John Dodd was a banker who was running out of money. He decided to start an extortion racket as The Laughing Skull. Those who failed to pay him protection money were buried alive with mocking tombstones set in rhyme. He realized that in order to make himself respected as the terror of the city, he needed to kill the hero Mr. Scarlet, who was attempting to track him down. The Laughing Skull and his men managed to capture Mr. Scarlet, but the hero got free and brought them to justice.

Later, The Laughing Skull was broken out of "El Catraz" Penitentiary by The Brain and recruited to join the Death Battalion. Mr. Scarlet's sidekick, Pinky, attempted to apprehend The Laughing Skull, but the villain knocked him out with a large bone. Just as The Laughing Skull was about to bury Pinky alive, Mr. Scarlet arrived and stopped the criminal.

*Wow Comics #3 (1941)
*America's Greatest Comics #1 (1941)
Category:Villains
Category:1941 Debuts
Category:Comic Book Characters
Category:Fawcett Characters
Category:Male Characters
Category:Skull Face Characters
Category:Criminal Masterminds
Category:Dodd Family Characters
Category:Jack Binder-Creator
Category:Nazi Characters