MASTER THIEF

Real Name: Unrevealed (see comments)

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Microverse) extraterrestrial humanoid insectoid (Insectivorid, citizen of Kaliklak)

Occupation: Thief

Group Membership: Bug's gang on Kaliklak

Affiliations: Bug, Jasmine, various unidentified members

Enemies: Colonial governor of Kaliklak, Wartstaff;

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Old One," "Old Timer" (from Bug)

Base of Operations: At least formerly Kaliklakk

First Appearance: Micronauts I#13 (January, 1980)

Powers/Abilities: As an Insectivorid of Kaliklak, the Master Thief has extraordinary vision, although perhaps lesser so later in life.

    His antennae enhance his sensory awareness (including something of a danger sense) and enabling communication of thoughts and memories with others possessing antennae.

    He can presumably cling to walls, possibly via adhesive properties in his digits or due to friction and/or hand strength.

    His speech is interspersed with a “tik” sound due to an Insectivorid’s chitinous membrane in the throat.

    By his name, he was almost certainly a highly experienced and talented thief, and likely swift, agile and a trained combatant. Age very likely dulled his reflexes and skills, although he was still an excellent shot with a blaster pistol.

    He may or may not have an aversion to water, or that may have been just an idiosyncrasy of Bug.

History:
(Micronauts I#13 (fb) - BTS) - The Master Thief taught Bug the tricks of the trade, and Bug came to lead a gang of thieves.

(Micronauts I#13) - The former Master Thief rode a snail-driven lorry tediously down a dusty thoroughfare, lost in thought as he wondered what percentage of his wares' worth he would be cheated out of by the Colonial Governor's assessors.

    Thus distracted, it wasn't until he passed beneath the spot from which Bug took to the trees that he noticed as his antennae tingled a warning. Before he could react, Bug reached down and pulled him up into the tree. There was some fierce struggling until Bug recognized his former mentor and laughed at the circumstances. Not yet recognizing his seeming attacker, the Master Thief asked, "What's so >tik< funny, ye blasted nest-snatcher?!" After Bug explained that it was the fact that the first Insectivorid that he encountered on his first day home was the same Master Thief who had taught him the tricks of the trade, his mentor exclaimed, "B-Bug??!"

    Bug quieted his mentor down, not wanting the Colonial Governor (or, more likely, anyone loyal to him) to hear him.

    After the two had renewed their old acquaintance, the Master Thief told Bug that he was a fool to have come back, noting how the Colonials had imposed a curfew and that security was tight. Bug replied that it had always been tight, and he asked if his old gang had been caught when he was away, and the Master Thief replied that they had not, but that many of them had been caught or killed since and that they just hid out in the lair and didn't do much raiding since Wartstaff took over. Infuriated upon hearing that, Bug told his mentor to turn the Lorry around, as they were going to visit the lair.

    After they reached the lair, Bug asked if had Wartstaff had built in any little surprises he should know about, and the Master Thief assured him that he had not and that it was not even as well guarded as in the old days. Bug instructed his mentor to wait there until he signaled him, and he swiftly took out the sleeping sentry and confronted Wartstaff.

    Tiring of waiting for a signal, the Master Thief entered the lair after Wartstaff had been subdued, and he blasted and apparently slew the last of the thieves still loyal to Wartstaff. Bug then advised his associates of his plans.

(Micronauts I#14 - BTS) - Bug led the attack against the Dog Soldiers at Central Nest's Air Terminus. The lightning attack overwhelmed the Dog Soldiers and the Phobos sentries. Bug's brigands gained control of the Thorium Orbiter fighter craft and set off to attack the Colonial Governor's headquarters next. Again, their assault soon saw the surrender of the colonial forces there.

Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo and Howard Chaykin.

    It is not confirmed whether Bug's teacher in Micronauts I#59 was the same person as the Master Thief from Micronauts I#13. The teacher seemed to be more of a sensitive, poetic person, as opposed to a being that would be a master thief. The two characters were used by two different writers. As neither character was identified by name -- see below -- and were not specifically noted to be the same, I think they are likely different beings.

    What's in a name?

Why not name the character?
It makes detailing his abilities and history cumbersome, and it makes him more forgettable and harder to clarify.
He's not really the Master Thief anymore, but what are we supposed to call him?
Having a real name would have clarified the question above...

    Per Loki:

If we're wanting an unofficial placeholder name that sounds like it might be Kaliklakian, I'd suggest Rafpin.
First half taken from master thief Raffles and second half from another master thief, Arsene Lupin.

    This profile was completed 11/02/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Master Thief of Kaliklak should be distinguished from:

• Bug's teacher - also an Insectivorid of Kaliklak--Micronauts I#59
  
• other Master Thief characters, groups, items, events, races or places...

First posted: 09/23/2026
Last updated: 11/02/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters