Warren was born into vast wealth, but still felt the freak when his anatomical changes enabled him to fly. His wings, fully expanded, reach an amazing 16 feet wingspan, but remain extremely flexible. He instantly fell in love with his newfound powers and moved to New York City where he became a masked crime fighter, the Avenging Angel. He was then contacted by the X-Men and became their third member. For a long time, Warren used a harness to strap his wings down and keep his X-Men identity a secret. But, some years later he went public and established the super hero team, the Champions.

When he had joined the original X-Men, he took the name "Angel," simply cutting off the Avenging part for the team. He was a full time member of the team until the incident at Krakoa. Then a new team was formed and he retired to live with his girlfriend, Candy Southern. He was a Defender for a short time, but was out of the limelight until Jean Grey came back to life (he's always had a thing for her).

He used his money to form X-Factor with the original members of X-Men. They went about under the guise of fighting mutants, but were really helping them, training them to harness their powers to help themselves (aka the professor's dream). But, the guy in charge of it all, Cameron Hodge(see X-Foes), was a member of an anti-mutant league known as The Right. During his stay in X-Factor, Angel was serioudly wounded in combat by the Marauder Harpoon and his wings were amputated. Many had thought he had died.

He wasn't dead, but taken by Apocalypse(X-Foes) as one of his Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (again X-Foes), the incarnation of Death. He got a new pair of wings, these babies were metallic and could shower his target with razors dipped in a neuropoison with deadly accuracy. Warren eventually freed himself, but his new wings were still evil, sometimes acting separately of Warrne's wishes. And now he is a bit more somber in his attitude towards life, becoming downright morose at times. He renamed himself Archangel. Warren later returned to the X-Men, and has since shedded his Apocolyptic wings. Apparently his original pair had been regenerating the whole time. His blue skin has remained, though.

Warren was robbed of a great bulk of his fortune by Hodge, but still owns quite a lot, including a wonderful nightclub in Manhattan. Archangel killed Hodge, but Hodge still seems to crop up every now and again. Warren briefly dated a policewoman named Charlotte, but has developed quite a romance with Elizabeth Braddock (Psylocke, X-Men). In one Uncanny issue devoted to the two lovers, Warren hinted at the possibility of the two getting hitched. Maybe then he won't be so morose anymore.