Top

TOP

Real Name: Roscoe Neyle Dillon

Class: Human mutate / technology-user

Occupation: Supervillain

Group Affiliation: Flash's Rogues Gallery

Known Relatives: unnamed father

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Central City, Missouri

First Appearance: Flash I #122 (August, 1961)

Powers: Top possessed mind-over-matter powers that gave him genius level intellect, let him spin at superhuman speed and transfer his soul from one body to another after his death. He utilized gimmicked tops that exploded, cast illusions, created tornados or emitted smoke.

History: While in jail small-time hood Roscoe Dillon decided he needed a gimmick to be successful. He leaned to spin at high speed and created the identity of the Top. His constant spinning gave him increased intelligence, enabling him to design a series of top-themed weapons. Top clashed with Flash II many times over the years, either by himself or as part of Flash's Rogues Gallery.

Top started a relationship with Lisa Snart, Captain Cold's sister.

Top gained mind-over-matter powers from his continued spinning, but before he could explore them he died when Flash II's superspeed vibrations somehow overheated the cells of Top's altered brain.

Top's ghost took over the body of Flash II's father Dr. Henry Allen. Alongside Lisa Snart (now called the Golden Glider) they tormented the Flash until Top's soul was expelled from Henry Allen's body.

(Flash II #215 (fb), 216 (fb, BTS)) - Top possessed the body of a young man left brain-dead after a boating accident. He attacked Patty Spivot, threatened Flash’s parents and tried to dig up Iris Allen’s grave. Flash had had enough, and after pummeling Top he brought him to the JLA Satellite and asked Zatanna to alter Top’s mind and make him a hero. Zatanna consented, and with the Top’s help Flash defeated the Rogues, who were robbing gold bars. Top knew Flash wanted more allies, so he use his mind-over-matter powers to alter the minds of the Rogues so they’ reform. Some rejected his mental programming, and none of his work was immediately noticeable, but a number of Rogues went on to become heroes. Top’s horrendous past filled him with guilt, and he eventually went mad, brutally attacking the Rogues. Flash prevented him from killing anyone, and then Top once again died.

(Hawk and Dove Annual #1) - S.T.A.R. Labs opened a portal to Limbo in operation Zeppelin, and the souls of deceased villains Iron Major, Top, Clayface, El Papagayo, Electrocutioner and Icicle were seeking to escape the underworld and return to Earth through the portal. When Director Jeffrey Simon, creator of Zeppelin, disappeared, a rescue party went through the portal, and the villains captured them. They bargained with their demonic jailer, a demon impersonating Etrigan, exchanging their prisoners to gain temporary mortal forms, and prepared to return to Earth. They were opposed by Hawk, Dove, and the Titans West. The battle was fierce, but the tide turned when Jeb Stuart came down from heaven and gave Hawk his Haunted Tank. The false Etrigan offered them a way out through another portal, but he was merely toying with the dead villains, and when he sent them through a portal, it turned out to be an entrance to Hell.

Top's spirit made its' new home in the body of deceased senator Thomas O'Neil. Top clashed a few times with Flash III.

(Flash: Iron Heights) - Top was imprisoned at Iron Heights. When Flash came to the Heights to investigate an outbreak of Murmur’s frenzy virus he walked past Top’s cell but Top was too dizzy and disorientated to notice.

(Flash II #179) - Iron Heights, Top complained to warden Gregory Wolfe of severe dizziness, but Wolfe told him to shut up because they’d already sent him to S.T.A.R. Labs, and the scientists couldn’t find anything wrong with him.

(Flash II #192) - Gorilla City gorillas tore apart the Heights and freed prisoners, including Top, in order to find Gorilla Grodd’s cell. Flash came to the Heights and the villains attacked him, except for Top, who was too ill to take advantage of the situation.

(Flash II #195) - Top’s dizziness passed as his mind stopped evolving, granting him new mind-over-matter powers. He decided to run for mayor of Keystone, and tried to kill the current mayor so an election would have to be held immediately. Flash stopped him, but Top had him on the run until Flash got advice from Rogue profiler Hunter Zoloman. He played on Top’s arrogance and inability to see anyone else as an equal to defeat him.

(Flash II #208) - Top burrowed through the floor of his cell to escape Iron Heights.

(Flash II #210) - The Top asked Cold for a spot on the Rogues. Cold thought Top had become far too unstable, so he turned him down. Top started remembering that Flash Barry Allen had brainwashed him to briefly become a hero.

(Flash II #216) - Top hid in the garbage behind Wiggins Toys, the store he visited daily as a child. Flash and Zatanna found him, and Flash explained that it was one of Barry Allen’s last requests that he undo the alterations Zatanna performed on his mind. Zatanna restored Top’s sanity and memories, and he immediately attacked the heroes, telling them Barry made a fatal mistake trying to top the Top. He revealed that he was responsible for so many of Flash’s Rogues reforming, and promised to one day turn them evil again. With that said, Top fled.

(Flash II #217) - Top and the Rogues held a funeral for Captain Boomerang in Avernus.

(Flash II #221-223) - Top interrupted a battle between the Rogues and Trickster’s reformed Rogues. He told Flash it was time to undo the mental programming he’d used to turn some of the Rogues to the side of good. He turned Trickster and Heat Wave back to the side of evil, but Pied Piper had legitimately reformed and stayed good. Top then challenged Captain Cold’s leadership of the Rogues, and presented his own group of mind-controlled Rogues consisting of Double Down, Girder, Murmur, Plunder and Tar Pit. Cold disliked the idea of Rogues battling among themselves, so he froze Top and shattered him into pieces, killing him.

Comments: Created by John Broome & Carmine Infantino.

Top received profiles in Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #24 and The DC Comics Encyclopedia.

Flash II #186 showed a picture of Top in the Flash Museum.

Flash II #207 showed a mugshot of Top in Iron Heights. A mugshot of Top was seen in the KCPD squadroom in Flash II #213.

Top was pictured on the cover of Flash II #225.

A statue of Top was seen in the JLA Watchtower trophy room in Flash II #214.

Top was featured in a flashback sequence in Flash II #218.