STAR THIEF

Real Name: Barry Bauman

Identity/Class: Mutant? human

Occupation: Would-be galactic murderer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Enslaved Tom Vocson; Adam Warlock enemy

Known Relatives: parents (unnamed)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The Soul Gem; formerly Wildwood Hospital in New England; The known Universe and possibly beyond

Education: Extensively self-educated

First Appearance: (BTS) Warlock I#12 (April, 1976), (seen) Warlock I#13 (June, 1976)

Powers: Barry had vast psychic powers, enabling him to manipulate others, alter perceptions, animate matter to serve his whims, project his mind across galactic distances, and even warp entire stars into his own pocket dimension without disturbing the gravity of the involved star sytems. The last (and perhaps others as well) ability may have been actually his affecting the perceptions of those who observed these events. He caused Adam Warlock to believe he had grown so large that he dwarfed the entire planet Earth.

Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Brown

History: Barry Bauman was born with a nerve disorder which left him with normal intelligence, but no sense of sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch. Barry's father was chairman of the board of the hospital, so the received 24 hour care every day of his life. Without outside stimulation/disturbance, he learned to fully access his entire mind (as opposed to the 10% accessed by normal humans). This apparently granted him thousands of time more mental power than others. After exploring his own mind, he eventually scanned outside of his body and first encountered his nurse, Tom Vocson. This was when he learned that he was different from others. He learned to take mental control of Vocson, and experience life through his five senses. He used Vocson to race through endless volumes of all types of books to learn the basis of all human knowledge.

Bauman soon developed telekinesis and used it to affect objects around him, initially in the form of pranks, and later causing massive accidents and even earthquakes. Feeling that mankind could have cured his disorder with a little effort, and resentful over his condition, he sought revenge on all of humanity. Casting his mind out into space, he first thought to send a massive asteroid to crash into Earth, but then came upon an idea where he could watch mankind suffer and fear their extinction. He began to cast the stars within Earth's sight into a pocket dimension created by his mind. He planned to slowly wipe out all stars in sight, then abandon his corporal form and cast his mind out into space after destroying Earth's sun as well.

The man known as Adam Warlock, at that time in the Andromeda Galaxy, discovered the stars disappearing and investigated. Using his soul gem, he probed the mind of Barry and learned of his plot. Bauman then followed the probe back to Warlock, explained his origins and plans, and challenged him to stop him. Realizing he could instantly disintegrate Warlock, and seeking a challenge for himself, Barry, now calling himself the Star Thief, vowed to only use his abilities to manipulate physical objects against Warlock until he reached Earth.

Warlock survived his challenges and raced back to Earth, even apparently braving a black hole in the process. However, when he reached Earth, he now found himself dwarfing the entire planet. Star Thief explained this as being due to the different rates of expansion of the universe, but it was later learned to be a trick by him. At any rate, with Warlock now having reached Earth, Barry was free of his vow to limit his attacks and prepared to destroy him. However, Barry had become so intrigued with battling Warlock, that he had relaxed his control over his nurse, Tom Vocson. Vocson, fully aware of Barry's actions, stole a gun and put a bullet through Barry's head, instantly killing him. Vocson was rewarded for his actions by being charged with the murder of a helpless "vegetable," and probably went either to prison or a mental institution. Barry was apparently siphoned into the Soul Gem.

Comments: Created by Jim Starlin.

If Barry's mind could have survived the destruction of the entire planet, you'd think it could survive a form of physical death, including a bullet. Maybe Barry was wrong in his beliefs of his survival capabilities, or maybe he needed to be prepared to take that step.

It's hard not to argue physics, etc., even when you're in a world of fantasy such as comics. Since the people on Earth could see the star disappearing, it would seem most likely that Barry was altering perceptions. The light from stars that far away would take millions of years to reach earth, and similarly, if the light suddenly stopped, it would take that long for anyone to know the difference. If Barry was powerful enough to do everything he claimed to do, I guess there's no reason he couldn't have removed all of the light previously released from the stars as well. Oh well, moot point.

Lastly, we have seen Adam, Pip, and Gamora return from the Soul Gem, so there's no reason Barry couldn't make his escape as well.

Star Thief has an entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1970's Handbook.