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Weather Wizard

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Weather Wizard
Weather Wizard as depicted in The Flash vol. 2 #175 (August 2001). Art by Scott Kolins and Doug Hazlewood.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceThe Flash #110 (December 1959).
Created byJohn Broome
Carmine Infantino
In-story information
Alter egoMark Mardon
Marco Mardon
Species(Mark):
Metahuman
(Marco):
Human
Place of originNew Earth
Team affiliationsSecret Society of Super Villains
Rogues
Abilities(Mark):
  • Weather manipulation
  • Genius-level intellect

(Marco):

  • Wand proficiency
  • Mechanical aptitude

Weather Wizard (Mark Mardon) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Weather Wizard made his first live-action appearance in the television specials Legends of the Superheroes (1979), played by Jeff Altman. The character latter appeared in the television series The Flash, played by actor Liam McIntyre, who played Mark Mardon. He appeared in the 2014 first, second and fifth season of the series. Clyde Mardon appeared in the 2014 pilot episode of The Flash, played by actor Chad Rook. In the fifth and sixth seasons, a female version called the Weather Witch is played by Reina Hardesty and is the estranged daughter of Mark Mardon.

Publication history

Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character made his first appearance in The Flash #110 (December 1959).[1]

Fictional character biography

The Weather Wizard, in his original costume, on the cover of The Flash #145 (June 1964). Art by Carmine Infantino (pencils) and Murphy Anderson (inks)

Early life

Escaping a prison transport by leaping from the window, Mark Mardon fled to his brother's house only to find him dead. Mardon's brother, Clyde, a scientist, had just discovered a way to control the weather before dying of a heart attack (although recent evidence implies that Mardon murdered his brother and either lied about or blocked out the memory of finding his body[2]). Mardon took Clyde's notes and used them to make a wand to generate weather and embarked on a criminal career as the Weather Wizard, sometimes using his powers on a small scale (such as zapping someone with lightning) and sometimes a larger scale (imprisoning a town in winter), almost always facing defeat by the Flash (Barry Allen).[3]

After Barry Allen's death during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Weather Wizard went into semi-retirement for a while, until, during Underworld Unleashed, he teamed up with other Rogues which included Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Captain Boomerang, and Mirror Master, as part of a ploy for greater power. Ultimately, it ended with their deaths and the release of the demon Neron. They were later resurrected as soulless demons by Neron to use against Barry Allen's successor Wally West, who manipulated Neron to return the Rogues' souls. The Weather Wizard and the others, except for Heat Wave, returned to a life of crime.

Weather Wizard joined up with Blacksmith and her rogues. Through her, he learns he has a son from a one-night stand with Keystone City police officer Julie Jackham. Their son, Josh, had exhibited internalized weather-controlling abilities and Mardon wanted to have the same ability without the use of his wand. He tried to kidnap Josh from Wally's wife, Linda and dissect him to understand out how his son gained that ability, but hesitated to harm the child when he noticed that the child had "my eyes...my brother's eyes". He was stopped by Flash and sent to Iron Heights, but escaped. After Blacksmith's group disbanded, the Weather Wizard, along with Mirror Master and Trickster, joined up with Captain Cold, who declared himself the leader of the Rogues. Mardon was also the representative of the rogues for the Secret Society of Super Villains.

One Year Later

One Year Later, he and several other Rogues are approached by Inertia with a plan to kill the Flash (then Bart Allen). Inertia destroyed Weather Wizard's wand and used 30th century psychological therapies to remove the mental blocks which prevented him from using his powers without it. Though Inertia is eventually defeated, the other Rogues beat Bart to death, Weather Wizard using his control over lightning to electrocute him. After Allen's identity was revealed, Mardon was surprised and horrified to discover that the Rogues had "killed a kid".[4]

Salvation Run

Weather Wizard is one of the exiled villains featured in Salvation Run along with his fellow Rogues: Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Mirror Master, and Abra Kadabra.

Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge

He was seen as the member of Rogues who joined Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains. In the Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge series, however, Weather Wizard and the rest of the Rogues reject Libra's offer, wanting to stay out of the game (Captain Cold even berates Mirror Master for working with scum like Dr. Light). Before they can retire, they hear of Inertia escaping and decide to stick around long enough to get revenge for being used.[5] In retaliation, Libra kidnaps Josh and tries to get Mardon to join the Society, threatening to kill the boy if he does not, to which Mardon responds: "If I killed my brother, Libra, if I electrocuted the only person who ever cared about me, what makes you think I care anything about that child?" Libra then taunts Mardon to prove him wrong. Mardon is hesitant to make a move when Inertia kills the boy himself, and Mardon joins his fellow Rogues in defeating and killing Inertia.[6]

The Flash (Vol. 3)

Weather Wizard 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.[7] Afterward, Mardon is still on the run with the Rogues.[8]

