Bova is a fictional character appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
.
Publication history
Bova first appeared in ''
Giant-Size Avengers'' #1 and was created by
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibl ...
and
Rich Buckler
Rich may refer to:
Common uses
* Rich, an entity possessing wealth
* Rich, an intense flavor, color, sound, texture, or feeling
** Rich (wine), a descriptor in wine tasting
Places United States
* Rich, Mississippi, an unincorporated commun ...
.
Fictional character biography
Bova is one of the
New Men
New men is a term referring to various groups of the socially upwardly mobile in England during the House of Lancaster, House of York and Tudor periods. The term may refer to the new aristocracy, or the enriched gentry. It is used by some h ...
(creatures genetically engineered by the
High Evolutionary
High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Chukwudi Iwuji will portray the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film ''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3''.
...
) where she was uplifted from a
Guernsey cattle
The Guernsey is a breed of dairy cattle from the island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. It is fawn or red and white in colour, and is hardy and docile. Its milk is rich in flavour, high in fat and protein, and has a golden-yellow tinge due ...
.
['' Giant-Size Avengers'' #1 (Aug. 1974). Marvel Comics.]
A woman named Magda—pregnant with twins
Pietro Maximoff
Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) is a fictional character, fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in the comic book ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) and was created by St ...
and
Wanda Maximoff
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in '' The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...
—takes sanctuary at
Mount Wundagore
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
in
Transia
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
, the home of the High Evolutionary, after seeing her husband
Magnus
Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...
use his magnetic powers for the first time. Fearing that Magnus would discover the children, Magda leaves the sanctuary and dies of exposure to the elements. The twins are attended by Bova. Bova soon assists the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
superheroine
Miss America
Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...
through labor, but the birth results in a stillborn child and Miss America loses her own life in the process. Bova hides the truth from her husband
Robert Frank
Robert Frank (November 9, 1924 – September 9, 2019) was a Swiss photographer and documentary filmmaker, who became an American binational. His most notable work, the 1958 book titled ''The Americans'', earned Frank comparisons to a modern-da ...
and claims that only the mother has died, and that he now has twin children. Frank is shocked at the death of his wife and flees at super speed.
Bova therefore serves as the foster mother to Pietro and Wanda. She was also used by the High Evolutionary to raise and nurture the young New Men as their
nanny
A nanny is a person who provides child care. Typically, this care is given within the children's family setting. Throughout history, nannies were usually servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern ...
.
Wanda and Pietro—as adults, now known as the superheroes the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver—are abducted by Django Maximoff and taken to Wundagore. Wanda is temporarily possessed by the demon Chthon, but after being released is advised by Bova that neither Frank nor Maximoff is their biological father.
Modred the Mystic
Modred the Mystic is a fictional magician appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has alternated between being an anti-hero and an outright supervillain.
Publication history
Modred the Mystic first appeared i ...
had been under Chthon's control, and with Chthon's defeat Modred was mentally damaged by the battle, and was left with the intellect of a child. He lost his sanity and knowledge of magic, and was left in the care of Bova.
During the
limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
''Vision and the Scarlet Witch'', Magneto forces Bova to reveal the truth about his missing children, who are revealed to be Pietro and Wanda. When Magneto injured Bova and destroyed her cottage, Modred wandered away, subconsciously seeking his native England.
After the High Evolutionary nearly lost his life at the hands of the
Man-Beast
The Man-Beast is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Man-Beast first appears in ''Thor'' #134 (Nov. 1966) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He is first referred to ...
, New Men Delphis and Bova assist the Evolutionary and he was able to restore himself to an un-evolved human state and mental stability using Isotope G.
Bova also serves as a nanny for
Jessica Drew
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Marvel Spotlight'' #32 (cover-dated February 1977), and 50 issues of an ongoing series title ...
as revealed in ''Spider-Woman: Origin''.
When the High Evolutionary saw the
Celestials
The Celestials are fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Depicted as cosmic beings, the characters debuted in the Bronze Age of Comic Books and have reappeared on numerous occasions.
The Celestials ...
coming to Earth to judge it, Lady Bova is among the New Men that the High Evolutionary exterminated.
[''New Warriors'' vol. 5 #1. Marvel Comics.]
Powers and abilities
Bova possesses dense horns, has a solid frame, and possesses some degree of super-strength.
Bova's skills include cooking, nursing, and caretaking.
In other media
Bova appears in the ''
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' episode "Family Ties". After
Quicksilver and
Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...
learned from their Roma foster parents that she's the one who asked them to raise the twins, the two came to Wundagore to find her in hopes to learn more about their origins, and she reveals that
Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
is responsible for their mother's death.
During the opening for Episode 2 of ''
WandaVision
''WandaVision'' is an American television miniseries created by Jac Schaeffer for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It is the first television series in ...
'', there is a brand of milk at the grocery store Wanda is at called "Bova Milk".
References
External links
* {{Marvunapp, http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix2/bovanewmen.htm, Bova
Fictional genetically engineered characters
Marvel Comics characters
Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength
Transians