Female Furies

Publication history

The Female Furies first appeared in Mister Miracle #6 (February 1972) and were created by Jack Kirby.

Fictional team history

The Female Furies, brutally trained and led by Granny Goodness, are fanatically loyal to Darkseid. However, infighting among the Furies is commonplace, most typically to appoint a leader to the group.

Big Barda was a member–being groomed for leadership–until she escaped to Earth with Mister Miracle. Other former members include Knockout, Seera (abandoned Granny to help Al Bizarro), Twilight's mother, and Supergirl (Kara Zor-El). There are also known male Furies, though they are lower in rank than the females.

The majority of Furies are New Gods themselves, but Granny has been known to accept females of other races. A woman named Alianna Hubbard is the only human ever trained as a Female Fury; she was ordered to kill Mister Miracle by Granny Goodness. She appeared in Mister Miracle #25, part one of an uncompleted story. According to Mister Miracle, Alianna's strength was equal to that of his wife Big Barda, and her reflexes and speed were superhuman.

During their first appearance, Lashina, Stompa, Bernadeth, and Mad Harriet attempted to bring Big Barda back to Apokolips, after she had escaped alongside Mister Miracle. However, Barda was eventually able to convince her former teammates to help her, and the four Furies stayed on Earth for quite some time. They eventually returned to Apokolips under unknown circumstances, and were punished by Granny Goodness for their betrayal.

Darkseid has used the Female Furies on several occasions, such as when they broke into a prison to rescue Glorious Godfrey, and they have battled several super-heroes, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Superboy, and the Suicide Squad. A second wave of Female Furies, including long-time member Gilotina, Malice Vundabar, Bloody Mary, and Speed Queen, later appeared, causing trouble for Hawk and Dove. The Furies made an appearance as antagonists in Grant Morrison's acclaimed Seven Soldiers event, specifically in the Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle mini-series. Here, they are all given human forms along with Darkseid and his other minions, with the Furies all becoming prostitutes with Granny Goodness acting as their pimp. They attempt to entice Shilo Norman, the second Mr. Miracle when he arrives at the Dark Side Club searching for Darkseid himself. They knock Shilo out, and then stuff him in the trunk of a car while he is bound and gagged, eventually torturing and setting him ablaze in a forest. This is later revealed to be a horrid illusion brought about by Darkseid's Omega Sanction.

They are later shown aiding Granny in her scheme to overthrow the Greek Gods, kidnapping Dr. Helena Sandsmark in order to antagonize her daughter Wonder Girl during the events of her solo mini-series. After the deaths of Mister Miracle and Metron during the Death of the New Gods, the Source stated Darkseid was the only remaining New God. The only Furies who were not visibly killed, currently, are Lashina, Stompa, Gilotina, Malice, Wunda, and Artemiz; although at the end of Death of the New Gods it is reiterated that all the New Gods are dead. While the New Gods were being killed off, Granny Goodness orchestrated the Amazon-American war to pose as Queen Hippolyta to train women (such as Harley Quinn and Holly Robinson) under the auspices of becoming Amazon warriors into new Female Furies. This seems to conflict directly with Terror Titans, where Lashina (in her human form), is shown to be one of the villains running the Dark Side Club with the Clock King. She is last seen being electrocuted into unconsciousness by Static, who then presumably turns her over to the authorities with the rest of the upper level Dark Side Club players.

After the end of the Fourth World, in the Final Crisis of mankind, the corrupted Mary Marvel released the Anti-Life Equation and creates new Female Furies from Earth's heroines and villainesses, including Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Giganta and Batwoman.

The New 52

During the Darkseid War as part of The New 52 (a reboot of the DC Comics universe), Lashina and Kanto went to Earth in search of the amazon Myrina Black, who had given birth to Darkseid's child, Grail. After Darkseid's death, Lashina, Kanto, and Kalibak encountered Wonder Woman, Mr. Miracle, and several other heroes. The New Gods were close to defeating the heroes until Big Barda appeared, which drove the villains back. Barda proposed a peace treaty with Lashina, but Lashina refused, declaring that the Furies would never stop hunting her down.

Later, Barda returned to Apokolips and made a pact with the Furies: Barda would return to the group if they helped her defeat Grail and protect Mr. Miracle. While Grail and the newly revived, enslaved Darkseid were about to defeat Wonder Woman, Mr. Miracle, and the other heroes, Barda appeared through a boom tube alongside Lashina, Stompa, Bernadeth, Mad Harriet, Steppenwolf, Kalibak, and Kanto. Working together with the heroes, the Furies were able to defeat Grail and separate Darkseid from the Ant-Life Equation. In the ensuing explosion, Darkseid and Grail both vanish. Big Barda revealed the truth to Mr. Miracle and left with the other Furies back to Apokolips.

Members

The Female Furies have included both native Apokoliptians and brainwashed Earth people.

The following characters are known to have been brainwashed into becoming members:

Amalgam

In the Marvel/DC amalgam series Unlimited Access, the Furies appear as part of the New Gods. Only two of the Furies are merged with Marvel characters: Lashina and Scarlet Witch merge to become Red Lash, and Stompa and Blob merge to become Blobba. Bernadeth and Mad Harriet are also seen in the series, though they do not merge with any Marvel characters.

Flashpoint

In the Flashpoint reality, the Furies are assembled by Wonder Woman who asks Arrowette, Cheetah, Cheshire, Giganta, Hawkgirl, Huntress, Katana, Lady Vic, Silver Swan, Starfire, Terra, and Vixen to join her.

Ame-Comi Girls

In the Ame-Comi universe, the Female Furies are space pirates led by Big Barda. The team consists of Barda, Stompa, Mad Harriet, Lashina, Bloody Mary, and Speed Queen.

Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman

The Female Furies appear in the story "Dig For Fire," where they discover that Wonder Woman has traveled to Apokolips. Together, Lashina, Stompa, and Mad Harriet defeat Wonder Woman and throw her to her death into the fire pits. Wonder Woman survives, and later battles the Furies once again (this time with Bernadeth as well), though Darkseid ends the battle and allows Wonder Woman to travel home.

Television

Film