maxietherodent-vagrant-thighsupMAXIE,
the RODENT

maxietherodent-vagrant-face-nohatReal Name: Maxie

Identity/Class: Human conventional weapons-user;
    active circa 1941 A.D. (and likely at least 30 years before then; and who knows how long thereafter)

Occupation: Professional criminal (human trafficking and drug smuggling)

Group Membership: Led his own criminal gang

Affiliations: 

Enemies: Walter Carstairs, Grogan, Kelly, Vagabond (Pat Murphy, aka Chauncey Throttlebottom III), unidentified district attorney of Middletown;
    illegal aliens he smuggled into the USA to sell into slavery or whatever

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Walter Carstairs

Base of Operations: A base underneath the Paradise Inn on the waterfront in Middletown (city in unrevealed state)

First Appearance: USA Comics#2/3 "Vagabond" (November, 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Maxie controlled a number of criminal underlings in his gang.

    He presumably had some experience with firearms and hand-to-hand combat.

    He was willing and able to arrange the deaths of others, as well as to impersonate a federal agent and to smuggle drugs and illegal aliens into the USA.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 200 lbs.)
Eyes: Dark (likely brown)
Hair: Brown (at least while posing as Carstairs)maxietherodent-vagrant-face-hat

History:

(USA Comics#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - The criminal known as Maxie, the Rodent, ran a human and drug smuggling operation from a base beneath the Paradise Inn in Middletown. He was known (or at least rumored to be) involved in such activities by the police and Middletown's district attorney.

(USA Comics#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - Under unrevealed circumstances, Maxie arranged the death of FBI agent Walter Carstairs. Presumably falsifying his own identification, Maxie then assumed Carstairs identity and, after mutilating Carstairs' face and cutting off all of his fingers, put his own identification on Carstairs body so that he would be believed to be Maxie and dumped his body in the river.

    Carstairs' body was found floating in the river, and based on the identification he wore, he was believed to be Maxie.

(USA Comics#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - The district attorney received the report of the finding of the body of "Maxie," and both he and police detective Pat Murphy recognized him as being involved in human and drug smuggling.
(USA Comics#2/3) - As Carstairs, Maxie met with Middletown's district attorney, who was with Pat Murphy at the time, telling them that he had been investigating some irregularities in the immigration office, and that he wondered if the death of Maxie could have any connection to this. He asked that the DA pass on anything he learned on the matter to him, and the DA assured him he would put his three best men on it. maxietherodent-vagrant-tossed

(USA Comics#2/3 - BTS) - Although neither the district attorney nor Murphy had ever met Carstairs, Murphy considered his face to very familiar. The DA assigned Murphy, as well as Grogan and Kelly, to the case.

(USA Comics#2/3 (fb) - BTS) - Knowing that his face was too well known in town to be of much use in covertly investigating, Murphy adopted the costumed identity of Chauncey Throttlebottom III, appearing to be a slightly overweight homeless man.

(USA Comics#2/3) - Their investigations having led them to the Paradise Inn, Grogan and Kelly entered its bar, where Maxie, as Carstairs, met with them and told them that he had uncovered some clues and needed their help. Grogan and Kelly readily followed "Carstairs" as he led them down a secret passageway that led them to the gang's hideout and their illegal cargo of aliens. After Maxie pulled the ring to open a secret door, he was greeted as boss by the criminals within, after which he pulled his gun on Grogan and Kelly, forcing their surrender.

    With "Throttlebottom" having gained employment as a bouncer and enforcer in the bar above, the bartender brought him down to the secret base. Having seen Throttlebottom in action taking out some troublemakers in the bar, Maxie felt he could use him in his organization. Maxie then forced Grogan and Kelly into the water through a port in the wooden floor, with razor-sharp rungs in the ladder out.

    After Throttlebottom learned where the alien captives were being held, he revealed his true motivations and took out all of Maxie's men before catching the fleeing Maxie with the handle of his cane, lifting him high into the air and apparently choking him out.

    Dropping a rope down to them, Throttlebottom pulled Grogan and Kelly back up to Maxie's base and left Maxie and his men unconscious for them to take into custody, and the aliens to be freed and dealt with appropriately.

Comments: Created by Ed Winiarski.

   This profile was completed 12/28/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Maxie, the Rodent, should be distinguished from:


images: (without ads)
USA Comics#2/3, pg. 1, story panel 4 (face, without hat);
       pg. 6, panel 5 (face, with hat);
          panel 5 (fullish, thighs up);
       pg. 8, panel 3 (throttled by Vagabond)
Appearances:
USA Comics#2/3 "Vagabond" (November, 1941) - Ed Winiarski (writer, penciler), George Klein (inker), Joe Simon (editor)

First posted: 09/05/2026
Last updated: 12/28/2025

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!
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