For years, a recurring core theme among X-Men comics has been one of acceptance and the fair treatment of disenfranchised groups. Created by the legendary team of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby during the Civil Rights Movement, the X-Men have consistently been depicted as a group of mutants who are hated by the world around them, yet who continuously strive to create a world where they are accepted and free from the constraints of prejudice and bigotry. But years after their creation, a character was introduced into the world of the X-Men whose very name was an ill-conceived reminder of racism and the horrors of war.

The villain John Greycrow was introduced in Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr.'s Uncanny X-Men #210 in 1986 as a member of Mister Sinister's group of mercenary assassins known as the Marauders. This Native American of unspecified descent used his mutant power to alter and reconfigure machinery during the "Mutant Massacre," a storyline where the Marauders slaughtered many of the sewer-dwelling Morlocks. During this time, Greycrow adopted the codename "Scalphunter," which remained his primary identifier for many years. But starting in Hellions #2 (by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia) which was released in 2020, Marvel seemingly retired that codename and started referring to the character as Greycrow.

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The Problematic Nature of the "Scalphunter" Name

John Greycow introduces himself as "Scalphunter" alongside the Marauders in the pages of Uncanny X-Men

The term "scalping" refers to the practice of cutting off the top of a person's head -- the scalp, which was traditionally done to enemies who were defeated. Although the practice did not originate in America, it is known to have existed during the days of the American Frontier, and "scalp hunters" were fighters who took the scalps of their enemies and victims as trophies. While Native American tribes engaged in the ritual, the practice was also widely used against Native Americans by European colonizers and their descendants, who themselves were generally the ones posting bounties for scalps. In both contexts, the implication in attributing the name to a modern Native American character -- especially a violent one -- is racist and portrays Native Americans in an unfavorable light.

Much like the Kiowa DC hero who shares Greycrow's former codename, Greycrow continued to use that codename in almost all of his subsequent appearances, which frequently found him acting as an assassin with his fellow Marauders. The sole exception to this was in Matt Fraction and Jamie McKelvie's "Migas" story in 2008's X-Men: Divided We Fall #1, wherein the character seemed to be shying away from his life of violence and seeking redemption. Following the formation of the mutant nation called Krakoa, Greycrow joined the Hellions, a group of mutants with violent histories. In Hellions #1, Greycrow was explicitly identified by his old codename in the list of characters that were included in the comic. However, Hellions #2 only identified the character as Greycrow in its roster.

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X-Men Character Greycrow Has Moved Away From His Old Codename

An image of the Hellions character list includes Greycrow, Psylocke and Madelyne Pryor

While Greycrow was identified by his former codename in both the roster for Hellions #1 and promotional material for the series, it's worth noting that he was primarily addressed as "John Greycrow," "John" or "Greycrow" throughout the actual events of Hellions #1 and Hellions #2. Traditionally, Greycrow has been a fairly minor character within the X-Men's wider world, and the name-change coincided with his first regular role on a heroic team.

However, it also took place in the context of a societal reckoning with racial injustice and inequities, especially in America. At a time when multiple sports teams have been reassessing the racist terminology and images associated with their franchises, this name change reflected an awareness of harmful and hurtful language that perpetuates negative stereotypes. It reflected Marvel's willingness to address past oversights and help move towards the intentional and inclusive future that still sits at the core of the X-Men's world.