The New 52

In The New 52 timeline, while Weather Wizard's past with Barry Allen remains almost unchanged, his origins are slightly different. Now called Marco Mardon he and his brother, Claudio, are Latino and the heads of an organized crime family. After their father's death Marco runs away, eventually becoming the Weather Wizard, but is called back after Claudio's murder. The Flash, looking for Patty Spivot who had been kidnapped, later attacks and submits Mardon forcing Elsa, his brother's widow, to reveal she was the kidnapper and also Claudio's killer. This revelation drives Marco to the edge, making him attempt a suicide-murder by calling lightning to strike himself and Elsa, but he survives and is approached by the Golden Glider for an unknown plot.[9]

In the Watchmen sequel Doomsday Clock, Weather Wizard and his fellow Rogues are among the villain that attend the underground meeting held by Riddler that talks about the Superman Theory.[10]

Powers, abilities, and equipment

Weather Wizard originally wields a wand that enables him to control weather patterns. Mark has utilized it to project blizzards, summon lightning bolts, fly via air currents, create fog, and generate winds. Essentially, he could produce any type of weather imaginable, as well as other phenomenon, such as tornadoes.[11] Thanks to Inertia's 30th century psychological therapies, his mental blocks were permanently removed. Weather Wizard can now manipulate the weather without his wand.

In The New 52 reality, Marco Mardon returns to utilize his weather wand, but reveals that the device drove him crazy.

Other versions

Earth-33

A version of Weather Wizard exists on Earth-33, a world of magicians.[12]

New Rogues

The New Rogues version of Weather Wizard is Weather Witch, an unknown woman and former prostitute from Gotham City who possesses the Weather Wand.[13]

Flashpoint

In the alternate timeline of the Flashpoint event, Weather Wizard was imprisoned in Iron Heights. Weather Wizard is then confronted by Mirror Master, who assembles the Rogues.[14] Weather Wizard then escaped from Iron Heights and pursued revenge against Citizen Cold for murdering his brother, Clyde.[15] Citizen Cold killed Weather Wizard revealing that his brother, Clyde hired Citizen Cold to kill him, but Citizen Cold also tells him that to do it for free.[16]

Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew

The 1980s series Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew presented the parallel Earth of "Earth-C-Minus", a world populated by talking animal superheroes that paralleled the mainstream DC Universe. Earth-C-Minus features the villainous "Weather Weasel", a weasel counterpart of the Weather Wizard, who battles his nemesis, the hero known as the Crash.[17]

25th Century Weather Wizard

A futuristic version Weather Warlock is a heroic Weather Wizard as part of the 25th Century cops known as the Renegades from Professor Zoom's future.[8]

In other media

Television

Liam McIntyre (left) and Chad Rook (right) portray Mark and Clyde Mardon respectively on The CW's The Flash.

DC Animated Universe

Weather Wizard appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU):

  • Weather Wizard appears in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Speed Demons", voiced by Miguel Ferrer. This version is a former extortionist from Central City and brother of Ben Mardon. Weather Wizard takes advantage of Superman and the Flash's competition for the title of the "fastest man alive" to siphon their energy to power his weather-manipulating machinery and track their coordinates, both through arm bands the pair are wearing. However, the heroes discover Weather Wizard's plans and defeat him with Ben's help.
  • Weather Wizard appears in the Justice League two-part episode "Hereafter", voiced by Corey Burton. He joins the Superman Revenge Squad to pursue their eponymous goal. However, while fighting the Justice League, he is defeated by Batman.
  • Weather Wizard appears in Justice League Unlimited, voiced again by Corey Burton. As of the episode "I Am Legion", he has joined Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society. Prior to and during the episode "Alive!", Lex Luthor gains control of the Society, but Grodd mounts a mutiny. Weather Wizard sides with the latter, but is frozen by Killer Frost and killed off-screen by Darkseid along with Grodd's other loyalists.

Film

Video games

Miscellaneous

  • A second Weather Wizard resembling the mainstream incarnation appears in issue #38 of the Justice League Unlimited tie-in comic book. This unnamed Weather Wizard unsuccessfully attempts to defeat the Flash and Wonder Woman with help from Giganta, the Top, and the Mirror Master.[20]
  • Weather Wizard appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic as a member of the Rogues, who work with Batman's Insurgency to cripple Superman's Regime, until he is killed by Bizarro.

References

  1. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 325. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^ Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge #2
  3. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 370. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
  4. ^ All Flash #1
  5. ^ Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge #1
  6. ^ Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge #3
  7. ^ Flash Secret Files and Origins (2010)
  8. ^ a b The Flash (vol. 3) #1 (April 2010)
  9. ^ The Flash (vol. 4) #10 (June 2012)
  10. ^ Doomsday Clock #6 (July 2018). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe Vol 1 #25 (March 1987)
  12. ^ Countdown to Adventure #3
  13. ^ Gotham Underground #3
  14. ^ Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 (June 2011)
  15. ^ Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #2 (July 2011)
  16. ^ Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #3 (August 2011)
  17. ^ Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew #14, April 1983
  18. ^ "Behind the Scenes with the Flash" The Flash TV Special, no. 1 (1991).
  19. ^ Starnes, Joshua (2014-07-27). "Comic-Con: Recap of DC Entertainment Night Featuring Arrow, The Flash and Constantine". Superhero Hype. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  20. ^ Justice League Unlimited #38
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