This is OK. I was impressed that Ukazu was able to update the New Gods story in a relatable way without really changing it. But this is also a dumbed down version for kids. Some of it didn't quite fit together almost as if pages were in the wrong order. The art's not very good and that's compounded with zero backgrounds. Still it's not bad for a simplified version of the Big Barda and Scott Free story.

Barda was a fun time with a dimensional cast of characters, a little more romance focused than I expected it to be but still enjoyable, quick and with that classic superhero element to love. I'm a big fan of this illustrator outside of this work and found this story just fine - nothing that really stood out to me but fun regardless.

My second Ngozi Ukazu book for the year! I've been waiting a very long time to read this and spent a lot of time looking for news of it being published for a while before it was released.

I don't have a lot of DC knowledge about these characters specifically, I knew a lot of names but not specifics, but I still found it pretty easy to follow. The story itself is adventurous and a little sweet and a little sad. And it's a nice quick read.

I also love Ngozi Ukazu's art style!

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review.

‘Barda’ by Ngozi Ukazu is a graphic novel which imagines the younger life of an iconic DC Comics character.

Growing up on the dystopian planet of Apokolips isn’t easy with Granny Goodness training her and Darkseid being Darkseid, but Barda tries. She is the best student among her peers and follows all the rules, but when she meets an enemy warrior named Orion, she realizes she might be in love, which could prove fatal. Granny sees this weakness and assigns Barda to try to break a prisoner. Barda realizes that she is not in love with Orion after all, but might have true feelings for her prisoner.

It’s a good take on these classic characters created by Jack Kirby and it was fun to see younger versions of them. Younger readers may not be as familiar, but the writing and plot are strong. The art is as well using Ukazu’s style with a nice color palette.

Barda is one of my favorite DC characters. Her arc is not only fun and exciting but very heart felt and relatable. Raised to be a fighting machine but starting to doubt her upbringing and experiencing new feelings. This book is beautiful illustrated but also complex with the story. I loved this one.

I was given a free copy by Netgalley for this review.

I always love another chance to read Ngozi Ukazu's writing and see her beautiful art, since I love "Check Please" so much, and I've enjoyed a lot of her comics and story on DC Comics characters online. Barda is one of my older favorite DC characters, which isn't saying much, I was mostly just excited when she showed up in animated things I was watching, like the Justice League show or that one kind of terrible Supergirl animated movie, "Superman/Batman: Apocalypse" where she teamed up with Wonder Woman.

The cast looks great in Ngozi's style, and the Furies in particular are a joy. I'm not that familiar with most of them save for Lashina, but Ngozi packs a lot of detail in small amounts of time: the way the characters think of each other and their little quirks, and even their backstories. The moments of empathy for Mad Harriet were unexpected but good. I also liked the idea of pairing her up with Orion, and how a relationship between them would develop based on Barda's duties. Barda's often partnered with Scott Free, the Furies, or noted for being without them, and it was nice to see a particular emphasis on all the ways she connects with the many denizens of her world in complex ways.

Scott's well-written, as well, and it's neat to see him engaging with Barda and escaping. They're cute together, as always. <spoiler>Auralie was a good and tragic addition, and a nice reflection on what we do in the face of horror</spoiler>.

I also appreciated the little Orion/Lightray Ngozi gave us.

Overall, a nice little graphic novel about a great DC character, with lovely art, a neat cast, and sweet story.

Big Barda has just become the captain of the Female Furies and is tasked with interrogating the prisoner Scott Free. But everything she's been taught is called into question the more time she spends with Scott Free and she had to make a choice to choose love or Darkseid. I love Big Barda but I'm not as familiar with her backstory so I'm not sure how faithful the book is to her origins. But I did find the book enjoyable as a look into what Big Barda went through as a child soldier of Darkseid and I did find the dynamics between Scott and Big Barda cute. If you like DC comics then you'll probably like this book.

I had a tough time putting this graphic novel down. It begins with Barda trying to obtain an important relic for Darkseid. They have a run in with Orion, and barely get out of there in one piece. Granny Goodness gives them a task, and at first they are more than happy to do it. Yet over time as learn more about this prisoner it begins to change them. As this graphic novel comes to a close, life for Barda will be changed forever.

This story was one of the handouts at free comic book day, so I grabbed a copy as I have enjoyed the author's other works. This not so much as it is about war and torture and breaking people. Definitely not for little kids.

In a world without hope, where love is forbidden, one young woman dares to reject the brutality of her surroundings to find both. Ngozi Ukazu, of "Check Please !" fame out does herself in this slick, hopeful and thought provoking relaunch of Jack Kirby's "New Gods" saga. Ukazu's version provides a fast paced and clever adaptation of an old classic that should be accessible and enjoyable to both existing fans and those who are discovering the material for the first time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, DC Entertainment, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A story about how Barda, a cutthroat warrior, finds the courage to love and hope despite the hellscape of a planet she lives in, aptly named “Apocolips”, and its everyday cruelties. Barda is the leader of an elite all women military squad called “The Furies”, and although she has been taught to scorn love for hate, violence, and ruthlessness, Barda begins to question the regime in which she was trained and finds herself making choices that directly oppose the savage ideologies of Apocolips. A heavy story containing subjects and images depicting torture, abuse, violence, and death. Ultimately a beautifully poignant upper grade+ graphic novel for YA level readers that wrestles with the question of how do you love if you were never taught to and how do you find the courage to love despite it all.

