Ivan was one of the three criminals that partnered up with the Psycho-Man when he constructed his massive psycho ray, which he planned to use to enslave the entire populace of Earth. He and his partners witnessed the murder of Psycho-Man’s minion who failed to properly address one of the components he needed for his ray. Seeing this, the men felt the need to assert themselves, and so they attacked Psycho-Man, who quickly turned his control box on them, bathing them in a ray of doubt. The three hardened criminals were turned into simpering, groveling weaklings, who felt they needed his help or were lost.
Later, the three joined him at the apartment of Alicia Masters when Psycho-Man used his ray of fear against the Thing, knocking him unconscious. They soon traveled with him to Panther Island, though none of them were aware that the Black Panther had recently purchased it for his own uses. Soon, a group consisting of the Black Panther and the Inhumans led by their monarch, Black Bolt, attacked their hidden base. The three powered criminals were the first to be sent out, and they used their abilities to try and stop the force of heroes.
Ivan turned his solar gun on Black Bolt and temporarily blinded him. But when he turned to use it on Karnak who fought with his ally, Live Wire, Black Bolt lashed out and struck him unconscious. The Inhumans, along with half of the Fantastic Four, later bested their leader, Psycho-Man, and the three criminals were presumably captured and turned in to the nearest authorities.
