned her bounty hunter career and had started partnering with a series of thugs who she dressed in a costume, armed with a copy of Captain Cold's signature Cold Gun, and called Chillblaine. Already distraught over the death of her lover, the
Top A spinning top, or simply a top, is a toy with a squat body and a sharp point at the bottom, designed to be spun on its vertical axis, balancing on the tip due to the gyroscopic effect. Once set in motion, a top will usually wobble for a few ...
, it seemed that the supposed death of her brother pushed her over the edge. But the last Chillblaine was a little smarter and more vicious. He murdered the Golden Glider, prompting Captain Cold to hunt him down, torture him and kill him by freezing his outer layer of skin and then pushing him off a high rise building. Not long after that, Snart was framed by a new incarnation of
Mister Element Doctor Alchemy is a name used by three different supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The most notable was Albert Desmond, who originally used the name of Mister Element. Publication history The character of Alb ...
. He used his Element Gun to simulate Cold's gun, using ice and cold to murder several police officers before Captain Cold and the Flash discovered who was actually responsible. With the death of his sister, and having killed Chillblaine and Mr. Element in vengeance, Cold has again become an unrepentant criminal. However, during a confrontation with
Brother Grimm This article lists all the known enemies of Flash. Golden Age The Golden Age Flash enemies were all villains of the first Flash, Jay Garrick, later portrayed as living on Earth-Two after the introduction of the Silver Age Flash. In chronologic ...
, Cold actually worked with Wally West to defeat the powerful magic user, although this was mainly because he and
Mirror Master Mirror Master is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a recurring foe of the Flash (comics), Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Three ...
had been betrayed by Grimm and wanted revenge. Captain Cold was declared the leader of the Flash's Rogues Gallery. His skill and experience have made him a strong leader to the likes of the
Weather Wizard Weather Wizard (Mark Mardon) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Weather Wizard made his first live appearance in the television series '' The Flash'', played by actor Liam McIntyre, who played Mark Mardon. He appear ...
, the new
Trickster In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwi ...
, the new
Mirror Master Mirror Master is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a recurring foe of the Flash (comics), Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Three ...
, and the new Captain Boomerang. Len seems to have taken the young Captain Boomerang under his wing, after the elder Boomerang was recently killed. Tabloids rumored that Captain Cold's sister, the Golden Glider, was Boomerang's mother, making him Captain Cold's nephew. This turned out to be false, however, as the new Boomerang's mother has been revealed to be
Meloni Thawne Meloni is an Italian surname. Notable people with the name include: People Arts and entertainment *Christopher Meloni (born 1961), American actor *Claude Méloni (born 1940), French baritone *Marco Meloni Marco Meloni (Active 15th-16th centur ...
, who is also the mother of Bart Allen. Despite his more ruthless nature as of late, Captain Cold's heart is not completely frozen, evidenced by having sent flowers to honor Sue Dibny, murdered wife of the Elongated Man. Traditionally, Captain Cold is driven by three things: money, women, and the desire to beat Barry Allen. Although not the lecher that Captain Boomerang was, Len Snart has an eye for the ladies, particularly models. When Barry Allen died, Captain Cold drifted for a while, jumping back and forth over the lines of crime and justice. He was captured by the Manhunter and served time in the
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
, worked with his sister as a bounty hunter (Golden Snowball Recoveries), and, with his longtime friend and sometimes nemesis
Heat Wave A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
, encountered
Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
and
Ice Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaqu ...
of the
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
. He has teamed up with various villains over the years other than the many Rogues. These include
Catwoman Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
and the Secret Society of Super Villains. His favorite baseball team is the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
.


"One Year Later"

In the 2006 "
One Year Later "One Year Later" is a 2006 comic book storyline running through books published by DC Comics. It involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Universe following the events of the ''Infinite Crisis'' storyline, to explore ...
" storyline, he and several other Rogues are approached by
Inertia Inertia is the idea that an object will continue its current motion until some force causes its speed or direction to change. The term is properly understood as shorthand for "the principle of inertia" as described by Newton in his first law ...
with a plan to kill the Flash (then Bart Allen). Though Inertia was defeated, Captain Cold, Weather Wizard, Heat Wave, Mirror Master and Abra Kadabra killed Bart with a combined barrage of their elemental weapons. He, Heat Wave, and Weather Wizard seemed to express guilt, however, after learning the identity of the Flash and how young he was.


