Barbara "Bobbi" Morse is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Astonishing Tales #6 in 1971 as a supporting character and eventual love interest of Ka-Zar, with a Ph.D. in biology. She is soon revealed to be the highly trained Agent 19 of S.H.I.E.L.D., taking the moniker Huntress in Marvel Super Action #1 in 1976, and Mockingbird in Marvel Team-Up #95 in 1980, before going on to be a member of several Avengers teams, briefly marrying and subsequently divorcing Clint Barton/Hawkeye.
Mockingbird has been described as one of Marvel's most notable female heroes.
In media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Bobbi Morse and Agent 19 are depicted as separate characters, the former appearing in the second and third seasons of the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014–2016), portrayed by Adrianne Palicki, and the latter (as retired S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Laura Barton) appearing in the films Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) and the Disney+ miniseries Hawkeye (2021), portrayed by Linda Cardellini.
Publication history The character first appears as Barbara Morse 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.
After appearing in the 1983 Hawkeye mini-series, Mockingbird became a founding member of the West Coast Avengers, appearing in the group's initial self-titled mini-series, followed by regular appearances in the group's ongoing monthly series, until its end in 1994.
Mockingbird appeared as a regular character throughout the 2010–2013 New Avengers series, from issue #1 (August 2010) through its final issue #34 (January 2013). She also co-starred in the 2010 series Hawkeye & Mockingbird, which ran for 6 issues. Mockingbird became a regular character in the 2013 Secret Avengers series by Nick Spencer and Luke Ross.
In September 2015, Mockingbird starred in the one-shot Mockingbird: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary #1 by writer Chelsea Cain and artist Joëlle Jones. That November, Marvel announced the launch of her first ongoing series by Cain and artist Kate Niemczyk in March 2016. It was canceled after eight issues due to poor sales, despite receiving critical acclaim.
Fictional character biography First appearances 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 that "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!"Conway, Gerry (w), Smith, Barry (p), Everett, Bill (i). "'Ware the Winds of Death". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #6 (June 1971), Marvel Comics. pp. 13 and 17. Subsequent creators continued to develop the character, and no later story makes reference to any psychic abilities.
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 the Savage Land" for "[Ka-Zar's] sake and the sake of the world".Thomas, Roy (w), Trimpe, Herb (a). "Deluge!". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #7; (Aug. 1971) Marvel Comics p. 19
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".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. 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 seeking Ka-Zar. 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 II 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").Conway, Gerry & Thomas, Roy (w), Smith, Barry & Buscema, Sal (a). "To End in Flame". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #10 (Feb. 1972). Marvel Comics. In the following issue (written by Thomas alone), Ka-Zar leads the two characters through the dangerous Savage Land.Thomas, Roy (w). Kane Gil (p). Giacoia, Frank (i). "A Day of Tigers!". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #11 (April, 1972). Marvel Comics.
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.Conway, Gerry & Thomas, Roy (w), Morrow, Gray (a). "The Origin of the Man-Thing!".Savage Tales vol. 1, #1 (May 1971). Marvel Comics. A follow-up seven-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. Finally seeing print in Astonishing Tales #12, the sequence is presented as a flashback and an interlude between the main action of the book.
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.Wein, Len (w), Adams, Neal (a). "Man-Thing!". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #12 (June 1972). Marvel Comics.
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.Thomas, Roy (w), Buscema, John (p), Adkins, Dan (i). "Terror Stalks the Everglades". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #12 (June 1972). Marvel Comics.
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"Thomas Roy (w), Buckler, Rich & Buscema, John (p), Adkins, Dan (i). "Man-Thing!". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #13 (Aug. 1972). Marvel Comics. 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".
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.Friedrich, Mike (w), Kane, Gil (p), Sutton, Tom (i). "And Who Shall Call Him Savage?". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #15 (Dec. 1972). Marvel Comics.
Friedrich remained the writer of the various color Ka-Zar series for the next two yearsFriedrich, Mike (w), et al. Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #15–20 (Dec. 1972 – Oct. 1973). Marvel Comics.Friedrich, Mike (w), et al. Ka-Zar, Lord of the Hidden Jungle vol. 1, #1–5 (Jan.–Sept. 1974). Marvel Comics. 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,Friedrich, Mike (w), Kane, Gil (p), Sutton, Tom (i). "And Who Will Call Him Savage?". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #15 (Dec. 1972). Marvel Comics. Gemini,Friedrich, Mike (w), Adkins, Dan (p), Chiaramonte, Frank (i). "Target: Ka-Zar". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #17 (Apr. 1973). Marvel Comics. Victorius,Friedrich, Mike (w), Adkins, Dan (p), Chiaramonte, Frank (i). "Gog Cometh". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #18 (Jun. 1973). Marvel Comics.Friedrich, Mike (w), Adkins, Dan (p), Abel, Jack (i). "And Men Shall Name Him Victorius". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #19 (Aug. 1973). Marvel Comics.Friedrich, Mike (w), Roth, Werner (p), Giacoia, Frank (i). "The Final Battle". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #20 (Oct. 1973). Marvel Comics. Gog, and the Plunderer. 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 and she and Ka-Zar finally kiss.Friedrich, Mike (w), Roth, Werner & Severin, Marie (a). "The Final Battle". Astonishing Tales vol. 1, #20 (Oct. 1973). Marvel Comics.
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.Friedrich, Mike (w), Heck, Don (p), Royer, Mike (i). "Night of the Man-God!". Ka-Zar, Lord of the Hidden Jungle vol. 1, #3 (May 1974). Marvel Comics. 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.Friedrich, Mike (w), Heck, Don (p), Esposito, Mike (i). "A Man-God Unleashed". Ka-Zar, Lord of the Hidden Jungle vol. 1, #5 (Sept. 1974). Marvel Comics.