Dr. Geoffrey Crawford was a professor at Desert State University who took undergraduate Bruce Banner under his wing to mentor him. Years later, Banner went to see his teacher and aid him in finding a cure for the Hulk. At this time, Crawford is paraplegic, but nevertheless able to create a machine that could filter out the gamma radiation from Bruce's body. He saw this as a way to regain his walking ability. By obtaining some samples of the Hulk's DNA, he knew it would allow him to use these recuperative powers on himself. First, Crawford reconfigured his own DNA so that it can match with Banner's. This turned him into a stronger beast similar to the Hulk: the monster called Ravage.