''Salvation Run''

Captain Cold is one of the exiled villains featured in the 2007-08 miniseries ''
Salvation Run ''Salvation Run'' is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie into the company's major event series ''Final Crisis'' in 2008. Premise The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R. Martin, ...
'' along with his fellow Rogues:
Heat Wave A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in the ...
,
Weather Wizard Weather Wizard (Mark Mardon) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Weather Wizard made his first live appearance in the television series '' The Flash'', played by actor Liam McIntyre, who played Mark Mardon. He appear ...
,
Mirror Master Mirror Master is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a recurring foe of the Flash (comics), Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Three ...
, and Abra Kadabra.


''Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge''

In the 2008 miniseries '' Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge'', Captain Cold and the Rogues briefly joined
Libra Libra generally refers to: * Libra (constellation), a constellation * Libra (astrology), an astrological sign based on the star constellation Libra may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Libra'' (novel), a 1988 novel by Don DeLillo Musi ...
's Secret Society of Super Villains. In '' Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge'' story, however, Cold and the rest of the Rogues reject Libra's offer, wanting to stay out of the game. Before they can retire, they hear of Inertia escaping and decide to stick around long enough to get revenge for being used. Cold and his group are challenged by a new set of Rogues, formed by Libra to be their replacements. The new group, having kidnapped Cold's father, challenge the Rogues, and are defeated and killed. Cold goes to his father, talking to him about the abuse he suffered, and the fate of his sister. After the elder Snart insults him and his mother, calling them weak, Cold punches him, but finds himself unable to kill him, instead getting Heat Wave to do it. The Rogues have their confrontation with Inertia, despite interference by Zoom and Libra, and kill Inertia. Libra then reveals that he needs the Rogues because Barry Allen has returned from the dead, and the Flashes are potential threats to him and Darkseid. Though shocked by the news that Allen is alive, Cold still rejects his offer of membership. After regrouping, Cold and the other Rogues agree not to retire, claiming that the game is back on. In "Final Crisis" #7, someone that looks like Captain Cold appears as a Justifier and is seen fighting the Female Furies alongside the other Justifiers under Lex Luthor's control.


''The Flash: Rebirth''

In the 2009 '' The Flash: Rebirth'' miniseries, Captain Cold is seen with the other Rogues, reading about Barry Allen's return and claiming that they would need more of the Rogues. The Rogues are still debating Allen's return, with Cold saying it's time to pull out their contingency plan that
Scudder Scudder, a surname, may refer to: People * Bernard Scudder, translator from Icelandic to English * Edward W. Scudder (1822-1893), Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court * Horace Scudder, American editor * Henry Scudder (clergyman) (d. 1659?), E ...
came up with, stating ''"In case The Flash returns, break glass."''


"Blackest Night"

In the 2009–2010 "
Blackest Night "Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Ni ...
" storyline, the Rogues realize that the bodies of various dead Rogues are missing and prepare to fight them. Captain Cold knows that his sister, the Golden Glider, is among the reanimated Black Lanterns but is still ready to lead the Rogues against the zombies. He is confronted by the Black Lantern Glider, who attempts to use his feelings of love for her against him. However, Captain Cold manages to suppress these feelings long enough for him to fight back, freezing her within a block of ice. He subsequently kills Owen Mercer by throwing him into a pit with his Black Lantern father when he learns that Owen has been feeding people to his father in the belief that consuming flesh will restore him to life, informing Owen that Rogues do not kill women and children.


''The Flash'' (Vol. 3)

In ''The Flash'' vol. 3, Captain Cold and the Rogues visit Sam Scudder's old hideout and unveil a giant mirror with the words ''In Case of Flash: Break Glass'' written on it and release beings from a Mirror World upon breaking it. However, Captain Cold is told by Mirror Master he had discovered that the giant mirror is actually a slow acting poison.


