Captain America: Brave New World is in cinemas now, bringing Sam Wilson back to our screens for an explosive thriller that will push Cap to his limits. As well as the much-hyped arrival of Red Hulk – the first time the character has appeared in any of the Marvel movies – another villain making his debut is Copperhead, a longstanding comics bad guy played by Game of Thrones actor Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson.
But who exactly is this snake-themed villain and what threat does he pose? Well, as it turns out, in comics at least, Cap and Copperhead go way back…
Who is Copperhead in Marvel Comics?
First off, it’s worth noting that there have been no less than three villains who have used the name Copperhead in Marvel Comics, though two are pretty much unrelated to the character in Captain America: Brave New World.
The first Copperhead was named Lawrence Chesney and debuted in 1975's Daredevil #124 and #125 by Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, and Gene Colan. This Copperhead is a sibilant killer who leaves coins on the eyes of his victims. Daredevil and Chesney fight, but Lawrence/Copperhead escapes… only to be fatally struck by lightning. Fate – and Marvel Comics – can be fickle sometimes.
The second Copperhead emerged a few years later in 1978's Human Fly #8 and #9, by Bill Mantlo and Frank Robbins. Arthur Reynolds was a former colleague of Chesney's, taking his costume after his death and using it to rob New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. When his plans threaten some kids, however, his gang turn on him. The second Copperhead ends up being kicked into a flooded subway, though his body is never found.
The third and most prominent Copperhead – and indeed the one to feature in Captain America: Brave New World – is Davis Lawfers. Lawfers doesn't have any superpowers, though he is extremely tooled up thanks to another villain, Madame Hydra/the second Viper, who gave him both the Copperhead name and his suit. He's equipped with gauntlets that fire poison blasts and flares in his helmet that he calls "copper bursts."
Introduced in 1988's Captain America #337 by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio, and Tom Morgan, Lawfers was a former civil servant recruited by Madame Hydra as part of her ploy to take control of the Serpent Society – a group that he's drifted in and out of over the years. He was there when it reformed as Serpent Solutions, a shady company set up by the original Viper, Jordan Dixon, that worked to infiltrate and subvert big businesses in the United States.
But Copperhead isn't just a Captain America villain. In his time he's grappled with Spider-Man and the Avengers and been manipulated by Mephisto. Although far from an A-List villain, he's had a solid career in crime for almost 40 years now.
Who is Copperhead in the MCU?
Copperhead in the new movie is quite a bit different to his comic's incarnation, though he is still working for the Serpent Society and Sidewinder, as played by Giancarlo Esposito.
Hollywood Reporter asked Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson about his character at the premiere of the new film, with the actor admitting that his take is rather different to the one Marvel Comics fans might be expecting. "In the comics he's like half a snake, so in that way he's sort of different," said Jóhannesson, slightly bafflingly. "He's human. But there is similarities. He's not a nice guy, is he? Maybe he's just misunderstood. But he has his differences with the Captain and they hash it out."
Indeed they do, with Cap and Copperhead brawling in the film's opening act – a battle that Sam Wilson decisively wins, despite this Lawfer's impressive size and fighting skills. And that's pretty much it for the MCU Copperhead, at least in this movie! Still, he's still alive as far as we know, so perhaps he'll return for a rematch one day.
Find out where Captain America: Brave New World sits in the Marvel timeline. Then join us as we break down its final act with our guide to the Captain America: Brave New World ending.
