Gregory Wolfe

Known Relatives: unnamed wife
Occupation: Warden of Iron Heights
Base of Operations: Keystone City, Kansas
First Appearance: Flash: Iron Heights (2001)
Created By: Geoff Johns

Gregory Wolfe is the best-known warden of Iron Heights, the metahuman-capable prison standing just outside of Keystone City. As a prosecutor in St. Louis, Wolfe was known for his ruthlessness both in his attitude toward criminals and his controversial methods of evidence-gathering. His success, and his friendship with the governor, brought him the job of Iron Heights’ warden.

Iron Heights changed considerably under Wolfe’s direction, especially regarding its metahuman prisoners. He adopted a Machiavellian approach, justifying a number of means by the end of keeping the prisoners incarcerated. He had new lock-down facilities built, moved the super-criminals underground, and instituted systematic brutality and “shoot-to-kill” directives.

After the third Flash entered the prison to halt a viral outbreak (see Murmur), he discovered the way prisoners were being treated. The Flash criticized the prison’s policies on a number of occasions, and Wolfe lost some of his respect for Keystone’s resident hero. He attempted to hide certain abuses (such as the use of prisoner Fallout to power the prison) when the Flash tried to expose him.

Wolfe also possessed a secret weapon: the metahuman ability to tighten or relax selected muscles in anyone he sees. Most often he used it to create painful muscle spasms. He never hesitated to use this on prisoners, guards...or even the Flash himself.

Wolfe nearly died during a botched prison break staged by the Outsiders.* The warden stepped in to stop a riot by low-level metahuman prisoners, using his secret ability. The Outsiders were caught in the middle, and Shift attempted to counter him by filling the room with a gaseous muscle relaxant. Wolfe only pushed back harder. He overextended his power, killing over forty prisoners and guards, and driving himself unconscious (Outsiders Annual #1, 2007).

Despite the disaster, Wolfe remained in charge of Iron Heights after his recovery (Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1, 2008).

Text by Kelson Vibber. Do not copy without permission.

Primary Sources
Art Credits
Profiles in Print
Legacy-Era Appearances
One Year Later Appearances
Further Notes

Primary Sources

Flash: Iron Heights (2001), Geoff Johns
Flash Secret Files #3 (November 2001)

Art

Flash: Iron Heights (2001) - Ethan van Sciver and Prentis Rollins

Profiles

Flash Secret Files #3 (November 2001)

Significant Legacy-Era Appearances

Flash: Iron Heights (2001), Geoff Johns
Flash #178 (November 2001): “Caged,” Geoff Johns
Flash #179 (December 2001): “Smile for the Camera,” Geoff Johns
Flash #180 (January 2002): “Peek-a-Boo,” Geoff Johns
Flash #181 (February 2002): “Fallout,” Geoff Johns
Flash #189 (October 2002): “Messengers,” Geoff Johns
Flash #191 (December 2002): “The Brave and the Beaten,” Geoff Johns
Flash #192–194 (January–March 2003): “Run Riot,” Geoff Johns
Flash #200 (September 2003): “Blitz Conclusion: The Final Race,” Geoff Johns
Flash #207 (April 2004): “Rush Hour,” Geoff Johns
Flash #211 (August 2004): “Animal House,” Geoff Johns
Flash #219 (April 2005): “Truth or Dare, Part 1” Geoff Johns
Flash #½ (2005): “Rogue Wars Prologue: Tricksters,” Geoff Johns
Flash #227 (December 2005): “Finish Line, Part 1: The Last Days,” Joey Cavalieri (dream sequence, cameo)

Significant One-Year-Later Appearances

Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1 (September 2008), Geoff Johns

Notes

* The Outsiders were trying to break an undercover super-hero, Black Lightning, out of the prison. See Iron Heights: Disaster and Captain Boomerang, Jr. for more details.