THE FLASH Casts Kiana Madeira as Spin

The Flash is about to enter the Spin zone.

Deadline has word that the CW series The Flash has cast Kiana Madeira as Spencer Young, a new version of DC Comics supervillain Spin.  The character was originally male in the comics, but producers reportedly decided to change it to a recurring female role for the TV series.

According to the article, Spin will be introduced in the fourth episode of the show's upcoming Season 5, and is described as "a young aspiring social media influencer who seizes the opportunity to make herself famous when she discovers there is a new hero in Central City."

Madeira is a Canadian actress probably best known as Poppy on the Syfy series Wynonna Earp and as Lyra on the Syfy series Dark Matter.  In addition, she's appeared on episodes of Taken, Sacred Lies, Barbelle, The Other Kingdom, Really Me, and My Babysitter's a Vampire.

Created in 2008 by Tom Peyer and Freddie E. Williams II, Spin first appeared in The Flash (vol.2) #238 as a man known only as Mr. Auerbach, the son of a media mogul whose holdings included the cable news network KN News.  He pursued a career in journalism, hoping to work his way up in his father's company. While working on a story, he met Edwar Martinez, who was capable of sensing the fears in others and making them a reality.  Auerbach eventually was put in charge of KN News, where he had a hand in determining much of the content that the network covered.

He also led a double life as the villain Spin.  He kept Edwar captive in the basement of the news building, hooking him up to machines and forcing him to watch news coverage.  In this setting, Spin was able to channel and direct Edwar's amazing ability.  His first caper was a robbery of a Fabergé egg from a local auction.  He created a distraction by summoning earthquakes, which had been in the public's mind due to a recent quake in Hub City.  He took advantage of a comment made on television by the third Flash, Wally West, expressing his financial woes.  After the citizens of Keystone City started to feel some doubt about their local hero, Spin lured him to the Keystone City Salamanders stadium and forced him to steal many valuables from the fans there.  This caused a massive public outcry against the Flash, which Spin enhanced with his powers, even turning the original Flash, Jay Garrick, against his successor.

When Spin and Edwar realized that the third Flash had identified the source of the disturbances as emanating from KN News, he used his abilities to summon Gorilla Grodd, the Rogue which Edwar sensed would make the speedster most anxious, to Keystone.  Grodd, however, was not pleased with his sudden teleportation, and a massive battle ensued.  In the chaos, Edwar was released from his machinery and his powers went completely out of control, causing citizens to act out nearly every situation being mentioned in the media.  Spin was no match for Grodd’s more powerful mind and was quickly defeated.  Afterwards, Edwar died from the physical shock of the battle.  His last moments were surrounded by the Flash’s compassion, which he used to calm Keystone’s population.

The Flash returns to The CW for Season 5 on October 9, 2018.  Spin's first appearance should be on November 6th.