Big Barda
Big Barda | |
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Big Barda is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle #4 (October 1971), and was created by Jack Kirby.[1] She was raised as a member of the New Gods, but left to become a hero.
Jack Kirby based Barda's physical appearance on Lainie Kazan, who had recently appeared topless in Playboy.[2] Mark Evanier, Kirby's assistant on the Fourth 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".[3]
Fictional character biography
Barda is a member of the race known as the New Gods, and was born on Apokolips about 250 years ago.[4] Her mother was Big Breeda, whom Barda was taken away from at an early age to be trained as a warrior at Granny Goodness' Home for Orphaned Youth.[5] Granny grooms Barda to one day lead the Female Fury Battalion, a ferocious pack of warrior women.[6] However, during a raid, Barda meets Scott Free, Darkseid's adopted son, and, sensing a peace about him, falls in love.[1]
Barda risks her own safety to work with the rebel cell led by the New God
For a number of years Barda follows Scott and Oberon on tour. Eventually they retire from superheroing and move to Bailey, New Hampshire.[12] Despite their best attempts, a normal life eludes them. Disasters plague them and eventually Barda, Scott, and Oberon leave Bailey to move into a loft in Greenwich Village. Barda forms a defense-training program for women called the New Female Furies.
Justice League
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 the
For a time, Barda mourns Scott, believing him slain in a battle with Despero, but it was a robot double that was destroyed, as part of a plan by Manga Khan.[14]
After their time with the JLI, the two leave Earth for New Genesis,[15] but, they soon return[16] 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.[17]
Barda has served as a member of the JLA in her own right as well. At
After the League
Barda and Scott then reside in the suburbs of Connecticut and are active adventurers.[20] Barda never hesitates to lend a hand to her friends when her power and expertise are needed.
Barda accompanies
A similar-looking character named
In a confrontation with the Secret Six, she engaged Knockout, another ex-Fury, in hand-to-hand combat. Although the fight is long and continues in the midst of other larger concerns for her team, it ends in a draw.
Big Barda is killed in the first issue of Death 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]
The New 52
In The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Universe), Big Barda and Scott are seen on Earth 2.[24] They are later seen with many of the comrades in Supertown.[25] Big Barda and Mister Miracle are recruited by Batman to assist Los Angeles when flooding sea waters threaten all coasts.[26]
Powers and abilities
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.[27][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". This weapon can create boom tubes for teleportation over long distances, propel her high into the air and release energy blasts capable of bringing down such powerful beings as Superman. For a limited time the Mega-Rod can also increase the gravity force of an individual.
Other versions
Kingdom Come
Barda appears in the limited series
Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again
In
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman #24 depicts "Big Bard", the male version of Big Barda from a reverse gender universe, who is married to Miss Miracle.
JLA: Another Nail
In
DC Bombshells
In the
Barda also appears alongside a gender-bent version of Mr. Miracle in the comic book series
Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint
In
Reception
In 2011, Comics Buyer's Guide included Big Barda as #75 in a "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.[30]
In other media
Television
- Big Barda appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by Farrah Forke:
- Barda makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Superman: The Animated Series two-part episode "Apokolips...Now!" as a member of New Genesis' Army.
- Big Barda appears in the Batman Beyond two-part episode "The Call" as a member of the Justice League Unlimited.
- Big Barda appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Ties That Bind".
- Big Barda appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Diane Delano.
- Big Barda appears in DC Super Hero Girls: Super Hero High, voiced by Misty Lee. This version is a member of the Female Furies who later shows interest in attending Super Hero High.
- Big Barda appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Laura Post.
- Big Barda appears in Young Justice: Outsiders, voiced by Grey Griffin. This version is a member of the Female Furies.
Film
- Big Barda appears in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, voiced by Julianne Grossman.[31][32] This version possesses a slender physique with softened and more feminine facial features. Additionally, she is the former captain of Granny Goodness' Furies and an associate of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
- An alternate universe incarnation of Big Barda makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in a flashback in Justice League: Gods and Monsters.
- Big Barda appears in DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year, DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games and DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis, voiced by Misty Lee.
- Big Barda was meant to appear in a New Gods film, with Ava DuVernay directing and Kario Salem as the screenwriter, before Warner Bros. canceled the project.[33] Warner also scheduled Tom King to write the script of the film.
Video games
- A statue of Big Barda appears in Injustice: Gods Among Us as part of the Hall of Justice stage.[34]
- Big Barda appears in DC Universe Online via the "Halls of Power" trilogy DLC.[35]
- Big Barda appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Diane Delano.
Merchandise
Big Barda received a figure in the DC Comics Super Hero Collection.
Miscellaneous
The DCAU incarnation of Big Barda appears in the tie-in comics Batman Beyond (vol. 2), Justice League Beyond and Superman Beyond: Man of Tomorrow.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1.
- ISBN 1-58234-345-4.
- ^ "The Jack F.A.Q." Povonline.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- OCLC 213309017.
- ^ Mister Miracle #9 (September 1972)
- ^ Mister Miracle #4 (September/October 1971)
- ^ Mister Miracle #14 (July 1973)
- ^ Mister Miracle #18 (February/March 1974)
- ISBN 978-1605490564.
- ^ Mister Miracle vol. 2, #1 (January 1989)
- ^ Justice League International #7 (November 1987); Justice League America #28 (July 1989)
- ^ Justice League America vol. 2, #37-40 (April–July 1990)
- ^ Mister Miracle vol. 2, #28 (June 1991)
- ^ Mister Miracle vol. 3, #1-2 (April–May 1996)
- ^ Mister Miracle vol. 3, #4-5 (June–July 1996)
- ^ JLA #17 (April 1998)
- ^ JLA #41 (May 2000)
- ^ Orion #25 (June 2002)
- ^ Superman/Batman #11-12 (August–September 2004)
- ^ Birds of Prey #100 (January 2007)
- ^ Final Crisis #7 (March 2009)
- ^ Earth 2 #11
- ^ "The Multiversity Guidebook" (Jan. 2015)
- ^ Justice League: Aquaman: Flooded #1 (2018)
- ISBN 0-7513-4798-1.
- ^ DC Comics Bombshells #32
- ^ Bombshells United #31
- ISBN 978-1-4402-2988-6.
- ^ Harvey, James (July 1, 2010). "Trade Ad for Upcoming Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Animated Feature Title". World's Finest Online. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- ^ Harvey, James (September 16, 2010). "Animated 'Superman/Batman: Apocalypse' Feature Cast and Crew Details". World's Finest Online. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
- ^ Patten, Dominic; Fleming, Mike Jr. (15 March 2018). "Ava DuVernay To Direct Jack Kirby Comic Creation 'The New Gods' For Warner Bros, DC". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ "INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US Videos Reveal DC Easter Eggs". newsarama.com.
- ^ "Register - DC Universe Online". DC Universe Online.
External links
- Big Barda at the DC Database Project
- Big Barda at Cosmic Teams
- A Woman of Valor - An appreciation of Barda by novelist Michael Chabon