{{short description|Fictional comic book character}} {{Infobox comics character | character_name = Big Barda | image = Barda.PNG | converted = y | caption = Big Barda as depicted in ''Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe'' #2 (April 1985). Art by Jack Kirby and Greg Theakston. | publisher = DC Comics | debut = ''Mister Miracle'' #4 (October 1971) | creators = Jack Kirby (writer-artist) | alter_ego = Barda Free | species = New God | homeworld = Apokolips | alliances = New Gods<br>Justice League<br>Female Furies<br>Birds of Prey | aliases = | supports = | powers = * Immortality * Superhuman strength, durability, reflexes, agility, stamina and speed * Master hand-to-hand combatant * Expert with various types of weaponry * Battle armor and wields a mega-rod | altcat = New Gods of New Genesis | hero = | villain = | sortkey = Big Barda }} '''Big Barda''' is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #4 (October 1971), and was created by Jack Kirby.<ref name="dc-ency">{{Cite book | last=Greenberger | first=Robert | contribution=Big Barda | editor-last=Dougall | editor-first=Alastair | title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia | page=47 | publisher=Dorling Kindersley | location=London | year=2008 | isbn=978-0-7566-4119-1}}</ref> Barda was born on Apokolips about 250 years ago.<ref name=Guide></ref> She was taken away from her mother at an early age to be trained as a warrior at Granny Goodness' orphanage.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=McAvennie |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |title=DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-8578-6 |page=141}}</ref> Granny grooms Barda to lead the Female Furies.<ref name="dc-fema"></ref> However, during a raid, Barda meets Scott Free, Darkseid's adopted son, who she falls in love with.<ref name="dc-ency"/> Barda eventually left to become a hero.
Jack Kirby based Barda's physical appearance on Lainie Kazan, who had recently appeared topless in ''Playboy''.<ref name="Ronin">{{Cite book | last=Ro | first=Ronin | title=Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution | publisher=Bloomsbury | date=July 2004 | isbn=1-58234-345-4}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://povonline.com/jackfaq/JackFaq1.htm | title=The Jack F.A.Q. | work=Povonline.com | access-date=2011-01-15 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217041205/http://povonline.com/jackfaq/JackFaq1.htm | archive-date=17 December 2010 | url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Fictional character biography== Barda is a member of the race known as the New Gods, and was born on Apokolips about 250 years ago.<ref name=Guide>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=38}}</ref> Her mother was Big Breeda, whom Barda was taken away from at an early age to be trained as a warrior at Granny Goodness' orphanage.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=McAvennie |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |title=DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-8578-6 |page=141}}</ref> Granny grooms Barda to lead the Female Furies.<ref name="dc-fema">{{Cite book | last=Wallace | first=Dan | contribution=Female Furies | editor-last=Dougall | editor-first=Alastair | title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia | page=120 | publisher=Dorling Kindersley | location=New York | year=2008 | isbn=978-0-7566-4119-1 | oclc=213309017}}</ref> During a raid, Barda meets Scott Free, Darkseid's adopted son, who she falls in love with.<ref name="dc-ency"/>
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 and Metron help Scott escape Apokolips. Darkseid himself calls for Scott to return but does not stop him, as Scott's escape can reignite his war with New Genesis. Barda, not emotionally prepared to escape herself, stays behind.<ref>''Mister Miracle'' #9 (September 1972)</ref> Eventually, Barda turns her back on Granny Goodness and comes to Earth.<ref>''Mister Miracle'' #4 (September/October 1971)</ref> Once there, she finds that Scott has become Mister Miracle. For a while, Barda's Furies assist Scott in his showmanship efforts<ref>''Mister Miracle'' #14 (July 1973)</ref> but they return to Apokolips by themselves. Scott and Barda are married by Scott's birth father, Highfather of New Genesis.<ref>''Mister Miracle'' #18 (February/March 1974)</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Sacks |first1=Jason |last2=Dallas |first2=Keith |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490564 |page=144}}</ref>
For a number of years, Barda follows Scott and Oberon on tour. Eventually they retire from superheroing and move to Bailey, New Hampshire.<ref>''Mister Miracle'' vol. 2, #1 (January 1989)</ref> Despite their best attempts, a normal life eludes them. Disasters plague them and eventually Barda, Scott, and Oberon move to Greenwich Village. There, 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 Justice League, Barda participates in several missions.<ref>''Justice League International'' #7 (November 1987); ''Justice League America'' #28 (July 1989)</ref> In one instance, while training Fire, her weapon, the Mega-Rod, is stolen. With the assistance of her husband and the Huntress, 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 of Manga Khan selling Scott to Granny Goodness. Her teammates included Martian Manhunter, Rocket Red, and G'nort. In an attempt to dissuade their successful pursuit, Manga Khan hired Lobo, paying him in dolphin feed, to kill them. He almost does before Barda teleports him behind Guy Gardner.
