The Scarecrow was created by writer Scott Edelman and artist Rico Rival and first appeared in Dead of Night #11 (August 1975).

[6] Edelman and artist Ruben Yandoc produced a follow-up story which appeared in Marvel Spotlight #26 (February 1976),[7] and the story was eventually concluded by Bill Mantlo and Ron Wilson in Marvel Two-in-One #18 (August 1976).

He lives inside a palimpsest painting of a laughing scarecrow purchased by Jess Duncan and opposes the centuries-old Cult of Kalumai.

[7] Kalumai later spread his influence through the painting into a man who was mutated into a fiery creature and then fought the Thing and the Scarecrow.

[8] The Straw Man was invited by the Dweller-in-Darkness to join the Fear Lords, but he betrayed them to Doctor Strange.