Tech-9 was the superpowered leader/founding member of the Dakotaverse's Blood Syndicate. His tenure as such would last until a defect in the Quantum Juice that gave him powers caused Rolando's body to spontaneously degrade at a genetic level before the eyes of his teammates. Much like the rest of his unit, Tech gained his powers from exposure to a supertropical element fashioned by Alva Technologies known as Quantum Vapor during the "Big Bang" event.
Tech-9 was created by Dwayne McDuffie, Ivan Velez, Jr. and Denys Cowan, first appearing in the Milestone Media publication Blood Syndicate #1 (1993).