Big Barbie

Big Barbie is a net.hero created by Amabel Holland.
Alter Ego:	Barbie Olsen
Aliases:	Barbara
Primary Writer:	Amabel Holland
Status:	Former bounty hunter, current net.hero
Usability:	Free For Use

History

The bounty hunter Big Barbie first appeared as one of many interested parties trying to capture the child of Carolyn Forge and Terrence Coffee. At the time, Barbie worked with her husband, Kenworth Olsen, whose armored hardsuit had the ability to absorb emotions, which he used to fuel his wife's growth powers. The couple had hoped to use the million-dollar bounty on the child to adopt a baby of their own, and to obtain treatment for Barbie's breast cancer.

Her husband chose to battle Terrence Coffee for the child. As Coffee was, at the moment, the incarnation of Death, this turned out to be a rather poor decision, and Barbie was left a widow.

Feeling that the whole thing had been the result of an awful misunderstanding, Carolyn Forge chose to pay for Barbie's cancer treatments. (How her cancer was treated is unclear, as Barbie's body is resistant to the effects of both chemicals and radiation.)

Now calling herself Barbara, Barbie eventually became an ally of Carolyn Forge, joining forces with her in a post-apocalyptic future in order to battle a Dark God, as one does.

Personality

Originally – perhaps because of her cancer, its treatment, the loss of her husband or the emotional roller-coaster required to access her abilities – Barbie came across as angry and aggressive.

The future Big Barbara was, by contrast, warm, mellow and pleasant, despite the inconvenience of living in a post-apocalyptic dystopia.

Powers and Abilities

Big Barbie's growth powers are driven by her emotions. When she is angry, determined, scared or aroused, she grows. When she feels safe, content or lethargic, she shrinks.

At first, Barbie depended on the energy supplied by her husband's emotion-capture suit to use her powers. Later, the alternate future Barbara controlled her growth through a belt containing a series of injectable emotional toxins (formerly belonging to Mister Mood-Swing). A side effect of the toxins caused Barbie to become mentally unstable.

Appearance

Not surprisingly, Big Barbie is very tall, even when not using her growth powers. She wears a blue suit and yellow gloves.

Appearances

• Teenfactor #70-72, 114-118