Scarecrow (Marvel Comics)

:"This article deals with the Scarecrow of Marvel Comics. For the DC Comics supervillain, see Scarecrow (comics). For the supernatural Marvel Comics hero of the same name, see Straw Man (comics)."

Superherobox|

caption=Scarecrow.
Art by Angel Medina.
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Scarecrow
real_name=Ebenezer Laughton
species=
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Tales of Suspense" #51 (Mar 1964)
creators=Stan Lee
Don Heck
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
alliances=Maggia
Hood Army
The Firm
Exterminators
[http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/exterminatorschamln.htm]
aliases=Umberto the Uncanny
powers=|

The Scarecrow (Ebenezer Laughton) is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe, in which he is an enemy of Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, and Iron Man. His first appearance was in "Tales of Suspense #51".

Fictional character biography

Ebenezer Laughton was born in Rhinebeck, New York. Raised by an abusive mother who was alternately viciously cruel and extremely kind to him, Laughton became a circus escape artist and contortionist, helping Iron Man apprehend a fleeing culprit. However, he decided to make his profit in crime and became an accomplished burglar. He mostly worked alone - except for a flock of trained crows which served as carriers and killers - although he once joined Count Nefaria's short-lived team of super-mercenaries (which included the Eel, the Porcupine, the Plantman and the Unicorn). Eventually, however, from breaking out of prison so many times his mind snapped, and Laughton became insane, willing to kill people wantonly.

It was revealed in Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin that Laughton was motivated in part to become a supervillain by agents of the Mandarin who supplied him with his first costume and trained crows. He was allured by the idea of becoming the number one in the growing field of industrial espionage.

Laughton wears a scarecrow costume and is extremely flexible and agile due to heavy training. He became an undead character, raised by the sorcerer Stern after falling into his own pitchfork after a battle with the second Ghost Rider. Before this he possessed no superhuman powers save for his "rubber man" ability, but after his resurrection he gained superhuman strength, speed and endurance as well as the supernatural ability to induce fear in his enemies. He also gained the ability to heal any injury so long as he was in the presence of the fear of others. This worked in conjunction with his ability to induce fear, as any injury he sustained would heal almost immediately from inducing fear in those around him. The Ghost Rider used this ability against the Sacrecrow, briefly mangling his body, and using Scarecrow's healing and fear inducing abilities to cause the Scarecrow's body to heal in a crooked and contorted pose. He was later restored to his normal physical appearance by the government agent called Spook during the "Ghost Rider in Chains" story arc.

Laughton's physiology and mentality would fluctuate quite a bit over the years, given his employ/manipulation by various demonic/magical entities, resulting in continuing conflict with Ghost Rider and his allies, even becoming a body-hopping ghost during one such campaign. Eventually, Laughton would be abandoned by various "magical employers", and stabilize physically, if not mentally.

Scarecrow was jailed in the Raft prison facility following a failed sexual assault upon hostages who were freed by the Falcon. Following that facility's destruction, he found himself in conflict with Spider-Man and the Thunderbolts.

Civil War/The Initiative

Scarecrow is among the army of villains recruited by Zemo and his Thunderbolts to serve as "hero-hunters" during the events of the "Civil War".

Scarecrow recently showed up when Peter Parker unmasked himself, as one of a band of costumed villains (including Electro, the Molten Man, and Will o' the Wisp), hired by the Chameleon to attack Peter Parker in a lopsided revenge effort. Scarecrow was defeated and incarcerated. He later teamed again with Molten Man in a rampage which was halted by Captain America and the Punisher. The two criminals were sent as part of the "Thunderbolt Army" to flush heroes out of hiding. Cap was forced to prevent Punisher from killing Scarecrow once he'd been apprehended.

Ebenezer has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who registered as part of the Initiative ["" #1] . [ [http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.947 Avengers: The Initiative #1 Character Map] ]

The Hood

Someone that looks like Scarecrow was among the members of Hood's Crime Syndicate [New Avengers #35 (2007)] . He helped them assault the New Avengers' home until they were defeated. In Secret Invasion, he is among the many supervillains who rejoined the Hood's crime syndicate and attacked an invading Skrull force. ["Secret Invasion" #6]

Powers and abilities

The Scarecrow is double-jointed and can fit his body through any aperture at least one foot wide. Scarecrow is also a trained acrobat, escapologist and tumbler. He has a flock of two dozen pet crows, which have been taught by him to kill on command. When the Scarecrow was raised from the dead by the sorcerer Stern he was able to induce fear in his victims, and could heal any injury he sustained when in the presence in the fear of others. This was revealed in a Ghost Rider annualissue, and was his first appearance since his apparent death in a previous battle with the Ghost Rider.

Other versions

Marvel vs. DC

In "Marvel vs. DC", Scarecrow briefly teamed up with DC's Scarecrow in an attempt to kidnap Lois Lane. They were thwarted by Ben Reilly. In the Amalgam Universe, Scarecrow was a combination of Marvel's Scarecrow and DC's Scarecrow.

Other media

Video games

Scarecrow in the the video game based on the feature film voiced by Dave Wittenberg. In the game, Ghost Rider enters a church and fights Scarecrow's crows and then fights Scarecrow himself. Scarecrow attacks Ghost Rider but retreats to a pillar. After Ghost Rider knocks the pillar over, Scarecrow falls from a great height, and then battle continues. This cycle repeats until the Scarecrow is defeated.

Toys

Scarecrow hasn action figure for the "Ghost Rider" movie line by Hasbro. A "comic-styled", five-inch figure including crows and a pitchfork, was included as part of a Toys R' Us exclusive figure-set, "The Spider & The Scarecrow".

References