Mockingbird (Marvel Comics)

For the DC Comics character, see Mockingbird (DC Comics).

Mockingbird
Promotional cover art to New Avengers: The Reunion #1. Art by Jo Chen.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	(character) Astonishing Tales #6 (June, 1971) (as Dr. Barbara Morse) Astonishing Tales #12 (June 1972) (as the Huntress) Marvel Super Action #1 (January, 1976) (as Mockingbird) Marvel Team-Up #95 (July, 1980)
In-story information
Full name	Barbara "Bobbi" Morse
Team affiliations	S.H.I.E.L.D. Avengers West Coast Avengers Great Lakes Avengers Legion of the Unliving New Avengers World Counter-terrorism Agency
Partnerships	Hawkeye
Notable aliases	Roberta Morse, Agent 19, the Huntress
Abilities	Superbly trained athlete and gymnast, various unarmed combats, and espionage. Physical attributes enhanced to peak of human potential. Expert with Battle-stave weapon.

Mockingbird (Barbara "Bobbi" Morse) is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe who first appears in the Ka-Zar story in Astonishing Tales #6 (June 1971) written by Gerry Conway and pencilled by Barry Smith. The earliest story to be written and drawn (by Len Wein and Neal Adams) featuring the character was intended to appear in Savage Tales #2 (July 1971), but the series was canceled (a #2 and subsequent series appeared much later) and new homes were found for the stories in the ensuing months.

In subsequent publications creators including Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Neal Adams, Mike Friedrich, Archie Goodwin, George Evans, Steven Grant, and Mark Gruenwald made significant contributions to the development of the character.

Fictional character biography

First appearances

The character’s first appearance. Art by Barry Smith and Bill Everett.

The character who later becomes Mockingbird first appears in a short sequence in Astonishing Tales #6 (June 1971) in which a frantic young brunette arrives at the English country estate of Lord Kevin Plunder (who is also known as "Ka-Zar"). Encountering the butler she exclaims "Lord Kevin Plunder where is he? I must speak with him! ‘tis a matter - - of the fate of worlds!". In a brief second appearance in the same issue the character claims "Lord Kevin Plunder and I have never met – and yet I feel that I know him …!", "You see, I can - - can 'feel' people in my mind! And I know that unless I speak with him - - Lord Kevin will die!".^[1]

Whatever writer Gerry Conway’s original ideas were for this character, subsequent creators developed her to such a degree that she is unrecognisable as this earlier figure. In particular, no later story makes reference to the psychic abilities that these quotes appear to allude to.

After this story Roy Thomas took over writing the Ka-Zar strip and in his first story the as-yet-unnamed character makes another brief appearance. The butler at Ka-Zar’s estate informs her that his employer is currently in the Savage Land. The girl then vows to "walk to the Savage Land" for “[Ka-Zar’s] sake and the sake of the world”.^[2]

In Astonishing Tales #8 (Oct. 1971) Thomas is joined by co-writer Gary Friedrich and the character begins to develop – her hair color changes to blonde without explanation and her name is given as "Barbara".^[3] In this issue Ka-Zar comes upon the site of a plane crash in the Savage Land and encounters a survivor. This man explains that he and his fiancée Barbara flew to the Savage Land to seek Ka-Zar out. He mentions that Barbara learned of Ka-Zar’s whereabouts from the butler at the Plunder Estate, clearly indicating that Barbara is meant to be the same character as the brunette from the previous two issues. Barbara is shown later in the story; having parachuted from the plane before the crash she is rescued by a group of World War 2 veterans who have been trapped in the Savage Land for decades.

Gerry Conway briefly returned to co-write (with Roy Thomas) Barbara's next appearance where she finally meets Ka-Zar and is reunited with her fiancé (whose name is revealed as "Paul").^[4] In the following issue (written by Thomas alone) Ka-Zar leads the two characters through the dangerous Savage Land.^[5]

Astonishing Tales #12 (June 1972) is a key early appearance for the character, due in part to Marvel’s decision to feature Man-Thing in this issue. At this point Man-Thing had made only one previous appearance, in the 1971 black-and-white magazine Savage Tales #1.^[6] A follow-up 7–page Man-Thing story by writer Len Wein and artist Neal Adams was commissioned for a version of Savage Tales #2 that was ultimately never published.^[7] Finally seeing print in Astonishing Tales #12 the sequence is presented as a flashback and an interlude between the main action of the book.