''The Flash'' (Vol. 5)

In ''The Flash'' vol. 5, Captain Cold and his Cold Gun has allowed him to gain the power of Weather Manipulation. Snart's control over Temperatures allowed him to create a Massive Snowstorm over Central City.


The New 52

In the timeline of the 2011 company-wide reboot of all its superhero titles,
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
, Captain Cold is reintroduced as a younger man than in the previous timeline and now with his Rogues lives with a code to never kill. His origin remains the same, however, his sister Lisa has not been the Golden Glider, and is instead dying of
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
. Upon learning that the hospital does not have enough energy to power a laser that could save her life, because of an EMP seemingly caused by the Flash, Cold blames him for everything that has happened to him, including a falling out with the Rogues, and decides to break the rules of their "game" and kill the Flash. Captain Cold has undergone experiments that have given him ice-based metahuman powers, including the ability to slow down the molecules around him, creating a field of inertia that reduces the Flash's speed to human level, allowing Captain Cold to touch him and effortlessly beat him. He and the Rogues are set to return, but later defeated them with help from Flash, and the
Pied Piper The Pied Piper of Hamelin (german: der Rattenfänger von Hameln, also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. The legend dates back to ...
. After freeing the Trickster and attending the meeting at the Justice League Watchtower, the Rogues return to Central and Keystone City, only to see that both have been destroyed by Gorilla Grodd. Grodd returns to Central City during the eclipse, while a ceremony commemorating Flash between the humans and gorillas is occurring. Grodd proceeds to take control of Central City as its king and renames it Gorilla City. Captain Cold sees the city's cops tied up from Grodd, and proceeds to free them. He then asks Mirror Master to help him get to the hospital where his sister is being held to check on her. While there, the Crime Syndicate send Black Bison, Hyena, Multiplex, Plastique and Typhoon to finish Grodd's work and destroy the hospital. The Rogues are able to hold them off, only to be interrupted by Deathstorm and Power Ring, who were sent by Ultraman to deal with the Rogues for resisting the Crime Syndicate's offer to join them. After battling Deathstorm and Power Ring, Deathstorm attacks Captain Cold and is able to extract his freezing powers from his DNA. Mirror Master attempts to get the Rogues out through the Mirror World, but Power Ring destroys the mirror causing the Rogues to be separated. Captain Cold ends up at Luthor and his Kryptonian clone's location where they are also joined by Black Manta, who has retrieved Black Adam from the ocean. Luthor realizes that, with the help of his clone, Black Adam, Black Manta, and Captain Cold, he may be able to stop the Crime Syndicate. Captain Cold and the rest of the squad, now joined by
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
,
Catwoman Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...
,
Sinestro Thaal Sinestro () (or simply Sinestro) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, particularly those featuring Green Lantern. Sinestro is a former Green Lantern Corps member who was dishonorably discharged for abu ...
and Deathstroke, infiltrate the fallen Watchtower, where Black Manta kills the Outsider and Cold proceeds to shatter
Johnny Quick Johnny Quick are two fictional DC Comics characters, each with the power of superhuman speed. The first was a superhero who first appeared in '' More Fun Comics'' #71 (September 1941) during the Golden Age. The other was a supervillain, an evil ve ...
's right leg after having frozen the molecules in it with his cold gun. He then unmasks the hooded prisoner brought over from
Earth-3 Earth-Three, or simply Earth-3 or Earth 3, is a “partially-reversed” Earth, where supervillainous counterparts of the mainstream DC superheroes reside. It first appeared in ''Justice League of America'' #29 (1964), and the concept has been r ...
, revealing it to be Alexander Luthor, who is their version of Shazam, Mazahs, who states he will kill them all.''Forever Evil'' #6 After defeating the crime syndicate, Captain Cold is pardoned by the U.S government, and becomes a member of the Justice League, along with Luthor.


