Maggie Sawyer

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Maggie Sawyer
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Maggie Sawyer from Adventures of Superman #498
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Superman vol. 2, #4 (April 1987)
Created by John Byrne
In-story information
Full name Margaret Ellen Sawyer
Species Human
Place of origin Earth
Team affiliations Gotham City Police Department
Metropolis Special Crimes Unit
Starling City Police Department

Margaret Ellen "Maggie" Sawyer is a fictional character that appears in stories published by DC Comics, and has been a supporting character in both Superman and Batman comic books.

Publication history[edit | edit source]

Maggie Sawyer first appeared in Superman Vol. 2 #4 and was created by John Byrne.

Fictional character biography[edit | edit source]

Maggie was introduced in Superman (2nd series) in April 1987, as Captain Sawyer of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit, a special branch of the Metropolis police force that handles superpowered menaces when Superman is unavailable. Maggie mostly replaced Inspector Henderson from the previous comics as Superman's main police contact.

She was added to the Superman canon following the 12-issue maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths and the 6-issue miniseries that rebooted the comics, The Man of Steel. She tries to prove the police force is more efficient than a vigilante in fighting crime, and so becomes a constant thorn in Superman's side during the early days of his career, even trying to apprehend him occasionally. Eventually, after being injured and saved by Superman during a terrorist plot, her attitude towards him warms up.

Later stories revealed that she originally came from Star City. She married fellow police officer James Sawyer, and they had a daughter named Jamie.[1] James divorced her and won sole custody of Jamie, and he refused to let Maggie have any contact with their daughter. Maggie ultimately moved to Metropolis when the SCU position became available, and she resumed relations with her family in later stories. Maggie has been in a long-term relationship with Toby Raines, a reporter for the Metropolis Star.[1]

Maggie has a close working relationship with Inspector Turpin, her second-in-command at the SCU. However, she originally had a strained professional relationship with Inspector Henderson. It was later revealed that Henderson simply disapproved that higher-ranking officers, such as Turpin, reported to her, a Captain. He resolves the situation by promoting her to Inspector when he becomes Commissioner during the Death of Superman storyline. In the aftermath, Sawyer becomes involved in a covert 'war' between Superman's allies and Project Cadmus, led by Paul Westfield, which had stolen Superman's body for their own ends.[2]

Sawyer's close friendship with injured ex-police officer Eddie Walker is examined in flashback as Walker becomes the hero Loose Cannon.[3]

Metropolis S.C.U.[edit | edit source]

Inspector Sawyer is the main character in the four-issue limited series comic title Metropolis SCU written by Cindy Goff, penciled by Peter Krause and inked by Jose Marzan Jr., which was published from November 1994 to February 1995. For this miniseries appearance the character of Maggie Sawyer received the 7th OUTSTANDING COMIC STRIP GLAAD Media Awards in March 1996.

Batman: No Man's Land[edit | edit source]

In mid-2000s comics, Maggie has been transferred to Gotham City's police force as the head of the Major Crimes Unit, and is a significant character in the comic Gotham Central. The move has placed some strain on her relationship, since Toby did not follow her to Gotham.

Following the events of Infinite Crisis, Harvey Bullock discovers corruption in the GCPD apparently all the way up to Commissioner Michael Akins. In the end, James Gordon returns to his former position as commissioner. Maggie Sawyer, however, does not appear to be involved and is still a Captain.

52[edit | edit source]

Maggie appeared in the series 52.

In Week Three, she arrives to a scene to find the body of Alex Luthor. She calls in Steel to ID the body, when Lex Luthor comes in with the press and announces that Alex was the one responsible for all of Luthor's wrongdoings.[4]

In conversation, former detective Renee Montoya makes a reference to Toby Raines.

In Week Twelve, Maggie yells at Montoya for busting up a cover for Intergang, closing all leads to the criminal group in Gotham City.[5]

Detective Comics[edit | edit source]

Maggie appeared in Detective Comics #856 at a charity ball attended by Katherine "Kate" Kane. While the two are dancing, Maggie mentions that she and Toby are no longer together and asks Kate for her phone number.

Batwoman[edit | edit source]

Sawyer appears as a supporting character in the new Batwoman series launched in 2011. In that series she has begun dating Kate Kane, whose secret activities as Batwoman complicate their relationship. They had first met when Maggie, as a Metropolis police officer, arrived in Gotham as backup support for an arriving hurricane. They share a brief glance in precinct headquarters.[6] Kane reveals her identity as Batwoman by proposing to her in costume in Batwoman #17.

After Commissioner Jason Bard voluntarily resigns, Maggie is appointed in his place.[7] However, she ended up stepping down to return to the MCU, and has Gordon restored as Commissioner.[8]

In the alternate universe of Bombshells, Maggie is again Batwoman's lover, and helps hide her activities.

DC Rebirth[edit | edit source]

During the DC Rebirth event, it is revealed that Maggie has transferred back to Metropolis PD.[9]

In other media[edit | edit source]

Television[edit | edit source]

  • In the 1990s animated TV show Superman: The Animated Series, Captain Maggie Sawyer (voiced by Joanna Cassidy) is featured in eight episodes: "Tools of the Trade", "Two's a Crowd", "Monkey Fun", "Bizarro's World", "Prototype", "The Hand of Fate", and two-part "Apokolips... Now!" As in the comics. the character is paired by Metropolis Special Crimes Unit Dan Turpin. Her romantic partner Toby Raynes (voiced by Laraine Newman) is seen by Sawyer's bedside in several hospital scenes and later Turpin's funeral service in the two-part episode. Bruce Timm states in the commentary for "Tools of the Trade" that those scenes were the creators' way of acknowledging Sawyer's sexual orientation.
  • Maggie Sawyer can be seen in background in the Justice League episode "Hereafter" attending Superman's funeral.
  • The 2000s television series Smallville episodes "Insurgence", "Exile", "Exposed", and "Descent" feature actress Jill Teed playing the role of Lieutenant and later Detective Sawyer.
  • Margarita "Maggie" Sawyer is introduced in season 2 of Supergirl, portrayed by Floriana Lima. She appears in a regular capacity as a member of the Science Police, or the National City Police Department's science division. Maggie later becomes romantically involved with Alex Danvers, Kara Danvers / Supergirl's adoptive sister.[10][11] Maggie and Alex get engaged at the end of the season. Maggie returns in a recurring capacity in Season 3. She attempts to reconnect with her father, who distanced himself from her when she was a teenager because she was a lesbian. Although initially promising, the attempt fails when her father cannot come to terms with Maggie marrying another woman. Maggie manages to accept his disapproval and tells him that she doesn't need him anymore. Later, Maggie and Alex disagree about whether to have kids or not, as Alex wants kids and Maggie does not, and they tearfully break up, with Maggie telling Alex that she'll be a great mom when the time comes.

Film[edit | edit source]

Video games[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named superman2-15
  2. "Superman The Man Of Steel" (March 1993)
  3. Superman In Action Comics #5 (1993)
  4. "52" Week Three
  5. "52" Week Twelve
  6. "Batwoman" #25 (November 2013)
  7. "Batman Eternal" #52 (April 2015)
  8. "Batman, Vol 2" #52
  9. Action Comics (vol. 1) #957
  10. http://tvline.com/2016/06/08/supergirl-season-2-lena-luthor-lex-sister-cast-spoilers/
  11. Stanhope, Kate (July 13, 2016). "'Supergirl' Adds 'The Family' Grad as Gay DC Character Maggie Sawyer (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 

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