For a time, Barda mourns Scott, believing him killed in a battle with Despero, but it was a robot double that was destroyed, as part of a plan by Khan.<ref>''Justice League America'' vol. 2, #37-40 (April–July 1990)</ref>
After their time with the JLI, the two leave Earth for New Genesis,<ref>''Mister Miracle'' vol. 2, #28 (June 1991)</ref> but, they soon return<ref>''Mister Miracle'' vol. 3, #1-2 (April–May 1996)</ref> 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.<ref>''Mister Miracle'' vol. 3, #4-5 (June–July 1996)</ref>
Barda has served as a member of the JLA in her own right as well. At Takion's order, she and fellow New God Orion are sent as agents of New Genesis to serve on the team. Takion predicted that the Earth faced a grave threat.<ref>''JLA'' #17 (April 1998)</ref> 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 of Takron-Galtos, which Barda had mentioned several times during the ordeal. In another instance, Barda is badly wounded fighting Queen Bee, a member of the newly reformed Injustice League. Once Mageddon is defeated, Barda and Orion resign from the JLA.<ref name="dc-ency"/><ref>''JLA'' #41 (May 2000)</ref>
===After the League=== Barda and Scott reside in the suburbs of Connecticut and are active adventurers.<ref>''Orion'' #25 (June 2002)</ref> Barda never hesitates to lend a hand to her friends when her power and expertise are needed.
Barda accompanies Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman to Apokolips to rescue Supergirl from Darkseid's clutches,<ref>''Superman/Batman'' #11-12 (August–September 2004)</ref> and accepts an invitation from Oracle to become the heavy-hitter on the Birds of Prey.<ref>''Birds of Prey'' #100 (January 2007)</ref>
A similar-looking character named Little Barda appeared as a member of the Teen Titans in ''52'' #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 the Secret Six, Barda engages Knockout, 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 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 killing all the 'New Gods' in the name of restarting a new age of deities.<ref name="dc-ency"/>
''Final Crisis'' #7 depicts Barda standing alongside Lightray and Highfather in front of a reincarnated New Genesis.<ref>''Final Crisis'' #7 (March 2009)</ref>
===The New 52 and Infinite Frontier=== Following 2011 The New 52 continuity reboot, Barda and Scott initially appear only in stories set on Earth 2. ''The Multiversity Guidebook'' explains that each Earth contains a unique manifestation of the New Gods.<ref>"The Multiversity Guidebook" (Jan. 2015)</ref>
The Prime Earth incarnations of Barda and Scott begin appearing in mainstream comics again from 2015 onwards. Barda is seen in the ''Justice League'' "Darkseid War" (2015–2016) storyline and the ''Mister Miracle'' (2017) limited series. Later, she supports the Justice League when Batman flooding sea waters threaten all the world's coasts.<ref>''Justice League: Aquaman: Flooded'' #1 (2018)</ref> She also united alongside the global superhero community to confront Doctor Manhattan in defence of Superman.<ref>''Doomsday Clock'' #9 (2019).</ref> After this, she celebrated her one year marriage anniversary with Scott in ''DC Love is Battlefield'' (2021),<ref>''DC Love is a Battlefield'' #1 (2021)</ref> and attended the Justice League's funeral in ''Dark Crisis'' (2022).<ref>''Dark Crisis'' #1 (2022)</ref>
Later, after the events of ''Dark Nights: Metal'' as part of the Infinite Frontier reboot, Barda's pre-New 52 history is restored. She rejoins the Birds of Prey under Black Canary's leadership in ''Birds of Prey'' (volume 5) #1 (2023).<ref>''Birds of Prey'' (volume 5) #1 (2023)</ref> She is given membership in the Justice League as part of the expanded Justice League Unlimited team.<ref>''Justice League Unlimited'' (vol. 2) #1 (2024/2025)</ref>
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.
