While juggling on a Gotham City street William Cobb stopped a would-be thief from stealing Nathaniel Haly’s wallet. Thankful Haly offered William a job at his circus. After becoming a famous circus performer William returns home falls in love and has a child. However his wife’s family disapproves of William and bans the young couple from seeing each other. Taking advantage of the situation Haly offers William the chance to become a “Talon” a covert assassin for a secret organization of wealthy elite known as the Court of Owls. As a Talon William is virtually unstoppable capable of being reanimated and strikes without mercy.