The Scarecrow (Ebenezer Laughton) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Scarecrow's first appearance was in Tales of Suspense #51 (March 1964), in a story created by Stan Lee and Don Heck.

Ebenezer Laughton was born in Rhinebeck, New York, as the son of a farmer, along with his brother Ralph. Raised by an abusive mother, Laughton became a circus escape artist and contortionist, and while working as a carnival performer once helped Iron Man apprehend a fleeing culprit. However, he decided to make his profit in crime and became an accomplished burglar and professional thief while dressed as a scarecrow. He mostly worked alone—except for a flock of trained crows which served as carriers and killers. In his first appearance as the Scarecrow, he was defeated by Iron Man.

He joined Count Nefaria's short-lived team of super-mercenaries (which included Plantman, the original Eel, the original Porcupine, the original Unicorn and himself), and participated in Count Nefaria's attempt to hold Washington, D.C., for ransom before being defeated by the X-Men. He later worked for the Cowled Commander, but was defeated by Captain America and the Falcon. He then clashed with Captain America once more. Eventually, Laughton went insane, and he began murdering supporters of the Coalition for an Upstanding America, but was defeated by Captain America.

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 standing out in the growing field of industrial espionage.

Scarecrow embarked on a series of murders, and first battled the second Ghost Rider. He fell and was impaled on his own pitchfork during the battle with Ghost Rider, and was carried off by the Firm. He received surgical implants, carried out more killings, and abducted Stacy Dolan.^{[volume and issue needed]} He fought Captain America and Ghost Rider, surviving being shot and impaled, and was then enlisted by Mr. Stern for the Firm. He became undead, raised by the sorcerer Stern. 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. He also gained the ability to recover from any injury so long as he was in the presence of the fear of others. The Ghost Rider used this ability against the Scarecrow, briefly mangling his body, causing Scarecrow 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.^{[volume and issue needed]}

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 ghost during one such campaign. Eventually, Laughton would be abandoned by these "magical employers" and stabilize physically, if not mentally.^{[volume and issue needed]}

Scarecrow was jailed in the Raft prison facility following a failed sexual assault upon hostages who were freed by the Falcon.