Early Years (THE FLASH COMICS/THE FLASH 1963-2005)
Mick’s relationship with the Rogues, specifically Captain Cold, was uneasy at first due to Mick’s fear of low temperatures. He and Cold clashed with each other almost as often as they did with the Flash. They realized over time, however, that they were stronger together, which prompted Captain Cold to invite Mick to join the Rogues officially.
With the Rogues helping Mick to focus his pyromania on more “productive” (albeit criminal) outlets, Mick became a fixture of Central City’s criminal underground. He and Cold eventually buried their on-again-off-again grudge and became friends and partners, though their old rivalry occasionally flared between them.
Dead-End Hero (UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED 1995, IDENTITY CRISIS 2004, ROGUE WAR 2005)
In 1995 the Super-Villain Abra Kadabra manipulated Mick into helping him pull off a scheme that Kadabra promised would result in great power and fortune. Unfortunately, Mick agreed to help only to be double-crossed and killed—in what wound up a plot to resurrect the demon lord Neron. This set off the events of 1995’s UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED, which found Neron using the bodies of the Rogues as his vessels.
Once Neron was defeated, Mick’s soul was returned to his body, but he didn’t immediately return to his criminal ways. He left the country to join a brotherhood of Zhutanian monks (in NEW YEAR’S EVIL: THE ROGUES #1, 1998).
Years later, during the IDENTITY CRISIS storyline and following the events of FLASH #216 (2005), a secret about Mick’s past came to light. It was revealed, thanks to a letter from the then-deceased Barry Allen to his successor Wally West, that Mick and several other Rogues had been mentally manipulated by the villainous Top, with help from the Trickster, to believe themselves “reformed.” During this time Mick became a firefighter, an investigator and a friend of Barry and Wally. Mick and several other brainwashed Rogues began working for the FBI and Project Cadmus as backup agents.
During ROGUE WAR (2005), however, the Top reversed his manipulation. This prompted Mick to return to his life as Heat Wave and immediately rejoin the Rogues.
The New 52 (2011-2016)
Following the events of FLASHPOINT (2011), Heat Wave was given metahuman abilities via genetic manipulation. He gained the power to shoot fire from a port in his chest, and remained a core member of the Rogues in Central City.
Rebirth (2016-Present)
Heat Wave’s original backstory was reinstated, along with his lack of metahuman abilities, after the events of DC UNIVERSE REBIRTH #1 (2016). He continues to operate as a Rogue in their eternal war against the Flash.