Elizabeth "Betty" Barstow was the secretary to a detective in the 1940's, and close friends with a brilliant professor. The professor was working on a prototype armor that would give a human similar powers to that of a scorpion. He was killed along with Betty's boss by the Spider-Queen so Betty donned the prototype armor to fight her. Unfamiliar with using the armor in battle conditions, Betty was overpowered by Spider-Queen's allies. However the newly minted Silver Scorpion was saved by Captain America. Eager for a rematch against the Spider-Queen, Silver Scorpion joined Captain America's team, the Invaders. Once she mastered her armor's powers Silver Scorpion defeated her arachnid nemesis. When Captain America was frozen, Betty and several golden age heroes formed a group called the V-Ba