==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.<ref name="jla">{{Cite book | last=Beatty | first=Scott | title=JLA: The Ultimate Guide to the Justice League of America | publisher=Dorling Kindersley | date=November 2002 | isbn=0-7513-4798-1}}</ref><ref name="dc-ency"/>
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.
==Other versions==
* Barda and Scott are seen on Earth 2 in the series ''Earth 2''.<ref>''Earth 2'' #11</ref> Here, Barda secretly remained loyal to the Furies and to Darkseid. She helps prepare the Earth for Darkseid's arrival until she's defeated by Doctor Impossible (James Olsen Jr), leading Kalibak to cast her out of Darkseid's army. In the aftermath of Darkseid's invasion, she is disguised as a human when a desperate Richard Grayson begs her to take his son into her care.<ref>''Earth 2: World's End'' (vol. 1) #24 (2015)</ref> * An alternate timeline version of Big Barda appears in ''Kingdom Come''. * "Big Bard", a gender-flipped version of Big Barda, appears in ''Superman/Batman'' #24. * An alternate universe version of Big Barda who became a Green Lantern appears in ''JLA: Another Nail''. * An alternate universe version of Big Barda appears in ''DC Comics Bombshells''. This version is a member of Amanda Waller's Bombshells project and in a relationship with Kimiyo Hoshi.<ref>''DC Comics Bombshells'' #32</ref><ref>''Bombshells United'' #31</ref> * An alternate universe version of Big Barda who became the ruler of Apokolips makes a cameo appearance in ''Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint''. * In ''The Dark Knight Strikes Again'', former pornographic actress Hot Gates assumes the mantle of Big Barda and declares herself dictator of Columbus, Ohio. * Barda is the protagonist of the young adult graphic novel ''Barda'', written and illustrated by Ngozi Ukazu and published by DC Comics in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-16 |title=Fan-favorite cartoonist is telling one of DC's best romance stories from a new perspective |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/dc-comics-barda-ngozi-ukazu-ya-graphic-novel/ |access-date=2026-04-03 |website=Popverse |language=en}}</ref>
==Reception== In 2011, ''Comics Buyer's Guide'' included Big Barda as #75 in a "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.<ref>{{cite book | last = Frankenhoff | first = Brent | author-link = Brent Frankenhoff | title = Comics Buyer's Guide Presents: 100 Sexiest Women in Comics | publisher = Krause Publications | year = 2011 | page = 49 | isbn = 978-1-4402-2988-6}}</ref>
==In other media== ===Television=== 200px|thumb|right|Big Barda as she appears in ''Superman: The Animated Series'' (left) and ''Batman Beyond'' (right). Both appearances were used in ''Justice League Unlimited''. * Big Barda appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), voiced by Farrah Forke.<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Big Barda Voices (DC Universe) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/DC-Universe/Big-Barda/ |access-date=June 13, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref> ** 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. ** Barda appears in the ''Batman Beyond'' two-part episode "The Call" as a member of the Justice League Unlimited. ** 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.<ref name="btva" /> * Big Barda appears in ''Justice League Action'', voiced by Laura Post.<ref name="btva" /> * Big Barda appears in ''Young Justice: Outsiders'', voiced by Grey Griffin.<ref name="btva" /> This version is a member of the Female Furies. * Big Barda will appear in ''Mister Miracle'', which is set in the DC Universe (DCU).<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Roxborough |first=Scott |date=June 12, 2025 |title=Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios Order Adult Animation Series ''Mister Miracle'' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/warner-bros-dc-studios-order-mister-miracle-series-1236263407/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613023928/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/warner-bros-dc-studios-order-mister-miracle-series-1236263407/ |archive-date=June 13, 2025 |access-date=June 12, 2025 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
