Severin was not always a severed, talking hand. In his youth, Severin traveled Asia in an effort to learn all the secret magic arts of the world. Studying under the tutalege of Tse Tso Chan, Severin learned astral projection, telepathy, and many other secret magjc practices. He eventually settled down in America, assumed the identity of a magician known as Severin the Sensational, and toured the vaudeville circuit in the early twentieth century. He was well known for his "sleight of hand" tricks. During an extended stay in Chicago, Severin happened to get involved with Saucy Jones, the girlfriend of infamous gangster Handsome Face Harry. Flaunting danger, Severin quite publicly embarrassed Handsome Face Harry during a magic act. Later that night, the gangster and his crew paid a late night visit to Severin's dressing room, cutting off his hand, then stabbing him to death. Severin used his astral projection technique to transfer his lifeforce into his severed hand. The gangsters then wrapped Severin's body up in rope, weighted it down with rocks, and threw him into the river. Handsome Face Harry kept the hand a grisly souvenir of his revenge. About a week later, the hand came to life, animated by the life force of Severin's dying spirit. It strangled Harry to death, and crawled off into the city. Eventually, the hand learned how to levitate in the air, and learned to speak telepathically to others. Severin Hand now wanders the world, dealing out justice to those who commit murder.