[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".

[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' orphanage.

[6] However, during a raid, Barda meets Scott Free, Darkseid's adopted son, who she falls in love with.

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.

In an attempt to dissuade their successful pursuit, Manga Khan hired Lobo, paying him in dolphin feed, to kill them.

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 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.

At Takion's order, she and fellow New God Orion are sent as agents of New Genesis to serve on the team.

In another instance, Barda is badly wounded fighting the Queen Bee, a member of the newly reformed Injustice League.

Barda accompanies Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman to Apokolips to rescue Supergirl from Darkseid's clutches,[21] and accepts an invitation from Oracle to become the heavy-hitter on the Birds of Prey.

[1] Final Crisis #7 depicts Barda standing alongside Lightray and Highfather in front of a reincarnated New Genesis.

[25] Batman later recruits Barda and Mister Miracle to assist Los Angeles when flooding sea waters threaten all coasts.

This gives Barda a level of strength roughly parallel to Wonder Woman as well as a high resistance to injury approaching invulnerability.

[30] Big Barda received a figure in the DC Comics Super Hero Collection.