Dr. Barbara Morse as she appears in writer Len Wein and artist Neal Adams' "Man-Thing!" story.

One of the characters in the Wein/Adams story is a blonde female scientist called "Dr. Barbara Morse". Morse is working on a research project in the Florida Everglades called Project: Gladiator, which is an attempt to replicate the Super-Soldier serum which was used to create Captain America. This is the same research which Ted Sallis had previously been working on when a flawed serum transformed him into the Man-Thing. In the story Morse is abducted by AIM thugs and is later liberated through the intervention of the Man-Thing.^[8]

Framing the flashback is a sequence of newer material by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema in which Barbara (now revealed to be "Dr. Barbara Morse" and thus the character from the Wein/Adams Man-Thing story) and Paul (now "Dr. Paul Allen") accompany Ka-Zar back to the United States and explain that they sought him out so that he could help them deal with the problems surrounding the appearance of the Man-Thing in Florida.^[9]

In the next issue the storyline is wrapped up and Paul reveals he is a double agent working for A.I.M. It is also revealed for the first time that Barbara has connections with S.H.I.E.L.D.; the spy agency asked her to pretend to love Allen to "learn what [she] could"^[10] about his activities with AIM. At the story’s end Paul dies at the hands of the Man-Thing and Barbara expresses the hope that she can "go back to just being a scientist again".^[10]

Bobbi Morse, Agent 19 of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Mike Friedrich took over from Roy Thomas to become writer of Astonishing Tales with #15 (Dec. 1972). He introduces a new status-quo in which Ka-Zar is living in New York and "lady biologist" and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Barbara (who now prefers to be called "Bobbi") Morse is his constant companion.^[11]

Bobbi Morse, Agent 19 of S.H.I.E.L.D. Art by Mike Royer.

Friedrich remained the writer of the various color Ka-Zar series for the next two years^[12][13] and for most of that period he continued to feature Morse as Ka-Zar’s sidekick and occasional love interest. In these stories she is depicted as a fully trained S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Contemptuous of his jungle origins, she is Ka-Zar’s escort to the city and modern life. Together she and Ka-Zar tackle threats such as the Pusher,^[14] Gemini,^[15] Victorius,^[16][17][18] Gog,^[16] and the Plunderer.^[15][16] As the series progresses she begins to wear a regular costume of tinted-glasses, a red one-piece, and boots. Her S.H.I.E.L.D. designation of "Agent 19" is revealed^[16] and she and Ka-Zar finally kiss.^[19]

In 1974 the color Ka-Zar series left Astonishing Tales and was relaunched in the Ka-Zar, Lord of the Hidden Jungle title. The strip is set once again in the Savage Land and Morse is absent for the first story. She returns in the third issue – explaining that Nick Fury had sent her on a S.H.I.E.L.D. assignment to look into "El Tigre", a subversive who is exploiting the energy crisis in South America.^[20] This leads her to reluctantly travel back to the Savage Land, where she and Ka-Zar defeat El Tigre and his ally Man-God together.^[21]

The introduction of Shanna the She-Devil into Ka-Zar’s supporting cast^[22] changes Morse’s role in the stories of this period. Ka-Zar expresses clear attraction to the more jungle-friendly Shanna from the outset^[23] and Morse is cast as the secondary love interest. This dynamic is most notable in Morse’s lone appearance in the Ka-Zar strip in the black-and-white magazine Savage Tales (#8; Jan. 1975). Written by Gerry Conway, the story depicts Morse leading Shanna and a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents into the Savage Land where they work with Ka-Zar to neutralise a threat to world security. During the course of the adventure Morse realises that Ka-Zar’s affections lie with Shanna.^[24] This story, first published in late-1974, is the last in which Morse appears as a Ka-Zar supporting character.

Huntress to Mockingbird

The debut of the "Huntress". Art by George Evans.

