Big Bertha (comics)

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caption=
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name =Big Bertha
real_name=Ashley Crawford
species=Human Mutant
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="West Coast Avengers" vol. 2 #46 (July, 1989)
creators=John Byrne (writer and artist)
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
alliances=Great Lakes Champions/GLX-Men/Great Lakes Avengers
aliases=
powers=Ability to alter size and mass of body
Superhuman strength and endurance

Big Bertha (Ashley Crawford) is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics, notably as a member of the Great Lakes Avengers. The character was created by John Byrne and first appeared in "West Coast Avengers" vol. 2 #46 (July 1989).

Fictional character biography

Not a lot is known of Bertha's life before she responded to Mr. Immortal's advertisement for a hero team, the team would become the Great Lakes Avengers. It was revealed in the "G.L.A." mini-series that Ashley is in fact a mutant.

When not using her powers, Ashley is a proverbial 'big fish in a small pond', being the most famous fashion model in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, her hometown. Although offers have come her way numerous times for more prospective opportunities, she has declined them all, choosing to stay in Milwaukee with the team she considers family.

Bertha was with the rest of the Great Lakes Avengers when the team first encountered Hawkeye and Mockingbird. ["West Coast Avengers" #46] With the team, she then assisted Hawkeye and the West Coast Avengers against "That Which Endures." ["West Coast Avengers" #48-49] They also assisted Mockingbird in a holding action against Terminus. ["Avengers Annual" #19]

She is one of the mutants to retain their powers following the events of the House of M.

Civil War/The Initiative

All of the Great Lakes Champions have registered with the United States government as required by the Super-human Registration Act, as revealed when the mercenary Deadpool mistakenly attempted to apprehend them for violating the Act, only to be defeated by Squirrel Girl and informed that they had already registered.

Ashley has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book #1. [ [http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.947 Avengers: The Initiative #1 Character Map] ]

In an attempt to evict Deadpool from their Initiative-sponsored headquarters, Big Bertha agrees on one date [Deadpool GLI Summer Fun Spectacular #1 (2007). Confusion reigns as she appears for the date in her slim form. After saving lives in a dockside all-you-can-eat resturaunt Bertha realizes that Deadpool was only attracted to her large form. She lectures him, telling of her experiences of only being valued for her looks in her slim form. In response, Deadpool removes his mask revealing his cancer-scarred face. Bertha promptly vomits in the parking lot.

Powers and abilities

Big Bertha has the ability to make herself super strong and durable (to the point of being bullet-proof) by becoming extraordinarily obese. She can also purge most fat from her body to take on a slimmer appearance. However, the latter ability is not as surreptitious as the former, since she has to regurgitate the collected fat masses in order to retain her normal shape.

In addition to her mutant powers, Ashley is also a skilled pilot of conventional jet aircraft.

External links

* [http://www.greatlakesavengers.com Great Lakes Avengers]
* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Big_Bertha Big Bertha on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki]

References