Bova (Earth-295, Age of Apocalypse character)

Affiliations: X-Men (Colossus/Peter Rasputin, Dazzler/Alison Blaire, Iceman/Bobby Drake, Jean Grey, Magneto/Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff-Lensherr, Rogue/Anna Marie Lensherr, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff-Lensherr, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Weapon X);
possibly Count Tagar, Jessica Drew, Jonathon Drew, Madeline Frank (Miss America), Robert Frank (Whizzer), High Evolutionary (creator), Knights of Wundagore (notably Sir Gote and Sir Ram), Magda Lensherr, Django Maximoff, Marya Maximoff, Mystique (Raven Darkholme), New Men of Wundagore, Sir Gote, Sir Porga

Powers/Abilities: As an evolved bovine, Bova possesses dense horns, has a solid frame, and may possess some degree of enhanced strength; though she has minimal combat training or fighting skills. Her body most likely exhibits many of the variations typified by cattle, such as a four compartment stomach, though she has been restructured into the form of biped, complete with hands and feet, with two fingers and a thumb on each hand. She apparently ages at a reduced rate. Her primary skills are in nursing (including childbirth) and caretaking, though she is also an experienced cook. Kindhearted and compassionate to all, Bova doesn't take kindly to anyone who threatens her friends.

History: See comments

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: X-Men - Age of Apocalypse 2005 I#1) - Magneto eventually met his biological children and convinced them to join his cause to fight for genetic equality. Now calling himself Magneto, Erik took Wanda, Pietro and their other recruits to Transia's Mount Wundagore. There, he constructed a training facility to provide young mutants a place to master their powers. The ever loyal Bova joined their cause and helped care for the students.

(X-Men Chronicles I#1) - Bova interrupted Magneto in his study, just as he was quietly contemplating his long dead friend Charles Xavier and the monumental task that lay ahead of him. Bova reminded him that Mystique was still waiting to meet with him.

(X-Men Chronicles I#1 - BTS) - When Magneto and most of the X-Men were away on a mission, Wundagore was attacked by Nemesis. Wanda Maximoff and the recent recruit Rogue were able to fend off the son of Apocalypse, but Wanda did not live to tell the tale.

(X-Men Chronicles I#2 (fb) ) - Bova, Magneto and the X-Men laid Wanda to rest on Mount Wundagore.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler;
adapted by Howard Mackie, Terry Dodson and Klaus Janson

The knowledge that an endearing, kind creature like Bova exists in the grim, dark reality of Earth-295 is enough to put a smile on my face. Magneto trusted a talking cow-woman to look after his students... And no one blinked an eye.

Bova's fate after the X-Men left Wundagore remains unrevealed. When Magneto and Rogue had young Charles, they didn't call on Bova but had the robotic guardian Nanny look after their son. Hopefully, she's still out there in the mountains making anyone who wants to sample her famous milk soup (Milk soup? But, isn't she the only cow around? Where does she get the dairy to...? Oh. Oh my!).

    We never did learn the personal reasons behind Bova's decision to remain on Earth. It must have been lonely.

    Considering Earth-295's divergence point from Earth-616 is the death of Charles Xavier, this technically means that Earth-295's Bova had the same past as her Earth-616 counterpart.
    Potentially...despite being apparently diverged from Earth-616's reality, Earth-295 is it's own world, and it's history does not necessarily change as Earth-616's history is retconned.
    For example, while Magneto was the father of Wanda and Pietro on Earth-616 at the time of Age of Apocalypse stories in the 1990s, that has seen been retconned to be false. Is the same true on Earth-295? Who knows?
    The sliding timescale of Earth-616 has progressively made Wanda and Pietro being born at the 1958 date of Miss America/Madelyne Joyce's death problematic, and it was eventually retconned into no longer being the case on Earth-616. Does Earth-295 have a sliding timescale? Not necessarily, but who knows? See the profile for Earth-616's Natalya Maximoff's comments for a detailed discussion of Wanda Maximoff-616's extensive retcons.
    Anyway, at the time of the Age of Apocalypse stories, these history elements from Earth-616 should have been applicable to Bova-295. Are they still applicable, or will someone retcon Earth-295 to fit retcons of Earth-616? Who knows?

(Avengers I#186 (fb) ) - The High Evolutionary evolved Bova from an ordinary cow to an evolved form of life. Taking up residence in his Citadel of Science, she was instructed to be the midwife and nursemaid for his New Men. Over the years, she helped deliver and raise many humans and evolved animals.

(Avengers I#186 (fb) - BTS) - Fearing her husband and his strange powers, the pregnant Magda fled into the mountains of Wundagore where she came across the High Evolutionary's Citadel of Science. She was granted asylum and in the weeks leading up to the birth of her twins, she grew close to Bova who helped deliver the children. When Magda disappeared to parts unknown and an attempt to have the babies adopted by the visiting Robert and Madeline Frank failed, the High Evolutionary stepped in. He delivered the children who would be Pietro and Wanda to the gypsy shaman Django Maximoff and his wife.

(Avengers I#186 fb) ) - When the High Evolutionary and his New Men left Earth aboard the Citadel of Science, Bova elected to remain on Earth for personal reasons. She moved into a modest, wooden shack in the mountains.

This profile was completed 03/21/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary's celebratory event.

Images: (without ads)
X-Men Chronicles I#2, p46, pan1 (main)
Avengers I#186, p5, pan3 (remains on Wundagore)
X-Men Chronicles I#1, p14, pan5 (checks in with Magneto)

Appearances:
Avengers I#186 (August, 1979) - Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, David Michelinie (writers), John Byrne (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
X-Men Chronicles I#1 (March, 1995) - Howard Mackie (writer), Terry Dodson (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
X-Men Chronicles I#2 (June, 1995) - Howard Mackie (writer), Ian Churchill (pencils), Scott Hanna, Al Vey, Bob Wiacek, Steve Moncuse (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: X-Men - Age of Apocalypse 2005 (March, 2005) - Mike Raicht (writer), Jennifer Grunwald (editor)

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