This Heroine Could Be the DCU’s Next Big Star, But the Comics Always Disrespect Her

The DC Universe is charging forward at full speed. James Gunn’s Superman flew above everyone’s expectations and set an amazing standard that, if the rest of the movies live up to, will be remembered as incredible incarnations of some of DC’s most beloved characters. One of the biggest ways it’s doing this is by being extremely liberal with introducing established heroes. From Superman alone, we have the titular hero, his cousin, his dog, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, and Metamorpho. And that’s only the named characters! Gunn seems intent on introducing as many characters as possible, and that’s not changing for Superman’s sequel, Man of Tomorrow. 

Insider Daniel Richtman revealed that Man of Tomorrow is casting an actress in her 20s for a major role. Nexus Point News reported that the movie was specifically searching for a taller woman who could embody a “warrior” with a “strong physique” and an “edge.” The leading theory suggests that this points to Wonder Woman, but given that the villain is expected to be Brainiac, and fighting the villain would take Superman and Lex to space, my money is on this actress to play Big Barda. Barda has everything it takes to be a massive star in the DCU, but the comics have never given her a fair chance.

Big Hero, Giant Potential

Big Barda is one of the most interesting characters from Jack Kirby’s Fourth World, and that is a very high bar. She was born of the illegal union between Big Breeda, one of Apokolips’s greatest warriors, and a man she loved. Barda was ripped from her mother and taken to Granny Goodness’s Home for Orphaned Youth, where Darkseid’s elite forces were trained and conditioned to fight and die for their evil overlord. Barda proved to be especially powerful and ruthless, and was groomed by Goodness to become the next leader of the Female Furies.

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Barda’s life was changed forever when she ran into Mister Miracle, Scott Free, while on a mission. She fell in love with Darkseid’s forcibly adopted son and helped the man finally escape Apokolips. Later, she would follow him to Earth, and the two would quickly get married. Their relationship is one of the most nuanced and loving in all of DC. In a fantastic stereotype reversal, especially given that she debuted in 1971, Barda was the physically stronger one in the relationship, and it was portrayed as a good thing that neither was unhappy with.

Barda is physically on the same level as characters like Wonder Woman and Superman. She’s a warrior who has been trained to be a monster her entire life, but chose to be a hero even though she’s never known kindness. The juxtaposition between her skills and strength versus her desire to live a normal life is always fascinating to dig into, and her connections with the other New Gods are ripe for examination. Especially given that James Gunn has stated that Darkseid won’t be the main villain of the DCU at the start, Barda is the perfect character to slowly introduce him. However, DC never seems to want to dig into Barda.

Disrespect As Large As She Is

Despite the infinite potential of her character, Big Barda is seldom the center of attention in DC. She was introduced in Mister Miracle (1971) #4 as a side character and deuteragonist to Mister Miracle, so it makes sense that she would typically show up around her husband. Besides the villains and neutral characters like Metron, the New Gods tend not to show up unless things get serious, but even then, Barda rarely takes center stage. She has established herself as a mainstay in the Birds of Prey, but beyond that, she lacks any presence in stories not including the New Gods or specifically centered around her and Mister Miracle, which are rare.

Even in events where Darkseid and other New Gods are involved, Barda doesn’t lead the charge. Just look at DC’s big event, DC K.O., which is a fighting tournament to decide who becomes the next King Omega to battle Darkseid. In a fighting tournament where cruelty gives you an edge and the goal is to fight her literal evil father-in-law, you’d think Barda would be a top contender who earned some screentime. However, the solicits and covers indicate that Barda is set to lose in the first round. This isn’t something to rant about on its own. She’s losing to Zatanna, which is beyond a fine ending, and this is very much a Superman story, but this isn’t an isolated incident.

Everyone knows that Barda is strong, but because she’s not an A-list character, more often than not, she’s beaten to show how powerful a villain is. Barda has the potential to headline major DC stories and events, but she always plays second fiddle to other characters, even when she’s the perfect fit. Barda deserves to be respected, and a major step in that direction could be appearing in the upcoming Man of Tomorrow.