A year later Mike Friedrich returned to the character in a 20-page story with art by George Evans. Published in the one-shot black-and-white magazine Marvel Super Action #1 (Jan. 1976) the story is the first in which Morse appears as a costumed super heroine and lead protagonist. While operating as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent she is recruited by a United States Senator to look into corruption in a Latin American branch of the espionage organisation. To complete her mission she "drops out" of S.H.I.E.L.D. and takes on the superhero identity of the "Huntress".^[25]

In a text piece in Marvel Super Action #1 editor Archie Goodwin explained how Morse came to be used for this story

“

I suggested the title ["Huntress"] and the notion of using S.H.I.E.L.D. to writer Mike Friedrich. He decided to draw upon a character he’d helped develop while scripting the color Ka-Zar comic, and wound up revamping her totally. With a bit of kibitzing from Mike and myself, artist George Evans designed the lady’s costume and we were in business.[26]

”

Marvel Super Action was originally designed as a bi-monthly publication, but the economic recession of the mid-1970s forced Marvel to scale back their plans and the magazine was published as a one-off.^[26] This meant that the plot of Huntress, originally planned as a two-parter,^[26] had to be condensed before publication and no follow-up stories by the same creators were ever produced.

Morse's next published appearance was Marvel Team-Up #95 (July, 1980) in which she dons a new costume and finally takes on the alias "Mockingbird".^[27] This story explains that she has continued to look into corruption in S.H.I.E.L.D. and in doing so has come to be hunted by the organisation which mistakes her for a criminal. Teaming up with Spider-Man (and with assistance from S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury) Mockingbird confronts Carl Delanden, a corrupt S.H.I.E.L.D. branch director. In the ensuing battle she is shot by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who are following a previous order to subdue her at any cost. The story ends with an unconscious, badly injured but exonerated Mockingbird left in the care of Nick Fury.

In the letter’s column of that issue the series’ then assistant editor Mark Gruenwald explained the creative origins of this new iteration of Bobbi Morse:

“

'Where did this Mockingbird come from?' some of you may be asking. After all it isn’t every day that a new super heroine is premiered in Marvel Team-Up. Well the story behind her creation is this: when I had been writing the Spider-Woman book one of my chief objectives was to build up a rogue’s gallery that S-W could call her own. One of several characters I conceived and designed was Mockingbird. Showing the sketch to Steven Grant, writer about town, he helped me work out her powers and weaponry. Well I never got round to doing a Mockingbird story before I left Spider-Woman, so I put the idea on the back burner. "Time passed, and Steven was searching for something new and different to do in Team-Up. He was toying with the idea some of us have had to revamp the Bobbi Morse character (of Ka-Zar and Super-Action fame). Somehow we got the notion to amalgamate the two concepts and make Bobbi Morse the Mockingbird (Anyone venture a guess why we abandoned the "Huntress" moniker?) All that was necessary was to change her hair and skin color since the original M.B. was going to be black. So that’s the story behind the story.[28]

”

The reference to the “why we abandoned the "'Huntress' moniker" is a nod to the fact that Marvel’s rival DC Comics had debuted a character with the same name in the interim between Marvel Super Action #1 and Marvel Team-Up #95. DC's “Huntress”, originally the superhero daughter of the Batman and Catwoman of Earth-Two, debuted in All Star Comics #69 and DC Super-Stars #17 (both Dec. 1977).

Mockingbird and Hawkeye

Mockingbird encounters Hawkeye. Art by Mark Gruenwald.

The character next appeared in Gruenwald’s 1983 4-issue Hawkeye miniseries.^[29] Fully recovered from her injuries, Mockingbird investigates corruption at Cross Technological Enterprises, where Clint Barton/Hawkeye works as security chief. Though the two initially come into conflict with each other, they end up co-operating to fight the villain Crossfire and by the series end they are shown to be seriously romantically involved, having eloped together to the Pocono Mountains and apparently married.^[30]

The miniseries reveals how Morse originally became involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. recounting how she left her biology studies at Georgia Tech to follow her "favorite prof"^[31] Wilma Calvin on the government's Project: Gladiator. The research project was partly sponsored by S.H.I.E.L.D. which led Morse to enroll in their spy school and graduate at the top of her class. It is also revealed that she spent six months convalescing in a private hospital after the injuries she suffered in Marvel Team-Up #95.^[31]