Thank you to NetGalley and DC Comics for this ARC in consideration of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Barda deserves more love, so when I saw her graphic novel, I pre-ordered it immediately. Starting it brought a bit of hesitation, but that quickly vanished—this book does her justice! The art style fits perfectly for younger readers, not too scary but totally fitting. The writing is exciting and sincere, making it a hit for everyone, especially younger readers.

BARDA!!! Barda does not get nearly enough love so when I saw she was going to be one of the graphic novels I pre-ordered it immediately. That being said there was still a little bit of hesitation when I started, but that went away quickly because this book absolutely does her justice. I love the art style it fits the setting so well, but doesn't get too scary since this is meant for younger readers. It is well written without being cheesy. It is exciting and sweet. I think everyone will love this book not just younger readers, but I think it will especially engage them.

5 stars

I thought this was a pretty sweet story for Barda. I have read about her previously in another DC graphic novel but I think this was a better take on it. I will say that it did get a little confusing at some points but I think overall, I was able to get the main point of the story which was nice. Barda really is a sweet multi-layers character and I did enjoy getting to see her come into her own.

This was truly delightful! I've always been a fan of Ngozi's art and this was no exception. I didn't know the character at all but I loved the way that Ngozi drew them as well as how beautiful the art was. Also for such a short story, it really packs a punch.

Thanks so much to DC Comics and NetGalley for a chance to read and review!

So so cute! I really enjoyed this look into the Fourth World and really loved the exploration of Barda! Plus the art was so amazing!

The idea of Ngozi writing a Barda story alone set my expectations extremely high for this book, and fortunately it did not disappoint. This is just an inspired pairing of creator and character to introduce modern audiences to Kirby’s greatest work.

I used to follow somebody on Twitter (I don’t know if they left Twitter or if I unfollowed them at some point?) who was a big fan of Big Barda. So, when I saw that this book was available for me to check out, I decided to dive in head first.

If you haven’t been able to tell, I was never a huge DC Comics reader. Sure, I read a handful of the Batman graphic novels around the time when The Dark Knight was coming and I was in college, but otherwise, I’m kind of a blank slate.

Barda is a fun, young adult graphic novel from Ngozi Ukazu. It features The Female Futures where our very own Big Barda is a member. They’re training under Granny Goodness to serve Darkseid on Apokolips.

There’s only one thing that they didn’t speak about in Apokolips, and that is ‘love’.

After Barda and Granny have a falling out over Barda becoming “too soft”, Granny sends in Barda to try and break the unbreakable Scott Free otherwise known as Mister Miracle.

I thought the artwork in the book was a lot of fun. I liked the simplicity of the character designs. Still, each character was unique in their design and easy to recognize

And, what I’ve realized is that Big Barda is cool. I need more Big Barda in my life.

Thank you Netgalley and DC Comics for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

<i>(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley. Content warning for violence, including torture.)</i>

So I have to admit, I didn't know anything about Big Barda (or Darkseid, for that matter) going into this. (I'm a big comic book reader, I just gravitate towards more self-contained titles or series. The sheer volume of DC/Marvel lore is kinda intimating!) I just saw the title on Netgalley and thought it sounded like a badass comic about a badass woman. And that it is.

After some quick research on Wikipedia, I was ready to go. Like everyone on Apokolips, Barda serves Lord Darkseid - in her case, as leader of the Furies. Barda and her elite band of warriors travel the verse in search of variables to complete the Anti-Life Equation, with which Darkseid can conquer the world.

Life on Apokolips is one of suffering and cruelty. Love is not allowed, or even spoken of - yet, thanks to contraband books from other worlds, love occupies much of Barda's waking hours. (And they are many, thanks to the PTSD induced insomnia.) Nor is Barda the only dreamer on Apokolips: her friend Aurelie likes to dance when she thinks no one can see. (But Darkseid sees all.)

When Granny Goodness (rightfully) fears that Bard's heart is growing soft, she sends Barda to the X-Pit - not as a prisoner, but as a torturer. Her mission: break Scott Free, one of the few inmates who dares attempt escape. Instead, she falls in love.

BARDA is a fun and compelling introduction to the character, for newbies like me; and likely an engaging take on an old tale for longtime fans. The art is lovely, and the narrative is filled with heart, pathos, and even a tough of humor. (I positively cackled at the scenes where the Furies gossiped about Barda torturing a man.)

This was a great insightful tale of Barda -- while giving plenty of weight to Granny Goodness and the forces of Apokolips that shaped her , it allowed her own personality and growth to shine and include her relationship with Scott without centering it. Sure to appeal to both long-time readers and those new to these DC characters.