Origin
Scalpel admired her father for running a small family clinic, letting people pay what they want. One day, a supervillain, Mr. Optix, offered him the chance to supply prescription drugs to sell on the streets. When her father declined, Optix killed him and wrecked his clinic. Scalpel grew up believing her father was a sucker who got what he deserved. She pledged to follow in his footsteps but accept the opportunities that come her way. By 28, she had put herself through medical school and was the best surgeon in Twilight City. By 29, she had lost it all on those criminal opportunities.
Her next opportunity came about when Alley Cat, costumed cat burglar, tried to rob her. Scalpel stabbed him in the jugular and than saved his life, so that he could spread the word about her services as surgeon to the super-criminals.
Creation
Scalpel debuted in Minor Threats #1 by Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Scott Hepburn.
Major Story Arcs
The Bounty on Stickman
After The Stickman killed Kid Dusk, the sidekick of The Insomniac, a bounty was put on Stickman’s head. Insomniac’s superhero team, The Continuum, was desperate to brutalize the costume crime-fighters into going into hiding as the Insomniac upped his aggressiveness against them in the wake of his sidekick’s death. Scalpel was one of four supervillains to be recruited by Playtime to find Stickman on their own before either Insomniac or Continuum get to them.
Scalpel was the most reluctant member. Besides medic care, she was meant to get them into the Trophyroom Night Club, the hang out of the supervillain elite, however, she stopped paying her dues after they stopped carrying her favorite gin. Much of their search for Stickman was dead ends, including sneaking into the Trophyroom which was a trap from Stickman himself. With this team now on Stickman’s radar, he tricks them into working for him thanks to convincing one of the members, Pigeon Pete, into betraying them.
Scalpel and the others are teleported into the lair of The Insomniac so they could plant bombs and destroy it. Brain believed the traitor member was a ruse so the team planned to be at each other’s throats, forcing Stickman to arrive to whip them into shape. When the team tried to confront Stickman, Pigeon Pete revealed himself. Scalpel was whacked in the abdomen by Stickman’s hammer, taking her out of the fight. When Stickman and Pete started in-fighting, leading to Stickman’s death, Playtime tried to escape with Scalpel.
When Insomniac finally returned to his lair, he was enraged that his vengeance was taken from him. He intended to take it out on Playtime and Scalpel, but Playtime armed herself with one of her mother’s old gadgets from Insomniac’s trophy case and killed the hero. With Brain Tease taking the credit for Insomniac and Stickman’s deaths, Frankie made a deal with Continuum to stay out of her neighborhood. With Scalpel by her side, Frankie returned to the Lower Lair supervillain bar and began leading a new crime ring.
Fastest Way Down
Scalpel was determined to stay in power so she hitched her wagon to Playtime. She helped Playtime create a trafficking ring for alien tech and rid the city of Redport of magic. Scalpel also developed a romantic relationship with Playtime. She was working secretly with Playtime’s new assistant, Backdrop, to try to keep her temper in check.
Powers & Abilities
Expertise: Scalpel is an expert surgeon.