Gruenwald was editor of the Avengers title in late 1983 when writer Roger Stern began to feature Hawkeye and Mockingbird as members of the series supporting cast.^[32] In a short period Mockingbird moves back into Avengers Mansion with Barton as he returns to active duty,^[32] she is formally introduced to the team as his wife,^[33] the Vision then proposes that Hawkeye and Mockingbird establish a second Avengers team on the west coast,^[34] and the two move out to Los Angeles.^[35]

West Coast Avengers

This leads in to the 1984 4-issue West Coast Avengers limited series, also written by Stern and edited by Gruenwald. In this series Mockingbird becomes a full-fledged Avenger as she assists her husband in setting up a new branch of the organization.^[36]

West Coast Avengers became a regular series in 1985 and Steve Englehart, the series writer for its first 42 issues, featured Mockingbird heavily as one of the main cast members of the book. A year into the series Mockingbird begins to wear a modified version of her original costume, designed by series artist Al Milgrom.^[37]

Mockingbird debuts her second costume. Art by Al Milgrom and Joe Sinnott.

Over the latter course of his run, Englehart developed a storyline in which the relationship between Hawkeye and Mockingbird is put under serious strain. When the West Coast Avengers are transported to the old west of 1876 the Phantom Rider (Lincoln Slade) abducts, drugs, and brainwashes Mockingbird into forgetting her original life and convinces her she is in love with Slade (and by implication, raping her). After breaking free of his control, Mockingbird seeks revenge on the Rider, and is shown allowing him to plunge to his death off of a cliff.^[38]

Hawkeye learns that Mockingbird let the Phantom Rider die, and harshly disapproves of her actions which leads Mockingbird to leave both Hawkeye and the Avengers.^[39] For a time she and ex-Avengers Tigra and Moon Knight operate as a small fighting unit and together they have various adventures including a battle with the High Evolutionary^[40] and an encounter with the modern-day Phantom Rider who is possessed by his 19th century ancestor.^[41] In one story Mockingbird’s arrest of the Digger causes a rift between the West Coast Avengers and the Night Shift.^[42] Mockingbird later reconciles with the no-longer-possessed Phantom Rider.^[43]

John Byrne became writer and artist of West Coast Avengers in 1989 and in his first story Mockingbird returns and admits to inadvertently betraying the team.^[44] She later explains that she was duped by a group who claimed to be connected to S.H.I.E.L.D. into revealing security information about their headquarters for a "contingency" plan to neutralise the Vision in the event that he should try to take over the world once again. In fact the plan is put into operation immediately and when Mockingbird realises this she rushes to the West Coast Avenger’s headquarters only to arrive too late, the group having already abducted and dismantled the android.^[45] The group is revealed to be a consortium of international security services and though the Vision is eventually restored his memory and personality are erased.^[46]

Later Mockingbird tracks down Clint Barton (Hawkeye) and makes an attempt at reconciliation, admitting that she still loves him. During their discussion Barton reveals that they had previously decided to divorce.^[47] Hawkeye and Mockingbird then travel to Milwaukee to look in to the appearance of a group calling themselves the "Great Lakes Avengers". Upon investigation the couple decides to stay in Milwaukee to train the amateur superhero group and work on their relationship.^[47]

Mockingbird’s next regular appearances are as a supporting character in the Hawkeye strip in Avengers Spotlight, in a storyline written by Steve Gerber in which she aids her husband as he takes on the Los Angeles Asian crime lord Lotus.^[48]

Avengers West Coast

Mockingbird apparently dies. Art by Dave Ross and Tim Dzon.

Roy Thomas returned to writing the character when he and his wife Dann became co-writers of the rechristened Avengers West Coast title in 1990. Mockingbird first makes a brief reappearance in the title when she attends an Avengers West Coast team meeting and stands for election to return to the team, being voted in as an "alternate member" (effectively a reserve member). Hawkeye (who is already a full member, having returned to the series a year earlier) admits he did not vote for her and describes her as his "estranged wife". Mockingbird then returns to Detroit.^[49]

In a later storyline Morse contacts Barton and states that she is returning to Los Angeles from Detroit to discuss matters with him.^[50] She is then reunited with her husband while he is in the field as Hawkeye, joining him and the Avengers West Coast on a mission^[51] after which Mockingbird begins to once again make regular appearances as a cast member of the book. Mockingbird later reveals to Hawkeye that their divorce is almost final^[52] and Ultron abducts her and uses her thought patterns and personality to create his second robotic 'wife' Alkhema,^[53] the two rekindling their romance after she is liberated.^[53]

