| Big Barda | |
|---|---|
 Big Barda as depicted inWho's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #2 (April 1985). Art by Jack Kirby andGreg Theakston. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Mister Miracle #4 (October 1971) |
| Created by | Jack Kirby (writer-artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Barda Free |
| Species | New God |
| Place of origin | Apokolips |
| Team affiliations | New Gods Justice League Female Furies Birds of Prey |
| Abilities |
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Big Barda is asuperheroine appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics. She first appeared inMister Miracle #4 (October 1971), and was created byJack Kirby.[1] Barda was born onApokolips about 250 years ago.[2] She was taken away from her mother at an early age to be trained as a warrior atGranny Goodness'orphanage.[3] Granny grooms Barda to lead theFemale Furies.[4] However, during a raid, Barda meetsScott Free, Darkseid's adopted son, who she falls in love with.[1] Barda eventually left to become a hero.
Jack Kirby based Barda's physical appearance onLainie Kazan, who had recently appeared topless inPlayboy.[5]Mark Evanier, Kirby's assistant on theFourth World comics, has explained the genesis of the character: "Jack based some of his characters (not all) on people in his life or in the news... the characterization between Scott 'Mister Miracle' Free and Barda was based largely—though with tongue in cheek—on the interplay between Kirby and his wife Roz".[6]
Barda is a member of the race known as theNew Gods, and was born onApokolips about 250 years ago.[2] Her mother was Big Breeda, whom Barda was taken away from at an early age to be trained as a warrior atGranny Goodness' orphanage.[7] Granny grooms Barda to lead theFemale Furies.[4] During a raid, Barda meetsScott Free, Darkseid's adopted son, who she falls in love with.[1]
Barda risks her own safety to work with the rebel cell led by the New God Himon after enforcer Willik kills most of Himon's cell. This includes one of Barda's people, Auralie, who is tortured to death for dancing, a crime on Apokolips. Moments later, Himon kills Willik with a bomb. Barda, the Furies, Himon andMetron help Scott escape Apokolips. Darkseid himself calls for Scott to return but does not stop him, as Scott's escape can reignite his war withNew Genesis. Barda, not emotionally prepared to escape herself, stays behind.[8] Eventually, Barda turns her back on Granny Goodness and comes to Earth.[9] Once there, she finds that Scott has become Mister Miracle. For a while, Barda's Furies assist Scott in his showmanship efforts[10] but they return to Apokolips by themselves. Scott and Barda are married by Scott's birth father,Highfather of New Genesis.[11][12]
For a number of years, Barda follows Scott and Oberon on tour. Eventually they retire from superheroing and move to Bailey, New Hampshire.[13] Despite their best attempts, a normal life eludes them. Disasters plague them and eventually Barda, Scott, and Oberon move toGreenwich Village. There, Barda forms a defense-training program for women called the New Female Furies.
Though naïve regarding Earth customs, Barda relishes her roles of wife and housekeeper, but when duty calls she never hesitates to assume the posture of a warrior; and when Scott joins theJustice League, Barda participates in several missions.[14] In one instance, while trainingFire, her weapon, the Mega-Rod, is stolen. With the assistance of her husband and theHuntress, she gets it back, but not before many innocent people are killed by its wielder, who was unable to resist its influence. Barda also led a JLA mission to rescue her husband after he was lost in space. The mission was a result ofManga Khan selling Scott toGranny Goodness. Her teammates includedMartian Manhunter,Rocket Red, andG'nort. In an attempt to dissuade their successful pursuit, Manga Khan hiredLobo, paying him in dolphin feed, to kill them. He almost does before Barda teleports him behindGuy Gardner.