DC Rebirth

Snart and the Rogues first made a cameo appearance in the
DC Rebirth DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the D ...
's storylines; they are fleetingly watching a news report about the many newly created speedsters appearing throughout the city in ''The Flash'' vol. 5 #3. Snart quips that it is time for the Rogues to leave Central City for a while. Visually the Rogues still seem to be based upon their New 52 appearances in this cameo, though when Snart later appears in one of Flash's memory flashbacks he has resorted to an even older look. He and the other Rogues retain these costumes in their later appearances. Snart and the Rogues make their first full-length appearance in ''The Flash'' vol. 5 #15, where they are attempting to steal a valuable golden statue of the god Mercury from the small island nation of Corto Maltese. The Flash arrives to stop them, but they turn out to be constructs of Mirror Master laid so that the Rogues can commit a crime spree in Central City. Captain Cold reveals what he had been working on in his absence from the city—a "black ice gun" that uses the anti-Speed Force weaponry of the terrorist group Black Hole combined with his regular freeze gun. After a fight, the Golden Glider had a chance to kill the Flash, but was talked out of it by her fellow Rogues. Despite this setback, Flash manages to finally beat Snart and the rest of the Rogues without killing them. By the end of ''The Flash'' vol. 5 #17, Snart appears to be ready to take over Iron Heights from the more neophyte villains, including Papercut. In the ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 before being collected in a single-vo ...
'' sequel ''
Doomsday Clock The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists''. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity ...
'', Captain Cold and his fellow Rogues are among the villains that attend the underground meeting held by Riddler that talks about the Superman Theory.


Powers and abilities

Like the majority of the Flash's Rogues, Snart had no innate superhuman powers. He instead relied on his cold guns and instincts. Over the years, Snart had modified his weapons to allow a variety of effects such as: * A cold beam that freezes anything it hits instantly. * Creating a cold field where people and objects literally stop in their tracks. Cold uses this ability to slow down the Flash's movements. * Bathing his opponent in a wide beam of ice designed to freeze the skin of the target so they stay conscious and do not go numb to the pain. Cold used this to kill Chillblaine who murdered Cold's sister to make him suffer as much as possible. * Creating a slippery field of ice which can slow down the Flash. * Forming sharp stalagmites on the ground to impale his enemies. Used to kill Chillblaine after freezing the outer layer of his skin so he could inflict as much pain as possible. * An "ice grenade" which was stated to "turn this place into an iceberg". Used to freeze everything in a large radius, and the whole of Iron Heights during the events of ''
Blackest Night "Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Ni ...
''. * Creating "mirages" out of extreme cold-like heat. Fellow ice-based villain
Mr. Freeze Mr. Freeze is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Dave Wood, Sheldon Moldoff and Bob Kane, and first appeared in ''Batman'' #121 in February 1959 as the ice-based criminal Mr. Ze ...
has noted that Cold is the only cold-themed villain in the DC Universe to have mastered "absolute zero" with his weapons. In the New 52 universe, Captain Cold temporarily had meta-human ice powers, including the power to slow down the Flash or objects traveling at high velocities via molecular deceleration caused by Absolute Zero, but these powers are later lost in the ''
Forever Evil "Forever Evil" is a 2013–2014 crossover comic book storyline published by DC Comics that began in September 2013 and ended in May 2014, consisting of an eponymous, central miniseries written by Geoff Johns and art by David Finch. It is the fir ...
'' series when he is attacked by Deathstorm—the Earth-3 counterpart of
Firestorm A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used ...
—with Cold reverting to using his classic ice gun. Despite his lack of professional or technical expertise, Cold states that he spent so long analyzing the parts of his cold gun that he is able to recreate it in just over half an hour using parts stolen from a standard electronics shop. He's even skilled enough to program it for a host of unique effects simulating some of his powers; like his "Cold Field" which quick cools the atmosphere to the point that everything caught in it grinds to a halt, or an auto activation function which triggers his Cold Gun's freeze ray via vocalized password input. During the Rebirth storyline, Snart augmented his Cold Gun even further by combining it with the anti-Speed Force technologies by the science criminal cell called Black Hole. The newly christened Black Ice Gun now tacked directly into the Speed Force to painfully disrupt a speedster's connection to it. Snart's new cold gun was so powerful that not only could it hinder the Flash in the most excruciating way possible, it was vastly more powerful in scope, able to freeze both the harbor and several city blocks adjacent to their current location.


