Former Avengers Member Turns Evil, Explains Why

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It’s easy to forget that many of the most famous Avengers started out as villains. Early in the team’s history, Captain America even led a group composed entirely of criminals who were trying to turn their lives around. Unfortunately, not everyone who tries to become a hero succeeds. One of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, in particular, appears to have given up on trying to be good.

In Black Cat #4, it was officially revealed that the former Avenger had lost her way. The comic, written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Gleb Melnikov, focuses on Felicia Hardy as she tries to become a hero. This change of heart happened when she discovered Peter Parker was gone and a much more aggressive Spider-Man had taken his place. Seeing a surge in crime across Manhattan, the cat burglar decided to genuinely try to use her skills for good.

This leads Black Cat into a confrontation with Tombstone, Manhattan’s current crime boss. Fortunately, Tombstone is surprisingly understanding and believes her cover story about wanting to eliminate her rivals. However, he can’t risk anyone interfering with his latest plan. So, he assigns a former Avenger – now working as a mercenary – to keep an eye on Black Cat until everything is finished.

What former Avengers member returned to crime?

William Baker, formerly known as the superhero Sandman, is now working with the villain Tombstone. Black Cat is shocked, as she believed Sandman was trying to turn his life around. Sandman admits he was, but being a reformed supervillain wasn’t financially stable. While understandable, this is just another obstacle in Sandman’s ongoing struggle to become a better person.

Originally a villain who fought Spider-Man, Sandman later joined the Sinister Six and the Frightful Four, often battling the Fantastic Four. Over time, he began to regret his criminal life. Encouraged by Spider-Man and The Thing, Flint Baker reformed and became a hero, joining Earth’s Mightiest Heroes – the Avengers – in issue #329 in the 1990s.

Wizard, the leader of the Frightful Four, used his technology to manipulate Sandman into becoming a villain once more. Surprisingly, no one among his friends or fellow heroes noticed this abrupt shift in his behavior. As a result, Sandman began experiencing a divided personality, with his good and evil sides sometimes becoming separate entities and clashing. He was also occasionally forced to commit crimes due to concerns for his daughter, a character introduced to the comics after Spider-Man 3 gave Sandman a family.

In the latest Amazing Spider-Man comic (issue #45, 2024), Sandman was dealing with a mental health condition where he experienced multiple identities. He called his kinder self ‘William Baker’ and his villainous side ‘Flint Marko.’ However, his recent appearance in Black Cat #4 indicates that either Flint Marko has fully taken over, or William Baker has abandoned trying to be good after facing numerous failures.

Black Cat #4 is now available at comic shops everywhere.

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2025-11-26 16:57