.gif)
Magpie (comics)
Encyclopedia
Magpie is a fictional
super-villainess
created by John Byrne, who first appeared in the miniseries, The Man of Steel.
She is notable for her outlandish 1980s style
including a unique tri-hawk/mullet hairstyle (Although in Man of Steel #3, Superman reveals that her unique hairstyle is a wig, and she was actually a redhead) as well as an exotic, red and silver costume consisting of large sunglasses
, earrings, long gloves, and fishnet stockings.
, who, in folklore
is attracted to bright, shiny objects. Taking a job as a museum curator she is slowly driven mad surrounded by the beautiful things 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
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.
Magpie disappears for a length of time until it is revealed that she is Poison Ivy's cellmate at Arkham Asylum
.
Shortly thereafter, she is murdered by Tally Man
II along with Orca
, The Ventriloquist and Scarface
, and KGBeast
, villains working for The Penguin. Ultimately her death was part of a revenge scheme by the criminal known as the Great White Shark.
During the Blackest Night, Magpie is among the many deceased villains that receive a black power ring and become reanimated into a Black Lantern
. She is seen slaughtering people in a grocery store. She also works closely with the reanimated Trigger Twins
and King Snake.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
super-villainess
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
created by John Byrne, who first appeared in the miniseries, The Man of Steel.
She is notable for her outlandish 1980s style
1980s in fashion
In the 1970s, the silhouette of fashion tended to be characterized by close fitting clothes on top with wider, looser clothes on the bottom. This trend completely reversed itself in the early 1980s as both men and women began to wear looser shirts and tight, close-fitting trousers.Men wore power...
including a unique tri-hawk/mullet hairstyle (Although in Man of Steel #3, Superman reveals that her unique hairstyle is a wig, and she was actually a redhead) as well as an exotic, red and silver costume consisting of large sunglasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
, earrings, long gloves, and fishnet stockings.
Fictional character biography
Magpie is a jewel thief who specifically targets jewels named after birds and then replaces them with booby trapped replicas. Her codename comes from the MagpieMagpie
Magpies are passerine birds of the crow family, Corvidae.In Europe, "magpie" is often used by English speakers as a synonym for the European Magpie, as there are no other magpies in Europe outside Iberia...
, who, in folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
is attracted to bright, shiny objects. Taking a job as a museum curator she is slowly driven mad surrounded by the beautiful things she so loves but can never own. She was notable in post-Crisis continuity as the first villain who was defeated by Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
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.
Magpie disappears for a length of time until it is revealed that she is Poison Ivy's cellmate at Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
.
Shortly thereafter, she is murdered by Tally Man
Tally Man
For the Batman villain who carves tally marks into his body to mark his murders, see Victor Zsasz.The Tally Man is the name of two fictional characters in the DC Universe. Both characters are supervillains.-Original Tally Man:...
II along with Orca
Orca (comics)
Orca is a fictional DC Comics supervillain, who first appeared in Batman #579.-Fictional character biography:Grace Balin attends Gotham Gate college and quickly becomes fascinated with the ocean. She receives a Ph. D in Marine Biology and Bio-Medicine and takes a job at the Gotham Aquarium...
, The Ventriloquist and Scarface
Ventriloquist (comics)
The Ventriloquist is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Batman in the . The Ventriloquist first appeared in Detective Comics #583 and was created by Alan Grant, John Wagner and Norm Breyfogle...
, and KGBeast
KGBeast
KGBeast is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in DC Comics publications primarily as an opponent of Batman.- Back story :Anatoli Knyazev, code-named "The Beast", and known to the C.I.A. as the "KGBeast" was trained as an assassin by "The Hammer," a top secret cell of the KGB...
, villains working for The Penguin. Ultimately her death was part of a revenge scheme by the criminal known as the Great White Shark.
During the Blackest Night, Magpie is among the many deceased villains that receive a black power ring and become reanimated into a Black Lantern
Black Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
. She is seen slaughtering people in a grocery store. She also works closely with the reanimated Trigger Twins
Trigger Twins
The Trigger Twins are the names of two sets of fictional Western themed comic book characters published by DC Comics.-Heroes:The Trigger Twins first appear in All-Star Western #58 , the first issue of that title under its new name , and was one of the features that replaced the previous stars, the...
and King Snake.
Film
- In the Superman/Batman: Public EnemiesSuperman/Batman: Public Enemies# "Markets Crash"# "Main Titles"# "Freeway Chase"# "Admit Something"# "Meteor"# "Metallo"# "High Voltage"# "Framed"# "Luthor talks to Power Girl"# "S.T.A.R...
animated movie, she was mentioned by Superman asking what happened to her. Batman states that she was dead and when asked if he was sure, sarcastically retorts, "Reasonably." Superman replied "Why is it that the good villains never die?" to which Batman replies "Clark, what the hell are good villains?"