# Owl (Marvel Comics)
The Owl is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by [Marvel Comics](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-comics), the costumed identity of Leland Owlsley, a ruthless financier turned crime boss and one of the earliest recurring enemies of Daredevil. He first appeared in *Daredevil* #3 (cover date August 1964, released June 2, 1964), created by writer [Stan Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/stan-lee) and artist Joe Orlando.[1](https://www.comicbooks.com/issue/daredevil-3-18561)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Leland Owlsley[2](https://marvelreading.com/character/owl) |
| First appearance | *Daredevil* #3, cover date August 1964, released June 2, 1964; created by Stan Lee and Joe Orlando[1](https://www.comicbooks.com/issue/daredevil-3-18561) |
| Background | Once a well-known financial investor and corporate executive, dubbed "The Owl" for his ruthless and illegal financial tactics[3](https://www.spiderfan.org/article/characters/owl.html) |
| Debut plot | Sought to become a crime boss and recruited the maniacal Doctor Octopus to help achieve his goal[3](https://www.spiderfan.org/article/characters/owl.html) |
| Notable early story | In his debut arc, Daredevil surrendered to him when the Owl grabbed Karen Page[2](https://marvelreading.com/character/owl) |
| Group memberships | The Marauders (1995) and the Gang of Four (2001), per the Grand Comics Database[4](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/) |
| Foreign names | Le Hibou (French), Coruja (Portuguese), Die Eule (German), De Uil (Dutch)[4](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/) |
## Character background
Before turning to crime, Leland Owlsley was a well-known financial investor and corporate executive with a respectable public image; the name "The Owl" came from those who knew of his ruthless and illegal financial tactics.[3](https://www.spiderfan.org/article/characters/owl.html) The Grand Comics Database describes the character as a criminal who seeks to become a crime boss, inspired by the bird.[4](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/)
**Debut story.** In his first appearance, Owlsley moved into organized crime and recruited [Doctor Octopus](https://www.edgepedia.org/doctor-octopus) to help him achieve his goal, a plan that brought him into conflict with Daredevil.[3](https://www.spiderfan.org/article/characters/owl.html) In the story, the Owl went to the attorneys' office to use Matt Murdock as a front, and when Daredevil attacked him and his two new henchmen, the hero surrendered when the Owl grabbed [Karen Page](https://www.edgepedia.org/karen-page).[2](https://marvelreading.com/character/owl) A retrospective on the issue notes that the character received a sinister introduction in interior art by Joe Orlando, a veteran of [EC Comics](https://www.edgepedia.org/ec-comics) whose shadowy linework followed Bill Everett on the young title.[1](https://www.comicbooks.com/issue/daredevil-3-18561)
## Publication history and appearances
The Owl has appeared across a wide range of Marvel titles. The Grand Comics Database records his first publication year as 1964 and notes his first appearance in *Daredevil* (Marvel, 1964 series) #3 by Stan Lee and Joe Orlando.[4](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/) Marvel's own character page lists series featuring the Owl including *Daredevil* (1964–1998 and 1998–2011), *The Amazing Spider-Man* (1963–1998 and 2022–2099), *Spectacular Spider-Man* (1976–1998), *Marvel Team-Up* (1972–1985), *The Cat* (1972–1973), *Daredevil: Yellow* (2001–2002), *Underworld* (2006), *Daredevil: Season One* (2012), and *Daredevil: Gang War* (2023).[5](https://www.marvel.com/comics/list/characters/1011028) ComicBookRealm counts 311 appearances of the character in its database, beginning with *Daredevil* #3 and running through titles such as *Marvel Team-Up* #73 (September 1978), *The Cat* #2, *The Spectacular Spider-Man*, and later [Marvel Knights](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-knights) and 2000s series.[6](https://comicbookrealm.com/report/character/253/owl-i-leland-owlsley-marvel%26t%3Dappearances)
