William Hand's family had owned a funeral home, and that from a young age he had been completely obsessed with death. Although he tried to hide his obsession with taxidermy, after he killed and stuffed the family dog, he was taken to see a psychiatrist. While no psychological professional was capable of helping him get over his obsession, he learned to pretend normalcy and at least hide his problems. It is implied that during this time, he engaged in some acts of necrophilia. His life changed forever when an alien monster Atrocitus, an enemy of the Guardians of the Universe, sought him out. Atrocitus is shown to be responsible for creating the weapon Black Hand is most famous for, William having stolen it afterward. Believing Hand's insides held the doorway to darkness, and wanting to control that power, Atrocitus attacked him, but was stopped by Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Sinestro. Afterward, a mysterious voice in his head told him to take the weapon, and flee. Shortly afterward, he would commit his first murder by accident and like it. He became obsessed with erasing the unbearable light of Green Lantern, and turned it into his life's mission. Fashioning a homemade costume out of body bags to remind him of his family and his identity, he prepared to fight the hero. William Hand calls himself Black Hand as a reference to himself being the "black sheep" of the Hand family.
Shortly before Hal Jordan's resurrection, Black Hand's device located a spare Power Ring that Green Arrow held in case of emergency. Hand tried to claim the ring for himself, but was stopped by Green Arrow and Hal Jordan, who at that point was the current Spectre. As Hand attempted to wield the power ring, the emerald archer pinned the villain's hand to the wall with an arrow and the Spectre burnt his hand to ash, stating "(now) he can live up to his name".
Now missing his right hand and driven insane from trauma, Hand fled. However, after hearing of Hal Jordan's resurrection, he decided to relocate to the rebuilt Coast City to take revenge on his old foe. While on board an airplane, he is targeted and abducted by the Kroloteans, a race of mysterious German-speaking aliens, who are akin to the gremlins of myth. They performed experiments that enhanced his inherent power, and abandon him in a public park. As he soon pieced together the mystery of his new powers, he went to a nearby hospital and drained the lifeforce from twenty two people, completely reforming his hand.
Locating the Green Lantern onboard the Kroloteans spaceship, Hand began draining the life from the Green Lantern, with his power ring being unable to stop the attack, only slow it down. As he continued to drain his foe, Hand ranted that Jordan had cheated death, something people were not allowed to do. Their fight spilled into the graveyard where Hal had saved him from Atrocitus, and Jordan was able to slice off Black Hand's newly reformed Hand and leave him in a grave, saying that death was nothing without life. Hand continued that death was stronger, and black was the most wonderful color in the universe.
Hearing the voice of the Guardian of Death, the being who formed the Black Lantern on Ryut, the voice began speaking the names of various heroes who had died and come back to life, including Jordan, Superman, Wonder Woman, Kilowog, Flash and Kid Flash. Returning to his family home, Hand murdered each member of his family one by one before finally turning his cosmic diving rod on himself. Scar, who also worshiped the Guardian of Death, made a Black Lantern Ring which reanimated Black Hand, dubbing the herald of their lord.
Heading to Gotham City, Hand recited the Black Lantern oath and dug up the skull of Batman. Following this, the Guardian of Death released thousands of Black rings from the Central Battery, heading for Earth and Oa. Among those added to the Black Lantern Corps were former Justice Leaguers J'onn J'onzz, Ralph and Sue Dibny. J'onn was sent after Hal and Barry Allen, while the Dibnys were sent after Hawkman and Hawkgirl, who had been in a cycle of death and reincarnation for over three thousand years. The Dibnys murdered the Hawks, and Black Hand sent rings from Batman's skull to add them to the Black Lantern Corps.
Black Hand remained largely absent during the initial power build up for the Black Lanterns, waiting in Coast City for when the Black Lanterns power levels reached 100%. He did observe the taking of the Spectre and noted that the Phantom Stranger did not register on the Black Lanterns emotional readout as living or dead, something which interested him. Finally, once the power levels reached 100%, Black Hand beheld the arrival of the Black Central Battery's from Ryut to Coast City, then commanded Nekron, the Guardian of Death, to "RISE". Black Hand helps Nekron battle the heroes of Earth and the Lantern Corps. In the final issue of Blackest Night it is revealed that Black Hand is Nekron's link to the living plane, this promotes Hal Jordan to bond with the white entity of life and use it's power to resurecct Black Hand destroying Nekron's link to the living plane, causing the villain's defeat. Indigo 1 takes Black Hand to the Indigo Tribe's home world. He appears to be dazed and confused.
Current Version:
Black Hand (Indigo Tribe)
Former Versions:
Black Hand (Cosmic Rod)
Black Hand (Reborn)
Black Hand (Black Lantern Corps)
