Scalphunter (Marvel Comics)

His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #210. This character was created by Chris Claremont, John Romita Jr. and Dan Green.

Scalphunter is a Native American (specifically Comanche) who originally fought in World War II for the United States, but is to be executed for murdering his fellow officers. He gets shot by a firing squad and is believed killed. However, he survives and is found and recruited by enigmatic mastermind Mister Sinister early on. Later, apparently not working under Sinister, he kills the employer of the savage mutant Sabretooth and offers Sabretooth money to join Scalphunter's boss as a mercenary, which Sabretooth accepts.

Years later, he meets the thief Gambit; Uncanny X-Men #324 reveals that Greycrow and Gambit were once co-workers at an Arizona diner, where they and waitress Claire De Luc comprised a trio of close friends.[1] Gambit would later recruit Scalphunter as a member of the Marauders, a band of assassins operating under, by apparent coincidence, his one-time boss Sinister (and reuniting him with one-time ally Sabretooth, who was field leader for the loose team), who sends the Marauders to murder the entire underground mutant community known as the Morlocks. He shoots young Morlock Tommy after using her to lead the group to 'The Alley', the Morlock's home in the tunnels. Gambit apparently follows the Marauders, having learned of their intentions, and manages to save one Morlock, who will grow to be Marrow. As seen in flashback in Gambit (third series) #8, Gambit was appalled that Greycrow would be involved in such a massacre, suggesting that at the time Gambit knew little of Greycrow's violent past.[2] In the course of the Mutant Massacre, the Marauders clash with the X-Men and the original X-Factor team, as well as Thor and Power Pack, leaving several Marauders dead.

Subsequently, the X-Men thwart the Marauders' attempt to assassinate Sinister's former pawn, Madelyne Pryor, in San Francisco. Failing, they try once more in New York City during the demonic invasion Inferno event. During this time, it is revealed Sinister has cloned the entire band of Marauders, to replace any members of the team who are killed with exact replicas (as was done in the case of the Marauder known as Riptide). Scalphunter manages to live throughout his encounters with heroes, but when the Marauders later fight dimensionally-displaced Nate Grey after trying to assassinate Sinister's former servant, Threnody, he is killed and then cloned. When Sinister poses as Dr. Robert Windsor a scientist in the Weapon X program, Scalphunter is still helping him obtain mutant DNA, as Sinister supposedly helps prisoners escape, only to take them to his own labs for experimentation.

Scalphunter is one of the still-powered mutants living in tents on the Xavier Institute lawn after almost all mutants were depowered on M-Day. When immortal mutant Apocalypse comes, Scalphunter leaves and serves him. When Havok warns Scalphunter and fellow Apocalypse recruits Fever Pitch and Skids that they are in over their heads, Scalphunter replies that Apocalypse has explained that he is on the side of mutants in this case, as they are in danger of becoming extinct.

Scalphunter's mutant powers include superior regenerative abilities, which may slow his aging to a degree. He also has techno-morphing powers which allow him to construct various mechanical devices at a superhuman rate. This is achieved using the numerous components attached to his costume, yet it is unclear if these abilities are also mutant powers or rather derived from his costume. Scalphunter is an extraordinary master of conventional firearms, and has been known to use a wide variety of weaponry which include but are not exclusive to edged cutlery, pistols, rifles, shotguns, laser guns, and miniature cannons.