However, the originally intended interpretation of some of these events is changed by a story that is published 17 years later. New Avengers: The Reunion #2 (May 2009) asserts that just prior to her abduction by Ultron, Mockingbird was replaced by a Skrull impersonator, and thus the "Mockingbird" who appears between Avengers West Coast vol. 1, #89/90 (Dec. 1992/Jan. 1993) and Secret Invasion #8 (Jan. 2009) should no longer be considered the genuine article.^[54]

The reconciliation between Hawkeye and Mockingbird is short-lived as in late 1993 Thomas has the character sacrifice her life to save her husband from Mephisto in the centennial issue of Avengers West Coast.^[55]

The Avengers West Coast title was canceled two issues later. The storyline depicted how the team, reeling from the events surrounding Mockingbird's death, is ultimately forced to disband.^[56]

Post-death

In 1998 writer Kurt Busiek briefly revived the character in the Avengers volume 3 series where she appears as a reanimated corpse, a member of the Legion of the Unliving, part of the Grim Reaper's plot to destroy the Avengers.^[57]

In 1999’s Thunderbolts Annual 2000 writers Busiek and Fabian Nicieza have Mockingbird send a message from the afterlife which results in the resurrection of Hellcat.^[58] In the subsequent Hellcat limited series by writer Steve Englehart Mockingbird is depicted fighting endless battles in Hell.^[59] Her reasons for being in Hell are unclear, though she denies it is due to her previous refusal to save the Phantom Rider, hinting that her presence in Hell is serving some purpose.

The character next appears is in the tongue-in-cheek 2006 X-Statix Presents: Dead Girl miniseries by writer Peter Milligan. In this series she is depicted as residing in Heaven where she is an active member of a book club that also includes Dead Girl, Gwen Stacy, and Moira MacTaggert. She is recruited by Doctor Strange and Dead Girl to help defeat Mr. Pitiful and his group of resurrected supervillains. She returns to Heaven at the series conclusion and no reference is made to her previous appearances in Hell.^[60]

Return

Mockingbird and Clint Barton are reunited. Art by Leinil Francis Yu and Mark Morales.

In a 2009 interview Marvel editor and writer Jim McCann revealed how the decision to resurrect Mockingbird was made creatively:

“

About a year-and-a-half ago, we were planning the ending for Secret Invasion and with one character we wanted to get back something that the Skrulls would have taken away. There were a couple of characters on the list for that, but Mockingbird was the one I fought for the most, and as [Secret Invasion series writer] Brian [Bendis] has pointed out, I said that they were like the Mr. & Mrs. Smith of the Marvel Universe. He was like, "That sounds great. We can use that".[61]

”

Bendis first teases at Mockingbird's return when at the beginning of Secret Invasion a spaceship crash-lands in the Savage Land and a large group of superheroes emerges from the wreckage, among whom is a character who looks exactly like Mockingbird.^[62] All the members of this group present themselves as the genuine article - they claim that at some point in the past they were each abducted and replaced by Skrull imposters, the Skrulls being a race of alien shape-shifters. Clint Barton, who is present at the scene (and at this point goes by the code name "Ronin") believes this "Mockingbird"'s claims to be his wife because she is able to tell him the significance of the date "October 12" to their relationship. The date would have been the birthday of the couple’s (previously unmentioned) miscarried child, which - it is explained - was conceived at some point during their joint career as Avengers.^[63] Barton initially defends this "Mockingbird" from the suspicions of other superheroes, but when she is revealed to be a Skrull imposter he kills her in a fit of rage.^[64]

Later in the series Iron Man finds a Skrull ship in orbit which genuinely contains various individuals who had been abducted and replaced by the Skrulls. The real Mockingbird is revealed to be among them and she tearfully reunites with Barton.^[65]

In a subsequent issue of Avengers: The Initiative writers Christos Gage and Dan Slott include Mockingbird among a group of Skrull abductees who attend a support meeting about their experience.^[66]

Back in action

After the character’s return in Secret Invasion, Bendis began to use Mockingbird regularly in the New Avengers title. She joins the team^[67] (in which her husband, still using the code-name "Ronin", is also a member), and with them she fights the Hood's gang of super-villains,^[68] learns Spider-Man’s true identity,^[69] and battles Dormammu.^[70]

Mockingbird's 2009 new-look. Art by David Lopez.

