Sergei Kravinoff aka Kraven the Hunter is the last remaining member of a long line of aristocracy that was decimated by the Russian Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. After the presumed death of his parents, Kraven was taken in by his grandfather, Vladimir, who happened to be a world-class spymaster, soldier, and big game hunter. Together they circled the world multiple times over as Vladimir trained the young Sergei to take revenge against the enemies of the Kravinoff family who hunted them and forced the Kravinoffs to flee.

Decades later, with the Kravinoff family's enemies finally eliminated, Vladimir's hunt ended and he passed the mantle of Kraven the Hunter to Sergei, who resurfaced in the modern world at large with his orangutan manservant Doctorangutan to hunt in the new wartorn and adventurous world. Seeking to test his skills, Kraven made his skills available to the highest bidder, being involved in many world armies and spy organizations until he became a member of coffee magnate, billionaire industrialist, and weapons' manufacturer Tony Stark's PMC, War Machine. During his service, Kraven gained a dubious and notorious reputation as a bloody hired gun for his involvement in destructive skirmishes both domestic and abroad and was often put in conflict with SHIELD. He also became uneasy allies with fellow hired gun, Frank Castle, and maintained a secret allegiance to him due to a secret blood debt between the two.

Kraven eventually left War Machine to retire from soldiering to one of his family's American estates in the hopes of restoring his connection his lost family nobility through hunting exotic and dangerous game. Kraven's retirement was ended when former comrade now police captain Frank Castle enlisted Kraven and Doctorangutan to help hunt down Spider-Woman. After Kraven tussled with Spider-Woman and stole one of her isotopes, Kraven gave the isotope to Castle and considered their blood debt repaid, retreating back into retirement.^[1]