Look at all my shiny things. Bits and baubles that twinkle in the moonlight. 
- — Magpie src
Magpie was a kleptomaniac faced by Batman and Superman early in their career.
History
Growing up, Margaret Pye loved shiny things and wanted them all for herself. She was ridiculed for her obsession, and nicknamed Magpie. This obsession just got stronger as she grew up, and she took a job as curator of the Gotham City Museum of Antiquities to be surrounded by the valuables she loved. This love became compulsive jealousy when she realized she would never possess the antiques around her. Her mind snapped, and she started a crime-wave as Magpie.
She made booby-trapped duplicates of famous museum pieces, and put them in place of the genuine articles. She felt she was taking what was rightfully hers, not stealing. She also recruited a small gang of thugs to ensure that she was never caught. She was a harsh employer, killing any goon that failed her expectations. She was unfortunate enough to be the first criminal captured by the team of Batman and Superman working together.[1] Although she eventually returned to crime much later, she had an emotional breakdown after her second confrontation with Batman and Robin.[2]
During her stay in Arkham Asylum, Magpie's compulsion for shiny objects drove her to prostitute herself to guards and fellow inmates in exchange for trinkets, much to the disgust of her cellmate Poison Ivy. Among her clients was Doodlebug.[3] She joined Ivy during an escape attempt, but they ended up in one of Arkham's cellars, where Ivy accidentally broke a ward that had been drawn to contain the Scarva.[4] In the ensuing chaos, Ivy and Magpie were both possessed by demons and transformed into monstrous versions of themselves, but Warren White managed to convince the demons' master to return them to Hell, and Magpie and Ivy reverted to their normal forms.[5]
Later, Magpie worked with Intergang, but she was found dead, murdered by the Tally Man under the orders of Great White Shark, who was chipping away at the Penguin's empire.[6]
Blackest Night
Main article: Blackest Night
Magpie is one of the many villains raised from the dead in Gotham City to join the new Black Lantern Corps as zombies during Blackest Night. Along with Abbatoir, Deacon Blackfire, Blockbuster, King Snake, KGBeast, the Trigger Twins and the Ventriloquist, she has received a Black Lantern Ring.[7] She has been seen terrorizing the city, and tearing out the hearts of innocents to feed on their emotions and life force when they are feeling the most fear.[8]
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Gadgetry: Capable of creating deadly versions of the artifacts she steals.
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
- Weaponry: Explosives or emitting airborne toxins or firing razor blades.
Weaknesses
Notes
- In Post-Crisis continuity, Magpie is the first villain fought by Batman and Superman working as a team.
Trivia
- Magpie's outrageous hairstyle is actually a wig; her real hair is red.
Related
- 20 Appearances of Margaret Pye (New Earth)
- 15 Images featuring Margaret Pye (New Earth)
- 1 Quotations by or about Margaret Pye (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Margaret Pye (New Earth)
Footnotes
  Batman Villain(s) |
 This character has been primarily an enemy of Superman in any of his various incarnations, or members of the Superman Family. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Superman Villains category." |
 Black Lantern Corps member |