Barda 2024 FCBD Special Edition #1

The Fourth World by Ngozi Ukazu

by Ngozi Ukazu

Darkseid is…and life on Apokolips is tough—but then, it is hell after all. And no one knows this better than Barda, Granny Goodness’s right-hand warrior. But when Granny decides Barda is becoming too soft, she assigns Barda a task that might be more than she can handle—to break the seemingly unbreakable Scott Free. And as Barda questions why Scott has such hope and what he might have done to promote such hatred from Granny, she finds herself drawn to him in a way she never expected. Join New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please) as she takes readers on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery, deep friendships, and first loves! This Free Comic Book Day special edition features an excerpt from the Barda original graphic novel.

Genres: Comics, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 4, 2024

About the author

Ngozi Ukazu is an American cartoonist and graphic novelist. She is the author of the online graphic novel series Check, Please!. She studied at Yale University and the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Reviews

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barca 2024 FCBD Special Edition #1

Barda knows only Apokolips, the home world of the dress Lord Darkseid. When Granny Goodness orders her to break a prisoner, Barda finds herself at a crossroads.

A wonderful teaser for Barda's back story, with good artwork and a well thought out plot.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this twice, because somehow on my first read, the pages stuck together where Darkseid actually appears, so I was quite confused by the story, especially since I'm only vaguely aware of Darkseid, in the way I'm vaguely aware of any number of flash-in-the-pan celebrities that might crop up in the tabloids or wherever.

Also confused by "Female Furies"—weren't the Furies ORIGINALLY female? Are they MORE female than the originals? It feels like a very hamfisted attempt to assure the audience that they are feminists/matriarchal/strong women characters than a team name I should take seriously.

I'm sure this is a good story, but I'm at a stage in my life where the number of things that actively interest me means Barda will be out of sight, out of mind unless and until I physically see it on the shelves. (That's par for the course for me, though.)

The second sample is from Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story, and it unfortunately doesn't go far enough to capture my interest. Girl has a bad dream—this could go literally anywhere!

Decent for free (comic book day!), but with me it will literally be hit or miss if I pick up the full versions of either—my book shopping patterns other than active interests are based entirely on what is physically available and whether I have hit my spending limit.

[James Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minimalist comics

I've got the original Kirby stuff, the amount of detail in each frame is astounding it's like those Japanese nature paintings each leaf on the tree showing and the dialogue was dense, always left you feeling like you missed something. These reboots look like cheap South Park knock offs and even now you can tell the male characters are going to be whiny wimps but that's ok because Barda was always a bad ass but starting off Scott Free with a little tear in his eye just shows how lazy the writing is going to be.
Get the feeling they're going to spend more time ordering their coffee than writing these books.

[Eve Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Taste of Titles to Come

This is a preview of Barda and Dreamer. Rather than being short stories within the larger tales (as many FCBD specials are,) these are excerpts of their larger stories. The Barda excerpt drops at an intriguing point that makes me want to immediately pick up the longer story. The excerpt of Bad Dream is shorter, and while intriguing, doesn't give the reader as much to get invested in the story. I'd recommend this to comic or graphic novels readers who are looking for new stories that center female characters.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apokolips and New Genesis are the two fractured worlds.

Granny Goodness serves Lord Darkseid. Mad Harriet…

This is awfully dark for a kids’ read. And poorly constructed.

Questionable, confusing plot.

The illustrations are super basic. Limited color palette is not appealing to the eye.

The interesting cliffhanger does not make up for the mess of a story ahead of it.

A Bad Dream

Much better illustrations.

Not much meat here, either, though.

[Rhys Causon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may have only been the Free Comic Book Day preview, but it was still entertaining.

Even in the few pages there were I learned (or possibly re-learned) details about Barda as a character, as I knew she had something to do with the New Gods but I’m not sure if I knew she was one of the Furies on Apokolips.

Would happily read more if I ever get the chance to pick the full book up.

[Hager Moharram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing

I loved the story, loved the idea of being at the dark side
It left me on cliffhanger and I wanted to know what will happen and what will Barda do and who is this mysterious man (he looks so hanfsome too)

[DOUGLAS J BERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Barda

Good color artwork. Set in the early days of Apokalips. Barda is getting powerful. A love story. Features a short of dreamer?

[Colby Fitzsimmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barda is interesting but the art doesn't match the tone of the story it is too childish. Bad Dream looks interesting though.

[Sam Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great. i love her take on the new gods.
Or is it he?

[Emma Dargue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was OK just didn't go into much depth. Won't be reading any further.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually might pick up the rest of this. Intersting.

[Will Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always nice to have some stories concerning Apokolips.

[Robert Kimberlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

YOU CAN’T BEAT BARDA AND GRANNY GOODNESS. THEY MAKE ONE HECK OF A TEAM. I WILL GET THE COLLECTION SOON.