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Dennis Sutton was the abusive boyfriend of Marsha Connors and an employee of State Industry of Plutonium. He became enraged when he was accidentally exposed to a significant dosage of radiation, which his doctor stated would eventually prove fatal, yet his employers were found legally blameless for the situation. Dennis became obsessed with obtaining revenge against not only employers, but the entire American financial system which he felt failed everyday individuals such as himself. He began experimenting with neon gas and various radioactive isotopes and succeeded in enhancing his physical strength and athletic abilities, as well as granting himself a burning touch. However, the experiments also advanced his disease and further unhinged his already unstable mind. With his new powers, Dennis purchased a supervillain costume modeled after Mr. Fear's and dubbed himself the Phantasm.

When Dennis revealed his plans to Marsha, she left him and hired Paladin to protect herself and stop Dennis. On the last night of the Chinese New Year, the Phantasm and his newly acquired thugs broke into Marsha's apartment with the intent of killing her. Marsha was home, but as the Phantasm began to strangle her, Paladin intervened and defeated several of the henchmen, although the Phantasm ultimately escaped. The Phantasm almost immediately resurfaced with a plot to destroy a utility station and use the chaos ensuing blackout to demolish Wall Street, thus crippling the national economy. The villains succeeded in destroying the utility station and returned to Marsha's apartment under the cover of the blackout. Although they were once again confronted by Paladin, they were were able to render him unconscious and appeared to kill Marsha. Their task seemingly completed, the villains disappeared into the Chinese New Year crowd. Paladin tracked them down and after a brief confrontation, used the holiday decorations to pin the wounded Phantasm, who revealed that he had merely drugged Marsha, rather than kill her. The Phantasm has not been seen since, and presumably remains in custody.

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