Other versions

*Captain Cold appears in
Darwyn Cooke Darwyn Cooke (November 16, 1962 – May 14, 2016) was a Canadian comics artist, writer, cartoonist, and animator who worked on the comic books ''Catwoman'', '' DC: The New Frontier'', '' The Spirit'' and '' Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter'' ...
's series '' DC: The New Frontier'', robbing a
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
casino where some DC heroes and others are attending a boxing match between
Cassius Clay Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, a ...
and Ted "Wildcat" Grant. Captain Cold freezes
Iris West Iris West is a fictional character, a supporting character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She has been the main love interest and later wife of Barry Allen, the alter ego of the Silver Age version of the superhero The ...
's hand while she is on the phone with Barry Allen. As the Flash, Barry races to Vegas and stops Captain Cold from freezing Vegas via cryogenic detonators. The Flash also rewires Cold's gun, causing it to backfire and trap the villain in a frozen water fountain. *In the ''
DC Super Friends The Imaginext System is a brand of role-playing, adventure toys designed for kids 3 or older made by Mattel, as part of their Fisher-Price brand. History At the time of its introduction at the 2002 Toy Fair,
'' universe, Captain Cold is part of a group of ice-themed villains called the "Ice Pack" that encases a city in ice and snow. *A teen version of Captain Cold known as Kid Kold appeared in the ''
Teen Titans Go! ''Teen Titans Go!'' is an American animated television series developed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Cartoon Network. It premiered on April 23, 2013 and is based on the DC Comics fictional superhero team. The series was announce ...
'' comic as an enemy of
Kid Flash Kid Flash is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first version of the c ...
. Like his adult counterpart, Kold had a sister who was also a supervillain, dubbed Ice Kate. *The 25th century Captain Cold is a hero named Commander Cold. He is the leader of a metahuman police force known as
The Renegades Renegades or The Renegades may refer to: Books * ''The Renegades'' by T. Jefferson Parker * Renegades (novel), a 2017 novel by Marissa Meyer Film and television * ''Renegades'' (1930 film), starring Myrna Loy * ''Renegades'' (1946 film), ...
. Commander Cold's face, in the one shot of it without his shades, shows an uncanny resemblance to Barry Allen. *Captain Cold had made two appearances in the animated-continuity comic ''
Justice League Adventures While Batman and Superman had their own animated series and comic book follow-ups, the rest of the characters in the would appear in the following comics often. ''The Batman Adventures'' ''The Batman Adventures'' was created as a comic book t ...
''. In issue #12, he and other ice-related villains encased an African city in ice. * The ''
New Rogues The Rogues is a group of supervillains from the comic book superhero the Flash, currently led by Captain Cold and including the Mirror Master, Heat Wave, the Golden Glider, the Weather Wizard, the Trickster, the Pied Piper, the Top, and Captai ...
'' version of Captain Cold is Chill, a unnamed man who possesses a cold gun. He and the team would leave the
Penguin Penguins (order (biology), order List of Sphenisciformes by population, Sphenisciformes , family (biology), family Spheniscidae ) are a group of Water bird, aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: on ...
's feud with Intergang to be under service to
Libra Libra generally refers to: * Libra (constellation), a constellation * Libra (astrology), an astrological sign based on the star constellation Libra may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Libra'' (novel), a 1988 novel by Don DeLillo Musi ...
who planned to kill Cold who later killed Chill. *In the alternate " Flashpoint" timeline, Snart is a hero going by the name Citizen Cold. He retains his current wardrobe and weaponry, and is Central City's main hero, with a museum similar to the
Flash Museum The Flash Museum is a fictional museum that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The museum is dedicated to the superheroes sharing the alias of the Flash, with its primary focus on Barry Allen. It first appeared in the 'B' story from ...
, and a Rogues Gallery similar to that of the Flash, though he has killed some of his opponents. It is hinted that his heroics are a cover to hide a terrible secret.''Flashpoint: Citizen Cold'' #1 (June 2011) He is contacted by