The character has received official handbook profiles, including entries in *The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe* #8 (1983 series, a half-page profile) and #9 (1985 series, a two-page profile) and in the Master Edition #5 (1990).[7](https://www.comics.org/issue/87564/?display=grid) • [8](https://www.comics.org/issue/85717/?display=grid) • [9](https://www.comics.org/issue/266099/?display=grid) The GCD also records alternate-universe versions, including an Owl of the [Age of Apocalypse](https://www.edgepedia.org/age-of-apocalypse) (Earth-295) whose first appearance, and death, came in *X-Universe* #1 (May 1995), and group memberships in the Marauders (1995) and the [Gang of Four](https://www.edgepedia.org/gang-of-four) (2001).[4](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/) The name has been translated in foreign editions as Le Hibou (French), Coruja (Portuguese), Die Eule (German), and De Uil (Dutch).[4](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/)
## Costume and equipment
[Reference material](https://www.edgepedia.org/reference-material) depicts the Owl in a green cape and outfit with a red hood, cowl, and neck ruff, with metal claw-like weapons on one hand.[10](https://www.classicmarvelforever.com/cms/assets/files/other_stuff/downloads/downloads_hidden/Netbook.Big.Book.Of.Characters.pdf) A character profile covering his 1990s appearances notes that during a 2001 appearance the Owl was not using his goggles or steel claws, indicating that these items are part of his usual equipment.[11](https://www.writeups.org/owl-marvel-comics-daredevil-villain-1990s/) In one alternate-universe story, when the Owl sought to extort Matt Murdock into acting as his lawyer, without realizing that Murdock was Daredevil, he prepared a device designed to overwhelm Daredevil with the sound of hooting owls.[12](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Leland_Owlsley_%28Earth-7848%29)
## Related characters and versions
The GCD lists the mainstream Owl as the alias of Leland Owlsley, with related versions including an Earth-712 (Earth-S) Owl first published in 1989 and the Age of Apocalypse Owl first published in 1997.[4](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/) A separate GCD entry for Leland Owlsley records a character first published in 1970, and a French-language version of the character appears as Le Hibou.[13](https://my.comics.org/character/9100/) The Marvel Database also documents an Earth-12121 version of Leland Owlsley with two recorded appearances.[14](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Leland_Owlsley_%28Earth-12121%29)
## References
1. [Daredevil #3 "The Owl, Ominous Overlord of Crime!", ComicBooks.com](https://www.comicbooks.com/issue/daredevil-3-18561)
2. [Owl Reading Order, Complete Marvel Reading Order](https://marvelreading.com/character/owl)
3. [Owl, in Characters, SpiderFan.org](https://www.spiderfan.org/article/characters/owl.html)
4. [Owl (English), Grand Comics Database](https://www.comics.org/character/3591/)
5. [Owl: Series, Marvel.com](https://www.marvel.com/comics/list/characters/1011028)
6. [Owl I (Leland Owlsley, Marvel), ComicBookRealm](https://comicbookrealm.com/report/character/253/owl-i-leland-owlsley-marvel%26t%3Dappearances)
7. [The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Marvel, 1983 series) #8, Grand Comics Database](https://www.comics.org/issue/87564/?display=grid)
8. [The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Marvel, 1985 series) #9, Grand Comics Database](https://www.comics.org/issue/85717/?display=grid)
9. [The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition (Marvel, 1990 series) #5, Grand Comics Database](https://www.comics.org/issue/266099/?display=grid)
10. [Netbook: Big Book of Characters, Classic Marvel Forever](https://www.classicmarvelforever.com/cms/assets/files/other_stuff/downloads/downloads_hidden/Netbook.Big.Book.Of.Characters.pdf)
11. [Owl, Marvel Comics, Daredevil enemy, Writeups.org](https://www.writeups.org/owl-marvel-comics-daredevil-villain-1990s/)
12. [Leland Owlsley (Earth-7848), Marvel Database](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Leland_Owlsley_%28Earth-7848%29)
13. [Leland Owlsley, Grand Comics Database](https://my.comics.org/character/9100/)
14. [Leland Owlsley (Earth-12121), Marvel Database](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Leland_Owlsley_%28Earth-12121%29)
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