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Magpie (Margaret Pye) is a
supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are often ...
appearing in American comic books published by
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with their f ...
. She was created by John Byrne, and first appeared in '' The Man of Steel'' #3 (November 1986). The character has been portrayed in
live-action Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ga ...
by Sarah Schenkkan in the final season of '' Gotham'', and by
Rachel Matthews Rachel Lynn Matthews (born October 25, 1993) is an American actress. She is known for starring in the film ''Happy Death Day'' and its sequel, ''Happy Death Day 2U''. Early life and career A native of Los Angeles, Matthews was born in 1993, the ...
in the first season of the
Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed ...
series ''
Batwoman Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Kathy Kane and Kate Kane. History * The first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, debuted during the Silver Age of Comics ...
''.


Fictional character biography

Magpie is a jewel thief who specifically targets jewels named after birds and then replaces them with booby-trapped replicas. Taking a job as a museum
curator A curator (from la, cura, meaning "to take care") is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the parti ...
, Pye is slowly driven mad surrounded by the beautiful things that she so loves but can never own. She was notable in Post-''Crisis'' continuity as the first villain who was defeated by Superman and
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book '' Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939 ...
working together, Superman having visited Gotham to "apprehend" Batman before Batman's demonstration of his skills while tracking Magpie convinced Superman that Gotham needed someone like Batman to protect it. Some time after during the events of ''
Legends A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief. Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to: Narrative * Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth * A fictitious identity used in espionage Books, co ...
'', Pye is released on an insanity plea and goes on another rampage, before eventually being stopped by Batman and
Jason Todd Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''Batman'' #357 in March 1983, Todd was created to succeed Dick Grayson as Robin, the superhero Batman's vigilante partner ...
. Magpie disappears for a length of time, until it is revealed that she is Poison Ivy's cellmate at
Arkham Asylum The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane (), commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital/prison, named after the city of Arkham which appeared first in the stories of H. P. Lovecraft, and later appear ...
. Shortly thereafter, she is murdered by the
Tally Man The Tally Man is the name of two fictional characters in the DC Universe. Both characters are supervillains. Fictional character biographies Original Tally Man The few glimpses provided into the Tally Man's past reveal a tragic childhood. Starv ...
II, along with
Orca The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white ...
, the Ventriloquist and Scarface and the
KGBeast KGBeast (Anatoli Knyazev) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo, the character first appeared as an adversary of Batman. KGBeast has appeared in numerous cartoon television sho ...
, villains working for the
Penguin Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adapt ...
. Ultimately, her death was part of a revenge scheme by the criminal known as the
Great White Shark The great white shark (''Carcharodon carcharias''), also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large Lamniformes, mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major ocean ...
. During the "
Blackest Night "Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackes ...
" storyline, Magpie is among the many deceased villains that receive a black power ring and are reanimated as
Black Lanterns The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of corporeal revenants (resembling intelligent zombies or jiangshi) appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, related to the emotional spectrum. The group is composed of deceased fictio ...
. She is seen slaughtering people in a grocery store and working closely with the reanimated
Trigger Twins The Trigger Twins are the names of two sets of fictional Western themed comic book characters published by DC Comics. Fictional character biography Walter and Wayne Trigger The Trigger Twins first appear in '' All-Star Western'' #58 (May 1951), t ...
and
King Snake Kingsnakes are Colubridae, colubrid New World members of the genus ''Lampropeltis'', which includes 26 species. Among these, about 45 subspecies are recognized. They are nonvenomous and ophiophagy, ophiophagous in diet. Description Kingsnakes ...
.''Blackest Night: Batman'' #1 (2009). DC Comics. In 2011, DC Comics rebooted the DC Universe through "
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero American comic books, comic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint" Fictional crossover, cross ...
". During the "
Forever Evil "Forever Evil" is a 2013–2014 crossover comic book storyline published by DC Comics that began in September 2013 and ended in May 2014, consisting of an eponymous, central miniseries written by Geoff Johns and art by David Finch. It is the fi ...
" storyline, Magpie appears as a member of the
Secret Society of Super Villains Secret Society of Super Villains (SSoSV) is a DC Comics title that debuted in May–June 1976. The series presented a group of DC's supervillains, mostly foes of the Justice League of America. The series was cancelled with issue #15 in July 1978 ...
which
Outsider Outsider(s) may refer to: Film * ''Outsider'' (1997 film), a 1997 Slovene-language film * ''Outsider'' (2012 film), a Malayalam-language Indian film * ''Outsiders'' (1980 film), a South Korean film featuring Won Mi-kyung Literature * Outsider ...
set up on behalf of the
Crime Syndicate of America The Crime Syndicate are teams of supervillains from one of DC Comics' parallel universes where they are the evil counterparts of the Justice League. The original team was specifically known as the Crime Syndicate of America and is sometimes abbrev ...
. In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "
DC Rebirth DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth r ...
", which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to the
New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new seri ...
. Magpie is one of the villains taken down by Batman and Catwoman after he takes her along with him on an average night of his job and fought Batgirl in her quest for justice. She has also had a run-in with the
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
and
Iris West Iris West is a fictional character, a supporting character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She has been the main love interest and later wife of Barry Allen, the alter ego of the Silver Age version of the superhero Th ...
after they were undercover as supervillains in the nation of Zandia, which serves as a haven for criminals like her. When at Belle Reve, Magpie joined the Suicide Squad. On her only mission, she and the Suicide Squad were sent to fight some Revolutionaries. Magpie infiltrated the submarine where the base of the Revolutionaries is located and was killed by Thylacine almost immediately.


