Weather Wizard

Superherobox|

caption=Weather Wizard, art by Scott Kolins
comic_color=background:#8080ff
character_name=Weather Wizard
real_name=Mark Mardon
publisher=DC Comics
debut="The Flash" #110 (December 1959)
creators=John Broome
Carmine Infantino
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Secret Society of Super Villains Rogues
aliases=
powers=Weather manipulation formerly derived from "weather wand", now internal.|

Weather Wizard is the name of a fictional DC Comics supervillain. The Weather Wizard first appeared in "Flash" #110 (December 1959-January 1960).

Fictional Character Biography

Escaping a prison transport, 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). 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).

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 Rogue's souls. The Weather Wizard and the others, save 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 notice 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, 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 successfully 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" ("All Flash" #1).

Weather Wizard is also one of the exiled villains featured in Salvation Run.

He was seen as the member of Rogues who joined the Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains. In "" #1, however, Weather Wizard 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.

Powers and Abilities

Weather Wizard originally wielded a wand that enabled him to control the weather. Recently Inertia destroyed his wand, using 30th Century psychological therapies to remove Weather Wizard's mental blocks. He can now control the weather without his wand.

Other Versions

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

In Other Media

In the 1979 TV Specials "Legends of the Superheroes", Weather Wizard was portrayed by comedian Jeff Altman.

Weather Wizard was introduced in ' episode titled "'", where Superman and the Flash competed for the title of 'fastest man alive'. Also in that episode, Mark's brother (here called Ben) wasn't dead and Mark siphoned the energy off Superman and Flash through the monitoring arm bands. With Ben's help, Superman and The Flash defeated him. He was voiced by Miguel Ferrer.

In an episode of "Justice League", Weather Wizard was a member of the Superman Revenge Squad and was defeated. He was voiced by Corey Burton.

In "Justice League Unlimited", Weather Wizard appears as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society. He was also seen as a background character and a display in the episode "Flash and Substance". Later on, Weather Wizard sides with Grodd in the mutiny against Luthor. He is frozen by a turncoat Killer Frost.

Miguel Ferrer also portrayed a similar villain, The Weatherman, the antagonist in the 1997 live-action TV pilot "Justice League of America". Ferrer also voiced Aquaman in an adversarial stance against Luthor, but was convinced by Superman to stand down. He was replaced by Scott Rummell for Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.

External links

* [http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/weather.html Hyperborea entry for Weather Wizard]
* [http://www.monitorduty.com/mdarchives/2005/12/alan_kistlers_p_3.shtml 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.
* [http://www.fourthhorsemanpress.com/Flash/ Crimson Lightning] - an online index to the comic book adventures of the Flash.