During the Cold War, Piotr "Peter" Rasputin was attacked by Anatol Spichkin and his men, confirming that he was a mutant. Anatol promised to keep his secret and he had a job for him if he needed it. Sometime later, Peter's father found out about his secret homosexual relationship with another boy. As a result, his father was ashamed. Peter went to Anatol for help. He learned that though he could turn his skin to steel, he didn't have super-strength. So the "businessman" gave him a drug called Banshee. Using the drug, Piotr began earning money by performing feats of super-strength for tourists.