Powers and abilities

Magpie is an expert at hand-to-hand combat. Later appearances showed her with the ability to extend her fingernails into claws.


Equipment

Magpie is an expert at creating gadgetry that resembles the items that she stole. She also makes use of weapons that are explosive, can emit airborne toxins, or shoot razor blades.


Other characters named Magpie

A male character named Merg Gaterra uses the name Magpie in Pre-''Zero Hour'' comics. He was an Angtuan enemy of the
Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st cent ...
and was hired by
Monitor Monitor or monitor may refer to: Places * Monitor, Alberta * Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States * Monitor, Kentucky * Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States * Monitor, Washington * Monitor, Logan County, West ...
to steal items from the Legion's headquarters.


Alternative versions


''Injustice 2''

Magpie appears in the prequel comic to ''
Injustice 2 ''Injustice 2'' is a 2017 fighting video game it is the sequel to 2013's '' Injustice: Gods Among Us'' and is the second installment in the '' Injustice'' franchise based upon the DC Universe. It is developed by NetherRealm Studios and publish ...
''. Following the events of the first game, Magpie is shown as a member of this universe's
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
.''Injustice 2'' #1. DC Comics. The Impostor Batman detonated the bomb in Magpie's head for being useless.''Injustice 2'' #2. DC Comics.


''Batman: Li'l Gotham''

Magpie appears in the ''Batman: Li'l Gotham'' comics.


In other media


Television

* Magpie appears in ''
Beware the Batman ''Beware the Batman'' is an American computer-animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. The series premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network on July 13, 2013, as part of their DC Nation block, replacing '' Batma ...
'', voiced by
Grey DeLisle Grey DeLisle (; born Erin Grey Van Oosbree; August 24, 1973), sometimes credited as Grey Griffin, is an American voice actress, comedian and singer-songwriter. DeLisle is known for various roles in animated productions and video games. On Sept ...
. This version is a split personality of Margaret Sorrow, who was the subject of a failed experiment meant to remove her kleptomania in exchange for a reduced sentence at Blackgate Penitentiary that granted her the ability to extend her nails into poisonous claws and the inability to feel pain. Later in the series, Magpie develops an obsessive attraction towards Batman and jealousy towards his partner
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
. * Magpie appears in the '' Gotham'' episode "13 Stitches", portrayed by Sarah Schenkkan. This version's design takes inspiration from the ''Beware the Batman'' incarnation. * Magpie appears in ''
Batwoman Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Kathy Kane and Kate Kane. History * The first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, debuted during the Silver Age of Comics ...
'', portrayed by
Rachel Matthews Rachel Lynn Matthews (born October 25, 1993) is an American actress. She is known for starring in the film ''Happy Death Day'' and its sequel, ''Happy Death Day 2U''. Early life and career A native of Los Angeles, Matthews was born in 1993, the ...
. This version utilizes 3-D printed bombs to distract from her jewelry robberies, poses as photographer Margot to canvas potential heist locations, and has a sister named Reagan Pye (portrayed by
Brianne Howey Brianne Nicole Howey (born May 24, 1989) is an American actress. She had main roles in the Fox series '' The Exorcist'' (2016) and '' The Passage'' (2019). She had a recurring role in the first season of The CW's superhero drama '' Batwoman'' ( ...
). While attempting to steal
Martha Wayne Martha Wayne ( Kane) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. She is the mother of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and wife of Thomas Wayne, Dr. Thomas Wayne as wel ...
's necklace, she runs afoul of
Batwoman Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Kathy Kane and Kate Kane. History * The first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, debuted during the Silver Age of Comics ...
and is eventually incarcerated at Blackgate Penitentiary. After being transferred to
Arkham Asylum The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane (), commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital/prison, named after the city of Arkham which appeared first in the stories of H. P. Lovecraft, and later appear ...
,
Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...
releases Magpie to help her steal
Lucius Fox Lucius Fox is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Bruce Wayne / Batman. He is Bruce Wayne's business manager at Wayne Enterprises who runs the business interests that ...
's journal. * Magpie appears in promotional artwork released for ''
Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker in '' Batman: The Animated Series'', and debuted in it ...
''.


Film

Magpie makes a minor non-speaking appearance in ''
The Lego Batman Movie ''The Lego Batman Movie'' is a 2017 computer-animated superhero comedy film produced by Warner Animation Group, DC Entertainment, RatPac Entertainment, Lego System A/S, Dan Lin's Lin Pictures, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's Lord Mille ...
''.


Miscellaneous

* Magpie appears in the ''
DC Super Hero Girls ''DC Super Hero Girls'' or ''DC Superhero Girls'' (in various countries) is an American superhero web series and franchise Produced by Warner Bros. Animation for Cartoon Network based on characters from DC Entertainment that launched in the ...
'' tie-in comic books. * Magpie appears in the
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
audio series ''Harley Quinn and The Joker: Sound Mind'', voiced
Mary Holland Mary Holland (born June 24, 1985) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Early life and education Holland was born and raised in Galax, Virginia. She attended Interlochen Center for the Arts and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Norther ...
.


References

{{Suicide Squad DC Comics female supervillains Comics characters introduced in 1986 Fictional serial killers Fictional mass murderers Fictional thieves Characters created by John Byrne (comics) Fictional murdered people Suicide Squad members