Copperhead (Marvel Comics)

Lawrence Chesney grew up hearing the tales of a pulp fiction hero named Copperhead from his father, who was the model for the covers of the Copperhead pulps and came to believe he himself was Copperhead. Chesney, warped by his father's madness, assumes the Copperhead guise, and leaves his calling card of copper pennies on the eyes of his victims. His murders of the writer and the publisher of the Copperhead pulps brings him the attention of Daredevil. As he fights Daredevil, Copperhead is struck by lightning and killed by electrocution.[1]

After death, Copperhead becomes the agent of a demon. He is sent back to Earth to retrieve Spider-Man’s soul, but fails after battling Spider-Man and Daredevil.[2]

Arthur Reynolds discovered that his former co-worker at the museum, Lawrence Chesney, had been Copperhead, and had been killed. Reynolds broke into Chesney's apartment and stole a spare Copperhead costume, assuming the identity. His plan to rob the museum were defeated by White Tiger and the Human Fly.

Davis Lawfers was born in Rochester, New York. He was a civil servant before becoming an agent of the Viper and a professional criminal. Copperhead was the leader of the fourth Serpent Squad, consisting also of Fer-de-lance, Black Racer, and Puff Adder. The quartet robbed a Las Vegas casino and battled Captain America, Falcon, Nomad, and D-Man in order to attract the attention of Sidewinder, then the leader of the Serpent Society.[3] The Serpent Squad was freed from jail by the Sidewinder,[4] and were inducted into the Serpent Society. In truth, they were sent by the Viper so she could infiltrate the organization and take over as its new leader.[5] After the coup was staged, Copperhead was assigned by the Viper, along with the Cobra and Boomslang to put a mutagenic agent into the water supply of Washington D.C. During that mission, he and Cobra had personality conflicts and did not get along, and battled Captain America and Diamondback.[6] After the Viper's plot was foiled, the Society re-organized with Cobra as the new leader. Copperhead did not stay long and quietly disappeared from the ranks of the Society.

During the Secret Invasion storyline, Lawfers rejoined the Society. The Society held a number of civilians hostage in a compound in the American Midwest claiming they were protecting themselves from the Skrulls. However, they were easily defeated by Nova and his new Nova Corps.[7]

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Copperhead appears as a member of Viper's Serpent Society under its new name of Serpent Solutions. He assisted Black Racer and Cottonmouth into attacking Captain America and Diamondback where Captain America learned too late that Diamondback is in league with the Serpent Solutions where she knocks him out and they bring him to Serpent Solutions' headquarters. They were later defeated by Captain America and his friends.[8]