Forget Cocaine Bear - Peacemaker Brings Back DC's Original NSFW Baddie

Contains spoilers for "Peacemaker Tries Hard" #4 by DC Comics

A surprising villain has returned to the DC Universe in one of the most unexpected ways, with the cocaine-powered Snowflame taking on Peacemaker and the Red Bee in "Peacemaker Tries Hard!" #4.

Debuting in 1988's "New Guardians" #2 (by Steve Englehart and Cary Bates), Snowflame is a truly bizarre villain who gains his superpowers by snorting cocaine. Snowflame could get his opponents high simply by touching them, making him a dangerous foe with exceptionally strange abilities. The character initially died during his first appearance in the comics and went unused for more than 30 years. However, Snowflame has recently experienced an unexpected renaissance, returning in recent years in the pages of "Catwoman" and "Batman Incorporated," ahead of an appearance slated for the animated "Harley Quinn" show's fourth season.

But before he torments Ms. Quinzel in Gotham City, Snowflame takes on DC's Peacemaker. His appearance in the miniseries began with a photo seen in Issue #2, a precursor to this issue's appearance and fight. Here, he's presented in a more comedic light, with the villain presented as more outrageous than ever before. Snowflame also proves to be a perfect villain for Peacemaker, showing that he could have a future in James Gunn's live-action DC Universe as a fitting enemy for the peace-loving antihero.

In DC Comics' "Peacemaker Tries Hard" #4 (by Kyle Starks, Steve Pugh, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey), Peacemaker and the Red Bee continue their quest to find Bruce Wayne — not the billionaire, but the adopted dog of Christopher Smith (Peacemaker's civilian identity), who has been kidnapped by the classic Doom Patrol villain, the Brain. After the duo head into the Amazon to look for the lost pup, they are taken captive by a group of gun-wielding locals. The cocaine-fueled villain Snowflame is revealed to be their leader, who tells the heroes he used to work smuggling guns, drugs, and more contraband for the Brain. But now, the operation has changed; instead of drugs and weapons, Snowflame is smuggling counterfeit copies of rare trading cards and knockoff sneakers — which, while highly profitable, is starting to bore Snowflame.

In order to bring some excitement back into his life, Snowflame tells Peacemaker and Red Bee he's going to murder them. But before he can take them out, Red Bee calls on one of his trained bees to break the pair from their constraints, leading to the issue's major fight. After ingesting a large amount of cocaine, Snowflame knocks Peacemaker to the ground with his drug-based powers. Just as Snowflame appears on the brink of victory, he drives his face deep into a massive pile of cocaine. However, Peacemaker reveals he's put poisonous frogs into the drugs, and as a result, Snowflame screams out in horror when a deadly frog climbs up his nose. He hangs onto life as the poison infects his body, causing him to fall to his knees. When the cocaine dust settles, Peacemaker and Red Bee are the only fighters left standing, and with Snowflame seemingly dying, the duo immediately heads deeper into the jungle, preparing for their next encounter with the Brain's minions.

While Snowflame is one of the most obviously jokey villains in DC Comics history, the character's battle with Peacemaker proves he would be fun to see in James Gunn and star John Cena's live-action Peacemaker show. Snowflame is raunchy and silly enough to fit seamlessly into the world of "Peacemaker" and would make for an excellent Season 2 foe. Taking on a villain not only obsessed with but fueled by cocaine just feels so wrong, it's right. "Peacemaker Tries Hard!" is inspired by the "Peacemaker" series, so it's easy to imagine a world where the cocaine-powered villain makes an appearance.

Regardless of whether he has a future in the live-action DCU, Snowflame's appearance in "Peacemaker Tries Hard!" #4 ends up being a fun romp that fully embraces the ludicrous nature of the villain. His love of cocaine certainly comes across in the story, and by making him more bizarre than ever before (and he was already pretty bizarre), Snowflame fits the comedic and violent tone of the comic. Yes, he's only a one-off villain, but as an enemy standing in Peacemaker's way as he tries to recover his stolen dog from the Brain, Snowflame is an excellent choice to battle the comic's unlikely crimefighting duo. For those longing for more Snowflame comics, he has been killed before, and technically "Peacemaker Tries Hard!" isn't canon to the main DC Universe, so don't expect his latest appearance to be his last ever — although it could be a while before he shows up again. 

Readers can see Peacemaker take on Snowflame in the Amazon in "Peacemaker Tries Hard!" #4 from DC Comics, which is in comic book stores and available at online retailers now.