Hartley Rathaway

A deaf musical genius who weaponizes sound waves against the Fastest Man Alive.

Hartley Rathaway, known as the Pied Piper, is a deaf genius turned sonic manipulator appearing in DC Comics and The Flash television series. Created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino, he first appeared in The Flash #106 (May 1959). Originally introduced as a foe of Barry Allen, Rathaway eventually reformed, becoming an ally to Wally West and a member of the extended Flash family. In the New 52 continuity, he is depicted as a former Rogue dating David Singh, while in the TV series portrayed by Andy Mientus, he evolves from a disgruntled S.T.A.R. Labs employee into a complex anti-hero with a romantic connection to Roderick.

Quick Facts

Character name: Hartley Rathaway; Pied Piper
Species: Human
Homeworld: New Earth
Publisher: DC Comics
Debut: The Flash #106 (May 1959)
Creators: John Broome (writer); Carmine Infantino (artist)
Alliances: Rogues
Also known as: Thomas Peterson, Henry Darrow

Lore & Background

Born deaf, Rathaway received hearing implants funded by his wealthy father, later revealed to be made by Dr. Will Magnus. Obsessed with sound, he invented a hypnotic technique via music and deadly vibration methods before turning to crime as the Pied Piper. After Barry Allen's death during Crisis on Infinite Earths, Hartley retired from villainy, becoming a socialist champion for the poor and one of DC's first openly gay characters, coming out in The Flash (vol. 2) #53 (August 1991). He became a close friend to Wally West and Linda Park. Later, he was falsely accused of murdering his parents; though he believed himself guilty, Wally discovered the true killer was Mirror Master. Following a brainwashing attempt by the 'good' Top, Hartley regained his memories when Flash unmasked himself, solidifying his place as one of the only reformed Rogues.

Reader's Guide

Hartley Rathaway utilizes a sophisticated flute capable of hypnotizing anyone within range and creating deadly vibrations. His sonic technology allows him to make himself 'invisible' to perception and manipulate nearly any object that creates tones, from touch-tone phones to grass blade whistles. During his incarceration in Iron Heights, he incorporated prison rats into his gimmick, adding another similarity to the folklore Pied Piper. While initially focused on humans, his scope expanded to general mechanical tinkering. In some continuities, his power is linked to the manipulation of the Anti-Life Equation according to DeSaad. He has also used devices to generate or amplify sound for both destructive and protective purposes.

Did You Know?

Hartley Rathaway first realized he was gay after becoming attracted to actor Rod Lauren while watching the movie The Crawling Hand.
During a battle with Flash, Hartley chopped off the left hand of his ally and ex-partner Trickster because they were handcuffed together with explosive cuffs that could not be destroyed.
In the New 52 continuity, Hartley is portrayed as the conductor of Central City's orchestra while dating David Singh, the director of the Central City Police Department.
In the TV series, Hartley's implants serve a dual purpose: they act as hearing aids to dull sound and function as discreet sonic weapons.