The precise circumstances of the incident in which Wally West gained his powers have never been fully revealed. It appears that Wally was the subject of a freak accident in which lightning struck a rack of chemicals in a laboratory. Somehow this combination endowed Wally with the fantastic speed powers for which he would become renowned. Adopting the costumed identity of the Flash, Wally fought to protect the people of Central City from various threats, particularly those of the criminal variety. One such criminal was the extortionist Mark Mardon, who would later become known as the Weather Wizard. A variety of costumed villains, most employing high-tech equipment, would arise to challenge the Flash. Among these villains were Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, the Mirror Master, the Trickste