The Angel

The Angel's History

Born in the late 1870s, Thomas Halloway was the son of a prison warden. His mother died in childbirth. The warden raised Thomas in isolation, in the prison itself, and he was instructed by various experts who had taught him "everything." Thomas was also taught by the prisoners, who passed on the secrets of the underworld. When Thomas discovered that one of the prisoners was about to be electrocuted, he saved him. For this deed, Thomas was dubbed an "angel" by the inmate.

When Thomas reached adulthood he decided to become a private detective and also adopted the costumed identity of "The Angel" to fight crime. During an adventure in which he saved a 4,000 year old woman, he was given the magical Cape of Mercury.

After World War II, the Angel was one of a number of heroes who formed the Penance Council, the ruling body of the V-Battalion, dedicated to fighting the rise of dictatorships and other threats to the world.

However, after a bystander was killed during an adventure, the Angel hung up his cape, unwilling to risk more innocent lives in his fight against crime. Still wishing to combat lawlessness and seeking a way to atone for his mistakes, he eventually founded a group of trained assassins, the Scourges, who would ambush and murder costumed criminals. Eventually, these acts of vigilantism were stopped by Captain America. To escape U.S. Agent, he faked his own death.

Thomas Halloway retired and lived on a sprawling estate in Los Angeles.