Cyborg A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
to join in the fight against
Aquaman Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially ...
and
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...
. When
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
refuses to join, Citizen Cold declines as well. After Citizen Cold defeats Mister Freeze, he returns home and sees a news report that his sister,
Lisa Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer * Lisa Komine (born 1978), J ...
, has been arrested for killing their brutal father. When
Wally West Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics as the original Kid Flash and the third Flash (DC Comics character), Flash. His power consists mainly of speedster (fiction), superhuman speed. ...
discovers Citizen Cold is a former low-level criminal, Cold freezes Wally in a block of ice. Later, Citizen Cold invites
Iris West Iris West is a fictional character, a supporting character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She has been the main love interest and later wife of Barry Allen, the alter ego of the Silver Age version of the superhero The ...
to dinner, but it is interrupted by calls that his sister Lisa has been kidnapped by the Rogues. Citizen Cold tries to rescue Lisa, but the Rogues attack him for revenge on what he did to them. Citizen Cold is too late and Lisa is killed. Citizen Cold is injured while escaping and collapses outside his car near Iris. Iris then brings him to her home. After he recovers, he gives her a key to his penthouse, and an offer to join him when he leaves Central City. He then kills the Rogues in revenge for what they did to his sister. When he returns home, he is confronted by Iris and the Pied Piper, who had revealed to her his murder of Wally. Citizen Cold attempts to kill Pied Piper, but Iris uses one of his own weapons to freeze him in a block of ice, just as he did to Wally. * In the "Forever Evil" storyline, the
Earth-3 Earth-Three, or simply Earth-3 or Earth 3, is a “partially-reversed” Earth, where supervillainous counterparts of the mainstream DC superheroes reside. It first appeared in ''Justice League of America'' #29 (1964), and the concept has been r ...
version of Leonard Snart is a police officer partnered with
Mick Rory Heat Wave (Mick Rory) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an enemy of The Flash and a member of The Rogues along with Captain Cold. Actor Dominic Purcell has portrayed the character in The CW's Arro ...
who has been pursuing
Jonathan Allen Jonathan Allen (born January 16, 1995) is an American football defensive tackle for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he won several defensive player of the year awards ...
and Atomica. The two supervillains capture Snart and Rory and force them to fight to the death. Snart loses, but Mick is killed by Jonathan. * Captain Cold appears in '' Injustice: Gods Among Us''. When
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
's parents are kidnapped by
Mirror Master Mirror Master is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a recurring foe of the Flash (comics), Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Three ...
, the Justice League begins a manhunt for the Rogues. Captain Cold first appears being confronted by the Flash in Central City. Cold reveals the location of a villains' bar called World's End in Keystone City as a possible place where Mirror Master should be. As Flash leaves, Cold asks him to "Do what you have to with Mirror Master but go easy on the rest of 'em, yeah? Heroes weren't the only ones lost in
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...
, you know?" The Flash leaves and Cold has not been seen since. Cold re-appears in the ''
Injustice 2 ''Injustice 2'' is a 2017 fighting video game it is the sequel to 2013's '' Injustice: Gods Among Us'' and is the second installment in the ''Injustice'' franchise based upon the DC Universe. It is developed by NetherRealm Studios and publishe ...
'' prequel comic. Following the events of the first game, Cold is shown to be a member of this universe's
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
. * Captain Cold is among the mind-controlled villains who attack the heroes as they assault Krona's Stronghold in ''
JLA/Avengers ''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, w ...
'' #4''.'' * Captain Cold appears in a chapter of the ''Teen Titans Go!'' comic “Party, Party!” called “Cold Blooded”, where when the Titans fight him, he uses his freeze blaster to freeze Robin (Dick Grayson) solid, which in the chapter is also the exact reason why he catches a cold.


