Crossfire (comics) - Fictional Character Biography

Fictional Character Biography

William Cross was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He later became an interrogation expert for the CIA. Cross was already building his own rogue covert operations when he romanced federal corrections officer Rozalyn Backus with whom he developed ultrasonic brainwashing technology. Backus was unaware of Cross' illicit activities, and they were engaged to be married until Cross stole the technology and disappeared. In his disappearance he faked his own murder and framed Backus for the murder. Surviving an attempt on his life, which cost him his left eye and his left ear, he replaced them with cybernetic implants and became a prosperous high-tech freelance subversive as Crossfire.

Plotting to make the growing superhero community exterminate each other via ultrasonic mind control, Crossfire abducted the Thing to test his technology. Moon Knight (secretly Cross' ex-CIA colleague Marc Spector) interfered and Crossfire was defeated.

Crossfire secretly rebuilt his operations at Cross Technological Enterprises (CTE), founded by his cousin, Darren Cross. When Hawkeye and Mockingbird investigated, Crossfire first tried to eliminate them using the assassins Bombshell, Oddball, and Silencer. When his three assassins failed, Crossfire decided Hawkeye would make an ideal test subject for his super hero mind control plot, because Hawkeye was prominent enough in the super hero community to attract them en masse at his funeral and weak enough to be an easy target. Hawkeye thwarted the brainwashing, captured the criminals and rescued Mockingbird, whom he married shortly thereafter.

A vengeful Crossfire subsequently stalked the newlyweds to the estate of former film star Moira Brandon. The elderly actress was declared an honorary Avenger after she helped Hawkeye and Mockingbird recapture the supervillain. The juggling supervillain team known as the Death-Throws freed Crossfire from police custody. But when he proved unable to pay them, they held Crossfire for ransom until Captain America, Hawkeye, and Mockingbird captured the whole gang. Crossfire later escaped and placed a bounty on Hawkeye's arm, hoping to destroy the hero's archery skills and break his spirit. An army of supervillains (including Brothers Grimm, Mad Dog, Bobcat, Razor Fist, Bullet Biker, and the Death-Throws) look to claim the reward, but are defeated by Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and Trick Shot. With the bounty hunting supervillains captured, Hawkeye pursues Crossfire through the sewers. Crossfire is knocked off the edge of an outfall dam and is left clinging on for his life. Hawkeye contemplates letting his foe fall to his doom and ending the feud between them once and for all. The archer ultimately saves Crossfire's life, letting him rot in prison instead.

Crossfire was among the army of technology based supervillains recruited by Lucia Von Bardas to attack Nick Fury and a group of superheroes who were involved in a secret war in Latveria a year earlier. The hired supervillains were revealed to each be a component of a bomb designed to destroy the city. Nick Fury and the heroes were able to foil the plot and arrested the supervillains involved, including Crossfire.

At some point during one of his prison stays he befriended Vector of the U-Foes whose secret power nullification technology Cross had hoped to exploit. Recaptured following an encounter with S.H.I.E.L.D., Cross was imprisoned in the Vault where Rozalyn Backus (long since exonerated) was a member of the Vault's Guardsman force. Seemingly aiding and then foiling an escape plot by the U-Foes and Crossfire, Backus turned the criminals against each other, faked her own death, and stole a fortune in cash and goods from the criminals, including Vector's power nullification chamber (which Backus later claimed she secretly destroyed since she felt it was too dangerous to preserve). The criminals were later transferred to the new Raft super-prison, and all escaped during Electro's mass breakout, with Crossfire leading a gang of his fellow mind-manipulators: Controller, Corruptor, Mandrill, and Mister Fear. Pursuing Backus, the chamber and their grudges against each other, the U-Foes and Crossfire's gang fought a super-powered gang war in New York until the New Avengers broke it up. Crossfire and his gang were recaptured (except the Corruptor) and Backus surrendered herself to the authorities.

Along with the Death-Throws, Crossfire was hired by R.A.I.D to take part in a terror plot in London, only to be foiled by Union Jack and Sabra. Crossfire was knocked from the top of Tower Bridge and fell to the River Thames below. He was believed to have perished when he didn't resurface.

Crossfire is revealed to have survived the fall and is among the supervillains gathered by the Hood, who is looking to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by the Superhuman Registration Act. Crossfire becomes a member of the Hood's crime syndicate who go on to battle the New Avengers. He is seen battling his old enemy, Clint Barton, in his Ronin guise.

Crossfire appears is part of the Hood's crime syndicate that come together with the superheroes to battle the Skrull invasion force in New York City. After the Skrull invasion was thwarted, the Hood led his criminal army (including Crossfire) against the New Avengers, who were laying in wait for the Norman Osborn's newly formed Dark Avengers. Once again, Crossfire is seen battling Clint Barton and the recently returned Mockingbird.

Crossfire is later seen conferring with the Hood to discuss the zombie virus. The Hood wishes to use the virus to gain more power and influence in the world. Crossfire protests, explaining that one of the reasons he was compelled to ally himself with the Hood was that 'world-conquering' schemes would be avoided. Crossfire is quickly put in his place with a single stern gaze from the supervillain kingpin.

Led by the Wrecking Crew and Dr. Jonas Harrow, Crossfire and the rest of the Hood's crime syndicate rebel against their leader and seek out to make their own deal with Norman Osborn. They attack and defeat the New Avengers and subdue the Dark Avengers. Crossfire was part of the Hood's criminal army that took part in the siege of Asgard, an event orchrestrated by Norman Osborn. After the battle was over and the heroes had won, Crossfire managed to evade capture and branched out on his own once more.

Hawkeye and Mockingbird thwart Crossfire's illegal arms dealings, much to the supervillain's anger. He is later confronted by Jaime Slade (the new Phantom Rider) who suggests that they form an alliance. Together, along with Crossfire's new robotic army of Death T.H.R.O.W.S. (Techno Hybrid Remotely Operated Weapons Systems), the villainous pair plot to destroy the lives of the two heroes. Crossfire and the Phantom Rider are ultimately foiled, but not before Crossfire almost succeeds in killing Hawkeye and Mockingbird, severely wounds Mockingbird's mother, and murders Hamilton Slade. As a result, Crossfire is captured and viciously beaten by Hawkeye. Despite being imprisoned with numerous injuries, Crossfire takes away a small victory in knowing that he has pushed Hawkeye to his breaking point. Hawkeye later discovered that Baron Zemo was the mysterious "benefactor" behind Crossfire's illegal arms dealings.

Luke Cage tells Hawkeye that, as long as he is the leader of the Thunderbolts, Crossfire will never be given the opportunity to be part of his team. Steve Rogers had already recommended that Crossfire should not be considered for the Thunderbolt program due to his technological prowess that could see the supervillain override the nanite system used to control the inmates.

Crossfire was hired as part of Misty Knight's "Villains for Hire" team in a battle against the Purple Man.

Crossfire was later recruited by Max Fury to join the Shadow Council's incarnation of the Masters of Evil.