Bristler started out his heroic career after a life altering experience with Crey Industry's darker side. After the destruction of the Revenant Hero Project, Crey invested in other means to maintain their Paragon Protectors.

Under the disguise of a drug testing program, Crey secretly screened citizens for their participation in experiments that would hopefully create new Paragon Protectors from regular humans.

The person that would become Bristler was selected for this new process and was abducted one night by Crey Agents. Over the next few days he was subjected to several surgeries where bone grafts from various "Spine Paragon Protectors" as well as dosed with a cocktail of chemicals.

The process was actually a success, granting Bristler the ability to cover himself with spines as well as have increased durability. The process, however, left him with no memory of who he was but also left him immune to Crey's brainwashing and control procedures.

Bristler was able to escape and vowed to avenge what Crey had done, to this end he took on the costumed identity of 'Bristler'. Over time his actions caught the attention of the group Adversity, who recruited him for their Spec Ops division...the particular reason why are left to be determined.