Nothing is known about the identity of the Locksmith. He boasted that as a young man, locks fascinated him. As his prowess in escaping from restraints developed, he became a highly adept and successful escape artist, but he was soon being overshadowed by the deeds of superheroes. People stopped paying to see him perform incredible deeds that they could see for free in public. He lashed out by purchasing a building and converting it into a prison especially equipped to imprison superhumans.