The Hood

Origin

George Cross was a British man who decided to become a masked vigilante. Taking his cue from the folkloric Robin Hood, he dressed in a costume reminiscent of a medieval knight, complete with a large Templar's Cross, and a hood. Cross became known as the vigilante called the Hood. He stole from criminals and gave to the poor in the United Kingdom.

Story Arc

The Hood first encountered Batman when a visiting Batman called him via Batsignal to talk to him after apprehending a group of cigarette smugglers. Batman hired him to infiltrate M.I.5 to retrieve information on Benedict Asp in exchange for information on a large shipment of cocaine being imported in from Gotham City. The Hood did so, giving the information to Alfred disguised as a homeless man Batman had paid to retrieve the information from the Hood for him. Unbeknownst to Batman, Hood secretly read the documents he stole first.

Afterwords, Batman, disguised as a British lord named Sir Hemingford Grey, came across a fox hunter being assaulted by anti-hunting activist. After the hunter began assaulting the activist with his whip, Bruce fought the hunter using his canes. After beating him, he unmasked the activist, revealing him to be George Cross. Bruce recognized him as the Hood. As he had read the documents on Asp, Hood decided to "visit" the Monkleigh Manor where Benedict Asp was hosting a hunter's ball. Upon his arrival in the village, he stumbled upon dozens of corpses Asp had killed using amplified psychic powers from Shondra Kinsolving, who he was holding hostage at the Manor.

Upon his arrival at the Manor, the Hood was assaulted by a group of Asp's thugs. One successfully overpowered him, but the Hood was able to use his flare gun to send a Templar's Cross signal. Nearby Bruce Wayne saw the signal, and was able to successfully knock out the thugs using the tranquilizer darts in his cane. Although Bruce, recently injured by Bane, was unable to continue fighting, the Hood was able to wrap up things up and defeat the rest of the thugs. Later, after Asp had escaped, Hood catches up to Alfred and asks him to tell Batman that he won't tell his secret- that he is secretly a British aristocrat-in-exile.

The Hood briefly appeared when Batman was gassed by villain Narcosis. While gassed, Batman continuously hallucinated villains in a dream-like state. Upon realizing this, he realized he could fight back by imagining heroes to fight back, including the Hood.

Later, during Batman's start up of Batman Inc, The Hood is seen working as an operative for the T.H.E.Y., a super secret branch of British intelligence. His mission was to infiltrate Batman Inc, and he does so by assisting Batwoman, Batman and Gaucho in pursuing Doctor Dedalus.

Later, while obtaining information for Batman Inc, he is caught in the act by a mysterious stranger, and possibly shot.

Post Flash Point

The Hood survived his injuries. He has joined a group of lesser known heroes and are calling themselves unofficially The Dead Heroes Club, an off shoot of Batman Inc. The members are The Hood, Batwing, Looker, Freight Train, Gaucho, and Wingman, and Halo. After the demise of the Knight, Dick Grayson assigns Wingman to rendezvous with Hood and the others.

Jason arrives and is attacked by the Hood. The Hood reveals his true loyalties lie with Spyral and suddenly his superior arrives.

Equipment and Abilities

While the Hood posses no overtly superhuman abilities, he is skilled in gmynastics and martial arts. He carries a flare gun capable of shooting a flare in the shape of a Templar's Cross as well as a flash light with Templar's Cross decal on it, similar to a Batsignal. He is also skilled at riding motorcycles.