In the vast world of Marvel villains, few strike a balance between gritty street crime and supernatural terror like The Hood, also known as Parker Robbins. While many villains rely on brute force or genius-level intellect, The Hood blends dark magic, demonic influence, and a cunning criminal mind to rise from a petty thief to a serious threat to heroes like the Avengers and Ironheart. With his upcoming appearance in the Ironheart series, The Hood is poised to become a household name among Marvel fans.
Real Name: Parker Robbins
Alias: The Hood
First Appearance: The Hood #1 (2002)
Creators: Brian K. Vaughan and Kyle Hotz
Affiliations:
- The Hood’s Gang
- The Cabal
- The Illuminati (briefly)
- Villain partner to Dormammu (a major Doctor Strange enemy)
ORIGIN STORY
Parker Robbins was just an ordinary low-level criminal from Brooklyn, trying to care for his sick mother. While on a robbery job, he encountered and killed a Nisanti demon (possibly tied to Dormammu). From this demon, he stole:
- A magical cloak that grants invisibility
- Boots that allow levitation
At first, Parker just wanted money and safety. But after gaining the cloak, he adopted the name The Hood and slowly became a kingpin of supernatural crime.
POWERS & ABILITIES
While Parker is just a human, his magical gear and later deals with demons gave him intense powers:
Cloak & Boots (original powers)
- Invisibility when he holds his breath
- Levitation/Flying via magical boots
Powers after serving Dormammu
- Demonic magic: Fireballs, teleportation, energy blasts
- Superhuman durability
- Dark force channeling
- Possession of others (briefly)
- His power level increases the more he surrenders to Dormammu’s influence
INTELLIGENCE & STRATEGY
What makes The Hood especially dangerous is not just his powers—but his criminal mind:
- Built a massive criminal empire
- Recruited dozens of supervillains under his control
- Played the system to rival Kingpin, Norman Osborn, and others
- Even fought the Avengers and Illuminati using his demonic enhancements
CONNECTION TO IRONHEART
In the upcoming Ironheart series:
- Ironheart (Riri Williams) is a genius who builds tech-powered suits like Iron Man.
- The Hood represents the opposite: raw magic and street crime.
- Their conflict will explore science vs. mysticism, and grounded crime vs. high-tech heroism.
The Hood will be played by Anthony Ramos, and he’s expected to be the main antagonist of the Ironheart series.
MAJOR COMIC EVENTS
- The Hood (2002) – Parker’s origin and first steps into magic-based crime.
- New Avengers (2005–2010) – Becomes a major villain by forming a massive criminal army.
- Dark Reign – Works under Norman Osborn; tries to fill Kingpin’s role.
- Infinity Countdown – Tries to get an Infinity Stone.
- Illuminati (2015) – Appears as a leader of a team of lesser-known villains.
FUN FACTS
- He is one of the few villains to blend street-level crime and supernatural powers.
- He often wears a classic red hooded cloak that gives him his name and dark vibe.
- He’s been described as a “magical Kingpin” of the Marvel Universe.
As Marvel dives deeper into stories that combine science, technology, and mysticism, The Hood serves as the perfect foil to characters like Ironheart. His rise from a desperate man to a demon-powered crime lord shows just how dangerous ambition can become when paired with otherworldly power. Whether in comics or on screen, The Hood reminds us that the most dangerous villains are often those who start with nothing—and are willing to risk everything.