In other media


Television


Live-action

* A variation of Captain Cold appeared in a self-titled episode of the 1990s ''
The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' TV series, portrayed Michael Campbell (musician and actor), Michael Champion. This version is Leonard Wynters, an infamous albino hitman who wields a nuclear-powered freeze weapon. * Captain Cold appears in the ''Smallville'' episode "Prophecy". This version is a member of Toyman's Marionette Ventures. * Leonard Snart (Arrowverse), Leonard Snart / Captain Cold appears in media set in the
Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed. ...
, portrayed by
Wentworth Miller Wentworth Earl Miller III (born June 2, 1972) is an American-British actor and screenwriter. He rose to prominence following his starring role as Michael Scofield in the Fox series ''Prison Break'', for which he received a nomination for the ...
. ** Leonard first appears as a recurring character in the 2014 ''
The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' TV series. Initially a regular criminal, he later obtains a "cold gun" created by Cisco Ramon (Arrowverse), Cisco Ramon capable of freezing anything to absolute zero and subdue speedsters from a black market arms dealer. After being dubbed "Captain Cold" and several defeats at the Barry Allen (Arrowverse), Flash's hands, Leonard joins forces with his former partner Mick Rory (Arrowverse), Mick Rory and his sister Lisa Snart (Arrowverse), Lisa Snart, both of whom also receive their own guns, and form the Rogues to battle the Flash and his allies across the The Flash (season 1), first and The Flash (season 2), second seasons before Leonard and Rory join the Legends (see below). Following this, a past version of Leonard appears in the The Flash (season 3), third season episode "Infantino Street". ** Leonard appears as a main character in ''
Legends of Tomorrow ''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'', or simply ''Legends of Tomorrow'', is an American Time travel in fiction, time travel superhero fiction, superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klem ...
''. In the Legends of Tomorrow (season 1), first season, he and Rory, among others, are recruited by Rip Hunter (Arrowverse), Rip Hunter to form the time-travelling Legends and prevent the immortal Vandal Savage (Arrowverse), Vandal Savage from conquering the world. The pair agree so they can steal valuables from across time. Following failed attempts to fix his past, Leonard works to reform himself, in the process developing a budding romance with teammate Sara Lance, who is slow to return his feelings. In the season finale, Leonard sacrifices himself to kill the Time Masters and save the Legends. In the Legends of Tomorrow (season 2), second season, Eobard Thawne (Arrowverse), Eobard Thawne recruits a past version of Leonard into his Legion of Doom (Arrowverse), Legion of Doom in exchange for preventing his death. However, the Legends eventually defeat the Legion, return Leonard to the point where Thawne retrieved him from, and erase his memories. ** An Multiverse (DC Comics), alternate universe version of Leonard named Leo Snart appears in the crossover event "Crisis on Earth-X". This version hails from "Earth-X (Arrowverse), Earth-X", a reality where the Nazis won World War II. Working for a resistance movement alongside his boyfriend, later husband, Ray Terrill (Arrowverse), Ray Terrill, Leo joins forces with heroes from Earth-1 (Arrowverse), Earth-1 to defeat Earth-X's army. Following this, Leo appears in the Legends of Tomorrow (season 3), third season of ''Legends of Tomorrow'' and ''The Flash'' episode "Fury Rogue". ** An A.I. based on Leonard appears in the crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse), Crisis on Infinite Earths".


Animation

* Captain Cold appears in ''Challenge of the Super Friends'', voiced by Dick Ryal. This version has pale blue skin and is a member of Lex Luthor's Legion of Doom. * Captain Cold appears in the ''Super Friends (1980 TV series), Super Friends'' episode "Revenge of Doom", in which he reunites with the Legion of Doom. * Captain Cold appears in the ''Justice League Unlimited'' episode "Flash and Substance", voiced by Lex Lang. This version is a member of the Rogues. * Captain Cold appears in the ''Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' episode "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!", voiced by Steve Blum. * Captain Cold appears in ''Young Justice (TV series), Young Justice'', voiced by Alan Tudyk. * Captain Cold appears in the "Animal Man" segment of ''DC Nation Shorts'', voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. * Captain Cold appears in ''Lego DC Comics: Batman Be-Leaguered'', voiced again by Kevin Michael Richardson. * Captain Cold appears in the intro of ''Justice League Action''. * Captain Cold makes non-speaking appearances in ''Harley Quinn (TV series), Harley Quinn''. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.


