Quincy McIver had been always influenced by his older brother, criminal John McIver, who had brutally trained him as a child. With his recommendation, Quincy joined drug dealer Herve Argosy's ring, performing menial jobs such as unloading smuggled cocaine. A constabulary raid surprised him and, more scared because of John than because of the law enforcement, Quincy tried to escape by swimming. A police boat accidentally amputated his arms and legs, and Quincy was sent to the hospital.
John visited Quincy only once, telling him that he was going to Europe to work for Argosy, and that he would change his name to John Bushmaster. Quincy was beginning to suffer a depression and then was visited by Roxxon Oil Company executive Seth Voelker. Roxxon and Voelker offered to replace McIver's limbs with bionics as a part of an experiment by the company. Quincy agreed and, without him knowing, was grafted with a snake's tail instead of legs. He was told that, should he test the tail for one year, Roxxon would give him human legs. Unfortunately for him, Roxxon would be bankrupted and disbanded in the following months.
Meanwhile, John Bushmaster died while fighting Power Man. Quincy decided to adopt John's nom de guerre, although it is unclear if he wanted to honor his brother or to rub it in. "Bushmaster" became then a superhuman mercenary.
Soon afterwards, Sidewinder offered Bushmaster to join a criminal team, the Serpent Society. Bushmaster eagerly accepted, because he thought he would not be considered a freak in that team. It is unclear if he knew that Sidewinder was former Roxxon executivy Voelker.
Bushmaster contacted with criminal organization A.I.M. to offer the Society's services, and then worked in the mission A.I.M. contracted, the murder of former A.I.M. leader MODOK. During the chase, MODOK severely injured Bushmaster, mutilating him again, and he only survived because of the quick and generous actions of fellow Serpent member Diamondback. Bushmaster would since felt a respect for Diamondback and considered her almost a friend. During this time, other fellow serpent, Cottonmouth, began using Bushmaster's real name, Quincy McIver, as a secret identity for him, probably as a means to not reveal his true name.
When he recovered, Bushmaster worked in other Society missions, such as the search of the Scourge of the Underworld, who had killed one of the Serpents. He saw Viper trying to get the control of the Society, but Bushmaster remained loyal to Sidewinder and tried to defeat Viper and her minions. Bushmaster was defeated, captured and poisoned. He would have died but was rescued and antidoted by Diamondback and her ally The Captain. The Captain sent all the Society to jail, but the indictments were later retired.
Bushmaster continued in the Society, which was then led by King Cobra, in a job ordered by Ghaur and Llyra that led to a conflict with the X-Men. Diamondback allied with the X-Men and Bushmaster agreed not to fight her, but his debt to her was settled.
Diamondback was later captured by the Serpent Society, accused of working with or for Captain America. The Society considered a death sentence, with Bushmaster and other friends of Diamondback opposing. She was nevertheless condemned and Bushmaster accepted the sentence; he needed the Society, the only place where he would not be a freak. Diamondback and her closests friends tried to escape alongside her allies Captain America and Paladin. Bushmaster, loyal to Cobra, tried to stop them, but was defeated and sent to jail. He was fred due to lack of evidences.
Bushmaster has been recently captured by Baron Helmut Zemo.
