Confused Hummingbird

Valkyrie by Mike McKone

Comic - King in Black: Return Of The Valkyries #01 (Stanley "Artgerm" Lau Cover)

Valkyrie by Todd Nauck

365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

June 7th - The Valkyrie / Brunnhilde

Brunnhilde led the Valkyrior, a group of warrior goddesses who would appear over the battlefields of mortal worshippers and choose which of the fallen were worthy to be taken to Valhalla, the land of the honored dead. Brunnhilde served Asgard capably in this capacity for centuries, ending when Odin chose to no longer attend to the affairs of Midgard.

Thereafter, Brunnhilde became the prisoner of the powerful sorceress known as Amora the Enchantress.  The Enchantress used Brunnhilde’s guise to travel to Earth and psychically manipulate a group of female heroes into becoming The Lady Liberators; all as part of a scheme to destroy The Avengers.  This plot was thwarted yet Brunnhilde remained The Enchantress’ prisoner.  

Later, Brunnhilde’s consciousness escaped confinement and possessed the body of a human named Barbara Norriss.  In so doing, Norriss was changed physically to resumable Brunnhilde and possessed her same powers of super strength, speed and durability.  

Taking on the name ‘The Valkyrie,’ Brunnhilde assisted The Defenders in defeating the evil sorceress, Casiolena.   She remained with The Defenders for many further adventures whist also having to contend with Barbara’s husband, Jack Norriss, who refused to accept that Brunnhilde and his wife were not one and the same.  The process of possessing Barbara Norriss caused Brunnhilde to experience a degree of amnesia where she forgot about her original body trapped by The Enchantress.  Periodically, Barbara’s consciousness would regain control of the body, leaving Brunnhilde with confusing gaps in her memory.  

Later, Barbara was tragically killed; where upon Brunnhilde’s consciousness was returned to her original body.  Back in her own body, Brunnhilde was finally able to break free from the Enchantress’ thrall and she returned to The Defenders for further missions.  She would later act as a member of Steve Rogers’ Secret Avengers team.

In the wake of the Serpent War, Brunnhilde was charged by Odin to locate and safeguard The Serpent’s eight remaining hammers, preventing them from once more being used for evil.  To facilitate this task, Brunnhilde formed a team of heroines known as The Fearless Defenders.  

Following a battle with Hela, Brunnhilde traveled to Valhalla in an effort to rescue her fallen teammate, the archeologist named Annabelle Riggs.  With the aide of the sorceress, Clea, Annabelle was resurrected; although achieving this came at a cost.    Brunnhilde and Annabelle were now bonded so that the two shared a body and Annabelle’s mortal form became the new host of the Valkyrie.  As such, Annabelle’s consciousness was transferred to a limbo dimension whenever Brunnhilde controlled the body and they would switch places any time Annabelle controlled their body.  

Brunnhilde first appeared in the pages Avengers Vol. 1 #83 (1970).

Valkyrie

Art by Francis Portela

The Women Of Marvel

Art by Francis Portela

Lady Liberators

Art by Sandy Jarrell

Valkyrie by Romeo Tanghal

Wonder Woman versus Valkyrie by Aaron Lopresti

Valkyrie by Jamal Igle

Gardenio Lima