===Film=== * Big Barda appears in ''Superman/Batman: Apocalypse'', voiced by Julianne Grossman.<ref name="tradead">{{Cite web | last=Harvey | first=James | url=http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=784 | title=Trade Ad for Upcoming ''Superman/Batman: Apocalypse'' Animated Feature Title | work=World's Finest Online | date=July 1, 2010 | access-date=2010-07-02| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100710032006/http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=784| archive-date= 10 July 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harvey |first=James |date=September 16, 2010 |title=Animated 'Superman/Batman: Apocalypse' Feature Cast and Crew Details |url=http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=849 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615071658/http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=849 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-06-15 |access-date=September 16, 2010 |work=World's Finest Online}}</ref><ref name="btva" /> This version is the former captain of Granny Goodness' Furies and an associate of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. * An alternate universe version of Big Barda makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in a flashback in ''Justice League: Gods and Monsters''.<ref name="btva" /> * Big Barda was intended to appear in a ''New Gods'' film part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), with Ava DuVernay directing and Kario Salem and Tom King as writers, before Warner Bros. canceled the project.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Couch |first1=Aaron |last2=Kit |first2=Borys |date=April 1, 2021 |title=Ava DuVernay's ''New Gods'', James Wan's ''The Trench'' DC Movies Not Moving Forward at Warner Bros. (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/ava-duvernays-new-gods-james-wans-the-trench-dc-movies-not-moving-forward-at-warner-bros |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210402191839/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/ava-duvernays-new-gods-james-wans-the-trench-dc-movies-not-moving-forward-at-warner-bros |archive-date=April 2, 2021 |access-date=April 2, 2021 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
===Video games=== * A statue of Big Barda appears in ''Injustice: Gods Among Us'' as part of the Hall of Justice stage.<ref>{{cite web |last=Robison |first=Seth |date=March 4, 2013 |title=INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US Videos Reveal DC Easter Eggs |url=http://www.newsarama.com/games/injustice-gods-among-us-preview.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307100128/http://www.newsarama.com/games/injustice-gods-among-us-preview.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-03-07 |website=newsarama.com}}</ref> * Big Barda appears in ''DC Universe Online'' via the "Halls of Power" trilogy DLC.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 6, 2014 |title=Halls of Power Part I Launches August 6, 2014! |url=https://www.dcuniverseonline.com/news/dc-universe-online-halls-of-power-part-i-launch-2014 |access-date=June 13, 2024 |website=DC Universe Online |language=en}}</ref> * Big Barda appears as a character summon in ''Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=June 13, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> * Big Barda appears as a playable character in ''Lego DC Super-Villains'', voiced again by Diane Delano.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Michael |first=Jon |last2=Veness |first2=John |date=November 2, 2018 |title=Characters - ''LEGO DC Super-Villains'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/lego-dc-super-villains/Characters |access-date=June 13, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>
===Merchandise=== Big Barda received a figure in the DC Comics Super Hero Collection.
===Miscellaneous=== * Big Barda appears in ''DC Super Hero Girls'' and its tie-in films, voiced by Misty Lee.<ref name="btva" /> This version is a member of the Female Furies who later shows interest in attending Super Hero High. * 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== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * Big Barda at the DC Database Project * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060207093326/http://www.mykey3000.com/cosmicteams/profiles/barda.html Big Barda] at Cosmic Teams * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060326233017/http://www.michaelchabon.com/archives/2005/03/a_woman_of_valo.html A Woman of Valor - An appreciation of Barda] by novelist Michael Chabon
{{New Gods}} {{Justice League characters}} {{Birds of Prey}} {{Jack Kirby}}
Category:Characters created by Jack Kirby Category:Comics characters introduced in 1971 Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength Category:DC Comics female superheroes Category:DC Comics deities Category:Fictional clubfighters Category:Fictional immigrants to the United States Category:Female Furies Category:New Gods of New Genesis Category:DC Comics orphans Category:Justice League characters