CRIMEN Behemoth CRIMEN Annihiliator Rick Ross III & IV

ORGANIZATION: International Crime Cartel. KNOWN AGENTS: Rick Ross III a.k.a. Baroud I (head, presumed killed by Jean Brume), Rick Ross IV a.k.a. Baroud II (current head), Rowena Ross a.k.a. Miss Choc (killed by Jean Brume). Other agents are usually identified by numbers. ALLIES: None. ENEMIES: C.L.A.S.H., Jean Brume, Kit Kappa, Phenix, Zembla, The Leopard. BASES OF OPERATIONS: "001" (location unknown). Network of worldwide bases. WEAPONRY: Highly sophisticated. Behemoth (flying fortress, copied from C.L.A.S.H.'s Leviathan). Annihilator (super-powered armored suit). HISTORY: The origins of CRIMEN are shrouded in mystery. Some claim the organization is a direct descendent of the notorious Order of the Assassins of Alamut, a medieval sect ruled by the legendary Old Man of the Mountain. A reported founder of the organization that later evolved into CRIMEN was Andrea Vitelli, Count of Monteleone, known as "Bel Demonio" and leader of the Frères de la Merci (Brotherhood of Mercy), a mysterious criminal sect active in Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica during the 17th century. His 18th century descendent, Mario de Monteleone, a.k.a. "Fra Diavolo", founded the society of the Companions of Silence (also known as the Iron Knights) in Naples. In the 19th century, a man calling himself Colonel Bozzo-Corona, who may or may not have been Mario de Monteleone or one of his descendents, moved to France, where he organized a criminal empire under the name of the "Habits Noirs." The same gang also operated in Italy as the Veste Nere, in England as the Black Coats or the Gentlemen of the Night, and in Germany as the Rosenkrentz. Later Masters of the Black Coats included the Marquess of Rio Santo, "John Devil" and Professor Moriarty in England; the Kramm family in Germany; and the de Felipones in Italy. Sometime during that period, the criminal organization became the sworn enemy of the mysterious crime fighter known as Jean Brume. In the 1920s and 1930s, during the Prohibition and the Rum Row, the leadership of what, by then, had become the modern-day international crime cartel known as CRIMEN was assumed by the Ross family from England, who has retained its mastery ever since.

Art by Floriano Bozzi Rick Ross III

REAL NAME: Richard Ross III. ALIAS: Baroud. OCCUPATIONS: Captain in the R.A.F., World War II hero, previous Grand Master of CRIMEN (unknown to the general population and to the C.L.A.S.H. until recently). CITIZENSHIP: British. PLACE OF BIRTH: Family Estate in Cornwall, U.K. RELATIVES: Richard Ross IV a.k.a. Baroud (son), Rowena Ross a.k.a. Miss Choc (daughter, deceased). BASES OF OPERATIONS: CRIMEN bases, Family estate in Cornwall. GENDER: Male. HEIGHT: 6'. WEIGHT: 220 lbs. EYES: Blue. HAIR: Blond. POWERS: Peak physical condition, strength, speed, reflexes, and stamina, due to constant training. Highly experienced with virtually all types of weapons and explosives, techniques of sabotage, espionage and assassination. BIOGRAPHY: Rick Ross was groomed by his father to take over the leadership of CRIMEN when World War II began. A dedicated patriot, the young man joined the R.A.F. and, because of its unquestioned bravery and exploits, rose to the rank of Captain. He was however captured by the Germans, and interned in the Oflag (prisoner camp) of Horn. The story of his incredible escapes became legendary. In a series of adventures yet to be told, Ross also fought the German super-warriors Stahlman and Vampyr. After the war, Ross took over the leadership of CRIMEN and rebuilt the criminal empire which had been devastated by the War. He married and fathered two children. The oldest was a daughter named Rowena (nom de guerre: Miss Choc) who was groomed to the leadership of CRIMEN. The youngest was a son, Rick, who was infiltrated inside the C.L.A.S.H. where he functioned as a mole. Rowena was later killed by Jean Brume. Recently, Rick Ross III unmasked himself before Frank Universal, and was presumably killed during a subsequent battle with Jean Brume.

Miss Choc Baroud II

REAL NAME: Richard Ross IV. ALIAS: Baroud. OCCUPATIONS: Formar Agent No. 2 with rank of Major of CLASH (mole); current Grand-Master of CRIMEN. CITIZENSHIP: British. PLACE OF BIRTH: Family Estate in Cornwall. RELATIVES: Richard Ross III (father, presumed dead), Rowena Ross a.k.a. Miss Choc (sister, deceased). BASES OF OPERATIONS: CRIMEN bases. GENDER: Male. HEIGHT: 6'2. WEIGHT: 240 lbs. EYES: Blue. HAIR: Blond. POWERS: Peak physical condition, strength, speed, reflexes, and stamina, due to constant training. Highly experienced with virtually all types of weapons and explosives, techniques of sabotage, espionage and assassination. BIOGRAPHY: Rick Ross IV is the son of Rick Ross III. He was trained by his father and dispatched to join the ranks of the C.L.A.S.H. His family antecedents and exceptional abilities enabled him to quickly rise in the ranks, to the position of Agent No. 3, just below Mister Song and Miss Kiss. He was code-named "Baroud" because of his superb battling skills. In reality, he was a mole secretly leaking information to CRIMEN. This is likely how CRIMEN was able to duplicate the C.L.A.S.H.'s Leviathan and build their own Behemoth. Baroud was never detected, until he felt ready to reveal himself, during the confrontation with the C.L.A.S.H. over Homicron. Soon afterwards, his father was presumably killed in a battle with CRIMEN's arch-foe, Jean Brume. Baroud then assumed the mantle of Grand Master of CRIMEN. He has since then ruled the organization with a merciless hand and a truly machiavellian sense of strategy. Baroud has also fought Zembla and Kit Kappa.