The cyborg known only as Skullbuster was a member of the band of cybernetically-enhanced assassins known as the Reavers. After suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of the superpowered mutant adventurers known as the X-Men, the Reavers leader, Bonebreaker, sought out the renegade White King of the Hellfire Club, Donald Pierce, for help in rebuilding himself and his team. Pierce did so, and, seizing the opportunities presented to him to further his anti-mutant crusade, assumed command of the group himself.

Later, the Reavers were seemingly destroyed by giant robotic Sentinels summoned from the future by the time-travelling mutant Trevor Fitzroy. However, the Reavers did not die, and were rebuilt by Pierce to assist him in capturing Milo Thurman, a former government employee who possessed incredible natural prophetic abilities. Pierce intended to transform Thurman into a cyborg Reaver under his control, but his plan was foiled by Thurman's former lover, the mutant mercenary known as Domino. However, before Domino could destroy the Reavers' base, Pierce managed to download almost 60% of Thurman's consciousness into his own mind.

Pierce and the Reavers later returned in Sydney, Australia as a thrall of the psionic entity known as the Shadow King. However, the Reavers counted amongst their number a female cyborg bearing the name Skullbuster and displaying traits and abilities similar to both her predecessors. The fate of the original Skullbuster is as yet unknown.