Merge:Big Bertha

Big Bertha (Ashley Crawford) is a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in the pages of the Avengers West Coast in 1989. She has the ability to make herself super strong and durable while also becoming super fat, or purge most fat from her body to take on a skinny supermodel appearance.

Not a lot is known of Bertha's life before she responded to Mr. Immortal's advertisement for a hero team, the team would become the Great Lakes Avengers. It was revealed in the recent G.L.A. mini-series that Ashley is in fact a mutant.

When not using her powers, Ashley is a proverbial 'big fish in a small pond', being the most famous model in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, her hometown. Although offers have come her way numerous times for more prospective opportunities, she has declined them all, choosing to stay in Milwaukee, with the team she considers family.

There has been fan speculation that Bertha's real family name was chosen as a humorous jab at famed model Cindy Crawford but this has never been officially confirmed. She is one of the mutants to retain their powers following the events of the House of M.

In addition to her mutant powers, Ashley is also a skilled pilot of conventional jet aircraft.