Editing Matt Cole (a.k.a. Ghost) (section)

== History ==

<br>Matt Cole grew up in Lothsmith's Alley in Gotham's Narrows. Decades ago it had been a home to respectable artisans and their family firms. In recent times, it had become run down, but the technical side of the community stayed alive in chop-shops and used electrical goods stores. This was the street that found its own uses for technology, and it survived the worst of the Narrows' gang warfare by being useful to some dangerous people in need of technical support.

Matt picked up tech knowledge from his dad, just like every kid in the street, but his heart wasn't entirely in it. He didn't want to be a back-room guy. He wanted to be in the mix. His distaste for violence meant he was never going to be a thug, but he was able to parlay his technical skill, small size and natural agility into a decent career as a second-story man, justifying it by telling himself he was the non-violent option for jobs that were going to get done anyway. His dad wasn't happy about this new turn in his career, but built him a 'Ghost Suit' to help keep him alive. It's Matt's most prized possession.

Everything was going well enough until one job, stealing an artefact from an old collector on behalf of the Riddler. It should have been easy, but something went wrong. Matt had his hands on the item when the house exploded. He didn’t know how he managed to get out unscathed, but he did. He stumbled home and picked up his life again the next day, soon noticing, however, that he began to manifest strange and disconcerting powers. He heard voices and would see people who would then turn out not to be there. Sometimes, people didn't see him. Matt was sure that it was something to do with the artefact, but he doesn't know how or why. All he knows is that he has some connection with the realm of the unquiet dead.

When Batman caught him and offered him a way out or prison, he didn't choose to switch sides out of fear of the Bat, but because the ghosts he had been seeing finally brought home to him how he couldn't wash his hands of the violence his employers doled out so casually, even if he never perpetrated it himself.