Psycho-Pirate

The Psycho-Pirate is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Psycho-Pirate
The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate as depicted in Detective Comics #1051 (February 2022). Art by Fernando Blanco.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Charles Halstead: All-Star Comics #23 (December 1944) Roger Hayden: Showcase #56 (June 1965)
Created by	Charles Halstead: Gardner Fox Joe Gallagher Roger Hayden: Gardner Fox Murphy Anderson
In-story information
Alter ego	- Charles Halstead - Roger Hayden
Team affiliations	Roger Hayden: Secret Society of Super Villains Black Lantern Corps
Abilities	Roger Hayden: Emotional psychic vampirism Control over emotions through use of the Medusa Mask Ability to create life-like duplicates Regeneration through the Medusa Mask

Bob Frazer portrayed the character for his live action debut during The CW's 2018 Arrowverse crossover "Elseworlds". Additionally, Armin Shimerman and Geoffrey Arend have voiced Psycho-Pirate in animation.

Publication history

The Charles Halstead incarnation of Psycho-Pirate first appeared in All-Star Comics #23 (December 1944), and was created by Gardner Fox and Joe Gallagher.^[1]

The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate first appeared in Showcase #56 (June 1965), and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson.^[2]

Fictional character biography

Charles Halstead

Charles Halstead is a linotyper for the Daily Courier who is jealous of his boss's success and becomes the criminal mastermind Psycho-Pirate. He plans crimes based on emotions, hoping to ruin his boss.

Halstead later shoots the Atom, who works with the Justice Society to expose him. He is sentenced to a lengthy prison term and eventually dies in the 1960s.^[3]

Roger Hayden

The first appearance of the second Psycho-Pirate as he is confronted by Doctor Fate and Hourman. Cover to Showcase #56. Art by Murphy Anderson.

Roger Hayden is a gangster and cellmate to Halstead on Earth-Two who obtains the Medusa Mask, which enables him to manipulate emotions.^[3] Ultra-Humanite later recruits him into the Secret Society of Super Villains before the group is imprisoned in Limbo.

In Crisis on Infinite Earths, Psycho-Pirate is kidnapped by the Anti-Monitor and becomes his accomplice. After the multiverse is destroyed, Psycho-Pirate is among the only beings who remember it.^[4]

Psycho-Pirate's death at the hands of Black Adam. Art by Phil Jimenez.

During the Infinite Crisis event, Psycho-Pirate is killed by Black Adam.^[5] In Blackest Night, Psycho-Pirate is resurrected as a Black Lantern before Superboy kills him.^[6][7]

Psycho-Pirate is resurrected following The New 52 continuity reboot and depicted as having gained his psychic abilities from a virus created by Brainiac.^[8]

Powers and abilities

The Charles Halstead incarnation of Psycho-Pirate has no superhuman powers; however, he is a brilliant criminal mind knowledgeable in psychology and emotions.

The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate can manipulate, drain, and amplify the emotions of others using the Medusa Mask. Furthermore, he can fly and create psychic constructs and illusions.

Other versions

• An alternate universe variant of Charles Halstead / Psycho-Pirate from the Flashpoint timeline appears in Flashpoint Beyond, where he is killed by the Joker.^[9][10]
• An alternate universe variant of Charles Halstead / Psycho-Pirate appears in JSA: The Golden Age as a member of the Injustice Society.^[11]

In other media

Television

• The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate makes non-speaking cameo appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society.
• The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Armin Shimerman.^[12]
• The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate appears in the Arrowverse crossover "Elseworlds", portrayed by Bob Frazer.^[13]
• The Psycho-Pirate appears in the seventh season of The Flash via Cecile Horton (portrayed by Danielle Nicolet).^[14][15]

Film

The Charles Halstead incarnation of Psycho-Pirate appears films set in the Tomorrowverse, voiced by Geoffrey Arend.^[12] An alternate universe incarnation of Halstead named the Advisor appears in Justice Society: World War II, while the main universe incarnation appears in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths.^[12][16][17]

Video games

• The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate and the Medusa Mask appear in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.^[18]
• The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Armin Shimerman.^[12] This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.

Miscellaneous

• The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate appears in Justice League Adventures #20.^[19] This version is a former psychiatrist who was suspended for malpractice and lost his wife and son during an alien attack in Metropolis.
• The Roger Hayden incarnation of Psycho-Pirate appears in a special one-shot Young Justice issue published for Free Comic Book Day.