First appeared in Incredible Hulk #265 in 1981 and was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema. Bonita Juarez was walking across the desert near Albuquerque, New Mexico when a huge ball of cold fire plummeted out of the sky and struck the sand ten feet from where she stood. Bathed in its extraterrestrial radiation, Juarez soon discovered that she had acquired a vast amount of energy-wielding powers. Believing the fireball to be a manifestation of the American Indian legend of the Firebird, Juarez fashioned herself a costume and decided to use her powers to help the people of the Southwestern United States under the name of Firebird.