Carter Channel (aka Channelman) was first seen as a member of the Psyba-Rats, a group of teenage techno thieves. He teamed up with Raelene "Rae" Sharp (aka Razorsharp), Reginald Hackman (aka Hackrat), Cullen Thrane (aka Output), and Michael Wasko (aka Mega-Biter) and formed the Psyba-Rats to steal data and perform industrial espionage. The Psyba-Rats were hired by the Collector to break into Wayne Enterprises. Robin appeared on the scene, and scared them off. When they updated their status to the Collector, he killed Thrane and Wasko. Sharp, Hackman, and Channel fled, and ran into the Bloodlines parasites during their Earthbreak. The three were all attacked by Venev, an alien parasite, whose venom activated their meta-gene. As a result of this meta-gene activation, Channel gained the ability to "enter" into a television world, inhabiting the characteristics of that world. He could travel the television airwaves to appear on any TV.
 
Now super-powered, the remaining Psyba-Rats planned their revenge on the Collector. Channelman, using his new ability to enter television systems, disabled the Collector's security while Razorsharp and Hackrat broke in. Robin, on the trail of the Psyba-Rats, followed them to the Collector's operation, and confronted Razorsharp and Hackrat. Robin joined the Psyba-Rats to confront the Collector, and during the fight the Collector threw Robin out the window of the skyrise. Razorsharp jumped out after him, and saved him using her base jump parachute. Deciding they'd had enough for the night, they part ways, but not before naming Robin an honorary Psyba-Rat. 
 
Channelman and the Psyba-Rats continued to perform various acts of data retrieval and urban infiltration. They broke into the compound of billionaire T. Clyde Pontefract to earn themselves a million dollars. They also stole the fabled formula for Zesti Cola for a mysterious Mr. Branchwater; a mission that brought them into conflict with the Collector again.  During this mission, Channelman's body was killed by Mr. Branchwater's goons, but his consciousness still exists floating on the television airwaves.
 
At one point, the Psyba-Rats accepted the job to break into the defunct Justice League Secret Sanctuary (but currently being used by Young Justice) and retrieve all data related to the "Magellan Files." The Rats did not realize that A) Robin was on the team and B) their mysterious client was Blockbuster. After the Psyba-Rats took down Red Tornado, Arrowette, and Secret, Robin and Superboy arrived. Robin and Razorsharp compared notes, and both groups (Young Justice and the Psyba-Rats) turned on Blockbuster, invading his computer system with a custom Young Justice virus.