William Cross

Former CIA operative William Cross became the mercenary villain Crossfire after a lab accident left him partially deaf, leading him to develop advanced mind-control technology and pursue a dangerous career targeting costumed heroes.

A Bronze Age creation from the minds of John Byrne and Chris Claremont, William Cross made his debut in 1982 and has kept remarkably distinguished company ever since — sharing pages with the likes of Wolverine, Captain America, and Peter Parker across a publishing history that stretches all the way to 2022. His catalog presence is concentrated in Panini France's prestige lines — Marvel Generations, Marvel Icons Hors Série, and Marvel Méga — marking him as a character whose stories have found a dedicated home in the French Marvel publishing world. Forty years on the page is no small thing, and for collectors with an eye for Bronze Age characters with enduring staying power, William Cross is a name worth tracking down.