A beloved New God is stepping into the spotlight with DC's newest YA graphic novel, Barda. Screen Rant is excited to exclusively reveal details on the upcoming story that will reexamine the DC Universe’s fierce fighter.
Written and drawn by Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please), Barda is an upcoming graphic novel for young adult readers that puts the iconic warrior into the spotlight for a story that seeks to reexamine the past of the Fourth World's notorious warrior. Set during her years serving under Darkseid and Granny Goodness, Big Barda is finding herself curious about the idea of love, even on the harsh world of Apokolips. Ukazu explains how this origin story will add welcome layers to the heroine, and her path from soldier to hero:
"Barda is a story of a very tough soldier who slowly realizes that her loyalties are more complicated than it seems. Barda is a great character because she is so complicated. She's big, she's mean, she's tough. But on the inside, she's very scared. But she's a defender. The story calls her to be a bit more cruel than she actually is. And we start to see the tension. Does she like defending people or does she like causing pain? And she figures out who she is through the course of the story."
However, Granny Goodness isn't about to let Barda go astray and assigns her the duty of breaking the New God Scott Free to toughen her up. But the encounter with the future Mister Miracle seems to only reinforce the unconventional feelings Big Barda is finding herself having. Torn between a life-long indoctrination and a desire to find her true self, Barda begins to question everything she knows and use her strength to finally forge a path of her own.
Barda Explores Who The New God Really Is
Fans of Jack Kirby’s 'Fourth World' saga know all about Big Barda and the role she’s played in the DC Universe. Barda was the Female Furies' powerful and dedicated leader, having been groomed for the position by Granny Goodness, one of Darkseid’s most high-ranking soldiers. However, Barda fell in love with escape artist Scott Free during one mission and decided to defect to Earth in order to be with him. Since leaving Apokolips, Big Barda and her husband have worked together as crime-fighters on Earth, even joining the premier superhero team, the Justice League.
While the past of Big Barda is no secret, the upcoming graphic novel seeks to take a more thorough examination of who she is and what helped shape her. Big Barda is well-known for her association with the Female Furies, as well as her relationship with Mister Miracle. And while those elements are important to her character, Barda looks to see what drives her as an individual by taking an in-depth look at a crucial point in her life: The moment where Big Barda realized she could be more than just another soldier fighting for Darkseid’s cause.
Big Barda Gets the Story She Deserves
DC’s line of graphic novels for young adults have served as good opportunities to both connect with new readers and do deep dives into classic characters. Comic book fans may know where the New God came from, but this graphic novel is a chance to truly explore the psychology behind Big Barda. For the first time, fans of all stripes can peer into the mind of one of the most powerful Apokoliptian fighters and discover what it is that truly drives her.
Readers can discover everything they wanted to know about the New God when Barda releases June 2024 from DC Comics.