Film

* Captain Cold appears in ''Justice League: The New Frontier'', voiced by James Arnold Taylor. This version resembles his '' DC: The New Frontier'' counterpart. * Captain Cold appears in ''Superman/Batman: Public Enemies'', voiced by an uncredited Michael Gough (voice actor), Michael Gough. This version is a member of the "Cold Warriors". * Leonard Snart appears in ''Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox'', voiced by Danny Jacobs (actor), Danny Jacobs. This version is a member of the Rogues. Additionally, Citizen Cold makes a non-speaking appearance within the Flashpoint timeline. * Captain Cold appears in ''JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time'', voiced by Corey Burton. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom. * Captain Cold appears in ''Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League'', voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. * Captain Cold appears in ''Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack of the Legion of Doom'', voiced again by Kevin Michael Richardson. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom. * Captain Cold appears in ''Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash'', voiced again by Kevin Michael Richardson.


Video games

* Captain Cold appears in ''Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame'', voiced again by Steve Blum. * Captain Cold appears as a boss in ''DC Universe Online'', voiced by Ryan Wickerham. * Captain Cold appears as a playable character in ''
Injustice 2 ''Injustice 2'' is a 2017 fighting video game it is the sequel to 2013's '' Injustice: Gods Among Us'' and is the second installment in the ''Injustice'' franchise based upon the DC Universe. It is developed by NetherRealm Studios and publishe ...
'', voiced by C. Thomas Howell. This version is a member of
Gorilla Grodd Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain character appearing in American comic books and other media published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in ''The F ...
's Secret Society of Super Villains, Society. In his non-canonical arcade ending, Cold betrays Grodd upon discovering his partnership with Brainiac (character), Brainiac and freezes them for the authorities. Following this, Cold reforms and becomes the Flash (Barry Allen), Flash's partner in crime-fighting. * Captain Cold appears as a playable character in ''DC Unchained''.


''Lego'' series

* Captain Cold appears in ''Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes'', voiced again by Steve Blum. * Captain Cold appears as a playable character in ''Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham'', voiced by Robin Atkin Downes. * Captain Cold appears in ''Lego DC Super Villains'', voiced again by Steven Blum. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.


Miscellaneous

Captain Cold appears in ''DC Super Hero Girls'', voiced by Matthew Mercer. This version is a student at Super Hero High.


Merchandise

* Funko released a POP! vinyl figure of Captain Cold in their 2014 ''The Flash'' television series line A variant of this figure, without the hood and goggles, was later released as an Entertainment Earth exclusive. along with a Captain Cold POP! pin. * DC Collectibles released a figure of Captain Cold, based on his appearance in the 2014 ''The Flash'' TV series. * Lego released a minifig of Captain Cold in a two-pack with the Flash.


See also

* List of Flash enemies


References


External links


Alan Kistler's Profile On: THE FLASH
- A detailed analysis of the history of the Flash by comic book historian Alan Kistler. Covers information all the way from Jay Garrick to Barry Allen to today, as well as discussions on the various villains and Rogues who fought the Flash. Various art scans.
Arrowverse entry for Captain Cold
{{Superfriends series Villains in animated television series DC Comics male superheroes DC Comics male supervillains DC Comics metahumans Fictional murderers Fictional bounty hunters Fictional characters with albinism Fictional characters with ice or cold abilities Comics characters introduced in 1957 Characters created by Carmine Infantino Characters created by John Broome DC Comics television characters Fictional patricides Flash (comics) characters Suicide Squad members