For a time, Barda mourns Scott, believing him slain in a battle withDespero, but it was a robot double that was destroyed, as part of a plan by Khan.[15]
After their time with the JLI, the two leave Earth forNew Genesis,[16] but, they soon return[17] and take up temporary residence aboard the Justice League Refuge. During this period, the couple separate briefly due to Scott's lack of consideration for her feelings. Barda perishes, but is reborn via Scott's temporary access to great cosmic power.[18]
Barda has served as a member of the JLA in her own right as well. AtTakion's order, she and fellow New GodOrion are sent as agents of New Genesis to serve on the team. Takion predicted that the Earth faced a grave threat.[19] Their mission is to help mobilize Earth's heroes against the omnipotent Mageddon. Over time, they become involved with several other JLA missions.Adam Strange, needing help with an alien invasion, enslaves the JLA as part of a bluff. The League works for days, turning the planet into a giant teleportation beam. The aliens are sent off to the prison planet ofTakron-Galtos, which Barda had mentioned several times during the ordeal. In another instance, Barda is badly wounded fighting theQueen Bee, a member of the newly reformedInjustice League. Once Mageddon is defeated, Barda and Orion resign from the JLA.[1][20]
Barda and Scott then reside in the suburbs ofConnecticut and are active adventurers.[21] Barda never hesitates to lend a hand to her friends when her power and expertise are needed.
Barda accompaniesBatman,Superman, andWonder Woman to Apokolips to rescueSupergirl fromDarkseid's clutches,[22] and accepts an invitation fromOracle to become the heavy-hitter on theBirds of Prey.[23]
A similar-looking character named Little Barda appeared as a member of theTeen Titans in52 #21; the character leaves the group in the same issue. Her relationship to Big Barda is unknown, though she escaped from Apokolips with Power Boy.
In a confrontation with theSecret Six, she engagedKnockout, another ex-Fury, in hand-to-hand combat. Although the fight is long and continues amid other larger concerns for her team, it ends in a draw.
Big Barda is killed in the first issue ofDeath of the New Gods; her funeral occurs in the second issue of the series.Infinity-Man is later revealed as the killer. He had been slaughtering all the 'New Gods' in the name of restarting a new age of deities.[1]
Final Crisis #7 depicts Barda standing alongsideLightray and Highfather in front of areincarnated New Genesis.[24]
The New Gods (vol. 5) depicts Barda accompanying Scott following his departure after an encounter with Orion, who tells him to take a prophesied child who can either bring about peace or war on New Genesis from himself before Orion can kill said child.
Following 2011The New 52 continuity reboot, Barda and Scott initially appear only in stories seton Earth 2.The Multiversity Guidebook explains that each Earth contains a unique manifestation of the New Gods.[25]
The Prime Earth incarnations of Barda and Scott begin appearing in mainstream comics again from 2015 onwards. Barda is seen in theJustice League "Darkseid War" (2015–2016) storyline and theMister Miracle (2017) limited series. Later, she supports the Justice League when Batman flooding sea waters threaten all the world's coasts.[26] She also united alongside the global superhero community to confrontDoctor Manhattan in defence of Superman.[27] After this, she celebrated her one year marriage anniversary with Scott inDC Love is Battlefield (2021),[28] and attended the Justice League's funeral inDark Crisis (2022).[29]
Later, after the events ofDark Nights: Metal as part of theInfinite Frontier reboot, Barda's pre-New 52 history is restored. She rejoins the Birds of Prey under Black Canary's leadership inBirds of Prey (volume 5) #1 (2023).[30] She is also given a Justice League membership card, along with the majority of the superhero community, as part of the new expanded Justice League Unlimited team.[31]
Barda is a New God, a race of genetically enhanced beings who evolved godly abilities from their proximity to the Source. This gives Barda a level of strength roughly parallel to Wonder Woman as well as a high resistance to injury approaching invulnerability. She is similarly resistant to disease and most toxins. As a former Female Fury trained by Granny Goodness, Barda is a master combatant in swordsmanship and raw brawling, which - in conjunction with her raw strength and grit - make her an immediate match for Wonder Woman.[32][1]
In combat, Barda wears Apokoliptian battle armor, which enhances her already impressive durability. In addition, Barda uses a high-tech weapon called the "Mega-Rod". It enables her to fly, generate energy, teleport, and manipulate gravity.
In 2011,Comics Buyer's Guide included Big Barda as #75 in a "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.[37]
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Big Barda received a figure in theDC Comics Super Hero Collection.
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