JOHN BARNES

Real Name: John Barnes

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: High school student

Group Membership: Students at Aiken Garvey High School, New York

Affiliations: Desmond Daniels, Rikki Barnes (from Counter Earth-Franklin), various other high school students

Enemies: Flag-Smasher (Guy Thierrault), Professor Power, Secret Empire, Matt Surman

Known Relatives: Father, mother, sister (names unrevealed (see comments), deceased), foster parents (names unrevealed)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Manhattan, New York, USA;
   formerly Philadelphia, USA

First Appearance: Nomad: Girl without a World#1 (November, 2009)

Powers/Abilities: John Barnes is an average high school student with no apparent special abilities. He was later near an explosion that left his face scarred.

Height: 5'4" (by approximation
Weight: 130 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History:

(Nomad: Girl without a World#2 (fb) - BTS) - John Barnes was raised as a child in Philadelphia. His mother died giving birth to his sister, but the baby died as well. John's father died in a terrorist attack, so John was passed to foster parents in New York and enrolled in Aiken Garvey High School, where he befriended Rikki "Baines" (actually Rikki Barnes from a pocket-dimension Counter Earth, who was the sister to his psychopathic pocket-dimension counterpart). Rikki deliberately attended the same high school to meet her other-dimensional brother, but kept her real identity secret.

(Nomad: Girl without a World#1) - Rikki enjoyed John's company at school, including the philosophy & politics classes of Dr. Powers (secretly Professor Power doing the Secret Empire's bidding to seek new recruits). Later, they watched Desmond Daniels inspire his fellow students to civic-mindedness in his stirring speech for student body president. But Daniels' fan base (actually several of Secret Empire's brainwashed recruits) intimidated other students, pushing conservative values and curbing self-expression.

(Nomad: Girl without a World#2) - John and Rikki discussed Daniels' surge in popularity at a coffee shop when the Flag-Smasher suddenly attacked, exploding the building opposite. John was injured with cut glass and knocked unconscious, and later taken by ambulance to hospital. Rikki visited John at his home after he was released, where he said he felt different after the near-death experience. But he misread the situation and moved to kiss Rikki and she pushed him away. Dejected, he asked her to leave. The next night, the angry John met with the Secret Empire recruits led by Matt Surman.

(Nomad: Girl without a World#3) - A week later, Rikki chased down John in the busy school corridor but he angrily rejected her and her conspiracy theories about Daniels' growing support. Meanwhile, Rikki, as the adventurer Nomad, was captured by the Secret Empire. John skipped Powers' classes until another of Daniels' small rallies saw the newly brainwashed Nomad unmask herself before the audience, shocking him. Rikki was ushered away and Daniels was later declared election winner. Surman helped incite victory rioting.

(Nomad: Girl without a World#4) - Seeing the rioting and police response, John went to confront Surman to reason with him and seek an end to hostilities. But Surman refused to listen and shot John at close range. He died in the carpark as the rioting ended with the aid of the newly freed Nomad and her friends, the Young Avengers (Hawkeye, Hulkling, Patriot, Speed, Wiccan). John's foster parents had his body buried in Philadelphia. Rikki paid her respects to him there.

Comments: Created by Sean McKeever & David Baldeon.

The grandparents of John Barnes of Counter Earth-Franklin were Richard Barnes and Peggy Carter. How this match and his apparent exact likeness fit into Earth-616's John Barnes' history is unrevealed.

This profile was completed 6/02/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20^th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
John Barnes has no known connections to:

• BARNES, JAMES BUCHANAN (a.k.a. Bucky/Captain America/Winter Soldier) - original WWII partner of Captain America @ Captain America Comics#1
  
• BARNES, JEB "GABBY" of the Old West - aged friend of Kid Colt, died of injuries from Lash Larribee @ Kid Colt I#1
  
• BARNES, JUWAN - son of Tawanda, neighbor of Elijah Snow, killed by Det. Scott McLawry to prevent them from speaking out against him @ Wolverine II#188
  
• BARNES, TAWANDA - mother of Juwan, neighbor of Elijah Snow, killed by Det. Scott McLawry to prevent them from speaking out against him @ Wolverine II#188
• BARNES, TOMMY - former boxing manager of Topeka Kid @ Iron Man IV#14
  
• or any other "John" or "Barnes" characters

images: (without ads)
Nomad: Girl without a World#1, p8, pan3 (main image)
Nomad: Girl without a World#4, p6, pan3 (scarred headshot)

Appearances:
Nomad: Girl without a World#1 (November, 2009) - Sean McKeever (writer), David Baldeon (pencils & inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Nomad: Girl without a World#2 (December, 2009) - Sean McKeever (writer), David Baldeon (pencils & inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Nomad: Girl without a World#3 (January, 2010) - Sean McKeever (writer), David Baldeon (pencils & inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Nomad: Girl without a World#4 (February, 2010) - Sean McKeever (writer), David Baldeon (pencils & inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)

First posted: 09/30/2021
Last updated: 09/29/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com.

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix!

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