Mockingbird gains a new costume in 2009’s New Avengers: The Reunion miniseries, which was pencilled by David Lopez and Jo Chen and written by the editor and writer who had previously advocated for Morse's return: Jim McCann. The plot of the series involves Mockingbird and Clint Barton/Ronin teaming-up to take on A.I.M. Scientist Supreme Monica Rappaccini. During the story Morse reveals that she and a group of fellow former S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who were also Skrull abductees have formed a new espionage organisation – the "World Counter-terrorism Agency" or "W.C.A." (the abbreviation being a nod to Barton and Morse’s former "West Coast Avengers" team).^[71]

This series also reveals that Mockingbird was replaced by a Skrull just prior to her abduction by Ultron.^[54] This is a plot-point in the series as it establishes that prior to her abduction Barton and Morse were in the process of being divorced and so she is technically no longer married to him. By the story’s conclusion they rekindle their relationship, though they decide to remain unmarried.

In one subsequent New Avengers storyline Mockingbird is the only member left standing when a device invented by Jonas Harrow inhibits the rest of her teammates superpowers.^[72] Morse is forced to fight the entire Wrecking Crew alone in Times Square and is eventually defeated by them.^[73] However she later returns to the scene with an Avengers Quinjet to rescue her colleagues.^[74]

Another plotline involves Clint Barton/Ronin vowing to kill Norman Osborn. Morse and the other New Avengers object to the idea so Barton attempts the assassination alone and in secret. He ultimately fails and is captured by the Dark Avengers^[75] leading Mockingbird to mount a rescue mission with her New Avengers colleagues Spider-Woman, Jewel, and Ms. Marvel which eventually successfully liberates Barton.^[76]

In March 2010 Marvel announced that a new Hawkeye & Mockingbird ongoing series would be launched in June 2010. The title will be produced by the New Avengers: The Reunion creative team of writer Jim McCann and artist David Lopez. Promotional interviews have revealed that the premise of the series involves her and Clint Barton (who has once again taken the code-name "Hawkeye") working together as agents of the World Counter-terrorism Agency. They are both also still members of the New Avengers,^{[77][78][79][80]} although Barton soon leaves the team because he prefers to work on the main Avengers team, saying that he was only with the New Avengers to spend time with his wife.^[81]

During a raid on a warehouse that is revealed to be the location of H.A.M.M.E.R.'s attempt to reorganize after the defeat of Norman Osborn, Bobbi is mortally injured in a shooting despite Spider-Man's attempts to save her,^[82] forcing her teammates to evacuate her to the hospital.^[83] While Mockingbird lies in hospital in critical condition, Nick Fury contacts the team and gives her a top secret serum that was created by the Germans in 1959 and has recently been rediscovered by the H.A.M.M.E.R. agents; a combination of the Super Soldier Serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America, and the Infinity Formula that retarded Fury's aging. The Formula saves her life, but Nick warns the New Avengers that he cannot predict the consequences of turning Mockingbird into a combination of himself and Rogers.^[84]

After being injected with the Formula during the Fear Itself storyline, Mockingbird makes a quick and complete recovery from her injury, and now exhibits powers similar to Steve Rogers. She is quite relieved and happy to be alive, and fights the Serpent's forces in New York with vigor. However, after she witnesses Avengers Tower fall, her feelings of happiness are sobered, and she vows to defeat Sin.^[85]

Abilities and equipment

While she has no superpowers, Mockingbird is a trained S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who graduated at the top of her class^[31] and as such she can be expected to be proficient in several forms of hand-to-hand combat and familiar with a wide range of weapons. The character usually uses a pair of batons which can be combined to form a single bō-staff in combat, weapons which she has been shown to be an expert with.^[54] She also possesses a PhD in biology.^[9][31]

To cope with a mortal injury she sustained in a mission, Mockingbird was injected with an experimental serum combining the Super Soldier Serum that gave Captain America his strength and the Infinity Formula that has retarded Nick Fury's aging. The obvious consequence of this was that her injuries were healed, but Fury admitted his uncertainty about the formula's long-term consequences on her biology. Thus far, however, she has exhibited greatly enhanced physical strength and agility.^[84]

Other versions

In addition to her mainstream incarnation Mockingbird has had been depicted in other fictional universes. Some of these include:

The Last Avengers Story

Set in a distant possible future, writer Peter David’s 1995 miniseries The Last Avengers Story depicts Mockingbird as an embittered retiree who cares for her blinded husband Clint Barton.^[86] At the story’s conclusion Mockingbird and Hawkeye return to duty and help the Avengers defeat Ultron, Grim Reaper, and Kang.^[87]

Fantastic Four: Big Town

Writer Steve Englehart revisited the Mockingbird and Hawkeye marriage in the 2001 miniseries Fantastic Four: Big Town. Set in a world where the technological advances of Reed Richards have filtered down throughout society the series shows Mockingbird and Hawkeye as newlyweds and members of the Manhattan-based Avengers. Their relationship comes under familiar strain when Mockingbird kills an assailant in defence of her husband and Hawkeye disapproves of her actions, questioning their necessity.^[88] Later in the story Mockingbird refrains from killing Quicksilver who then goes on to kill Hawkeye. At the story’s end the Avengers consider reviving Barton by placing his brain patterns in the body of the android Vision.^[89]

"House of M"

Bobbi Morse appears as a member of Luke Cage's Human Resistance group nicknamed the "Avengers" in writer Christos Gage’s miniseries House of M: Avengers. In this story, set in the House of M world, Morse is a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was phased out from the organization when mutants became the dominant species. She becomes a costumed vigilante and is romantically involved with Clint Barton/Hawkeye.^[90] In the penultimate issue of the series the character leaves to seek asylum in Wakanda while Hawkeye stays behind.^[91]

In other media

Television

Mockingbird as seen in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

• Mockingbird appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, voiced by Elizabeth Daily. Here, she is portrayed as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. In the episode "Hulk vs the World," Barbara accompanies Hawkeye and Black Widow during their mission to capture the Hulk acting as the pilot for their prison transport. After the ship is damaged by falling debris, the Hulk saves Barbara's life by catching the transport before it can crash into the ground. This action ultimately leads Hawkeye to believe that the Hulk isn't the monster that he appears to be. Following that cameo, the character makes her first major appearance in the actual series in the episode "Widow's Sting", where she is seen in her second Mockingbird costume. She partners with Hawkeye, Captain America and Black Panther on a mission to track down HYDRA and capture Black Widow, and is stated to have been sent to keep an eye on the team by SHIELD higher-ups. Believing it to be the best way to infiltrate HYDRA, Hawkeye and Mockingbird allow themelves to be captured and are brought bound and gagged before Black Widow and her cohorts, including Madame Hydra and Baron Strucker. After freeing herself and helping her comrades defeat and capture Grim Reaper and Madame Hydra, Mockingbird is shown aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier examining Madame Hydra with Nick Fury where it was discovered that Madame Hydra was a Skrull.
• Jeph Loeb announced at the Comic-Con International in San Diego that a TV series about the character is in development for ABC Family, with Bobbi Morse as a freshman in college that is recruited by a spy organization. ^[92]

Film

• Barbara and Clint's son Francis Barton is featured in Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow.

Video games

• Mockingbird appears in Hawkeye's ending in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 as a member of his West Coast Avengers.

References

1. ^ Conway, Gerry (w), Smith, Barry (p), Everett, Bill (i). "'Ware the Winds of Death". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #6 (June 1971), Marvel Comics. p.14, 18
2. ^ Thomas, Roy (w), Trimpe, Herb (a). "Deluge!". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #7; (Aug. 1971) Marvel Comics p. 19
3. ^ Thomas, Roy & Friedrich, Gary (w), Trimpe, Herb (p), Sutton, Tom (i). "The Battle of New Britannia". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #8 (Oct. 1971), Marvel Comics
4. ^ Conway, Gerry & Thomas, Roy (w), Smith, Barry & Buscema, Sal (a). "To End in Flame". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #10 (Feb. 1972), Marvel Comics
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External links

• Mockingbird at the Marvel Universe
• Mockingbird at the Marvel Database Project
• Mockingbird at the Comic Book DB