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Expected 7 Jul 26208 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 7, 2026
About the author
Ngozi Ukazu
23 books1,362 followersNgozi 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.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So this is the sequel to Barda by Ngozi Ukazu and I went in really curious because Scott Free and Big Barda are some of my favorite DC characters ever (specially Barda) and I had literally never read anything from Orion's POV before. He's always been background noise in the Mister Miracle and Barda stuff I'd picked up, the angry son of Darkseid raised on New Genesis, and I kinda assumed he'd be a one note rage machine. Spotlighting him here was a nice surprise.
What I loved is how hard it leans into nature vs nurture without getting preachy. Orion grows up being told he's something he's not, and the whole arc is him figuring out who he actually is under what everyone needs him to be. It's a story about self knowledge, self acceptance, and how society decides who you get to be before you even get a vote. His friendship with Lightray is also genuinely cute, a little softness in all the Apokolips grit.
Landing on 3.5 (rounding up to 4) because the emotional core works but the pacing felt rushed in the middle and the New Genesis section was lighter than I wanted before the tonal switch. It also reads more YA than Barda did, which is fine but not always my favorite mode. Still, if you've only ever lived in Scott and Barda's heads like me, worth picking up just to see Orion as a person and not a plot device.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
What I loved is how hard it leans into nature vs nurture without getting preachy. Orion grows up being told he's something he's not, and the whole arc is him figuring out who he actually is under what everyone needs him to be. It's a story about self knowledge, self acceptance, and how society decides who you get to be before you even get a vote. His friendship with Lightray is also genuinely cute, a little softness in all the Apokolips grit.
Landing on 3.5 (rounding up to 4) because the emotional core works but the pacing felt rushed in the middle and the New Genesis section was lighter than I wanted before the tonal switch. It also reads more YA than Barda did, which is fine but not always my favorite mode. Still, if you've only ever lived in Scott and Barda's heads like me, worth picking up just to see Orion as a person and not a plot device.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy!
I'm a big DC fan, so I was quite excited to see that my request on this came through. I've not read Barda, and I can confidently let other reads know that you don't have to read that before reading this one (although I will definitely be checking that one out next!) I would probably recommend having a passing familiarity with the characters, though. Orion does a good job of brief introductions, but things may click better if you already know some of our key players.
This is a YA graphic novel, and has exactly the kind of character story I would have eaten up when I was the target age demographic for it. Our hero is full of self loathing and angst, and a heritage he doesn't want. Ukazu does a great job at taking us through a journey of self-discovery with Orion, and I like the side characters who pop up here and there in the story. I do wish it was slightly longer, I would have loved to spend more time with these characters. The current length makes a lot of the story seem too shallow, but I think with more padding it could lend itself to making the story feel deeper. The artwork was a little hit or miss for me, I mostly thought it looked really good, but there were a few times that I felt like the quality of it dipped down a bit.
I'm a big DC fan, so I was quite excited to see that my request on this came through. I've not read Barda, and I can confidently let other reads know that you don't have to read that before reading this one (although I will definitely be checking that one out next!) I would probably recommend having a passing familiarity with the characters, though. Orion does a good job of brief introductions, but things may click better if you already know some of our key players.
This is a YA graphic novel, and has exactly the kind of character story I would have eaten up when I was the target age demographic for it. Our hero is full of self loathing and angst, and a heritage he doesn't want. Ukazu does a great job at taking us through a journey of self-discovery with Orion, and I like the side characters who pop up here and there in the story. I do wish it was slightly longer, I would have loved to spend more time with these characters. The current length makes a lot of the story seem too shallow, but I think with more padding it could lend itself to making the story feel deeper. The artwork was a little hit or miss for me, I mostly thought it looked really good, but there were a few times that I felt like the quality of it dipped down a bit.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An Iconic Character Brought to New Life!
Orion by Ngozi Ukazu is such an unexpected blast of fun, giving readers an exciting, fresh way into the Barda storyline by shifting the focus to Orion himself. The story starts off with this almost fluffy, charming energy on New Genesis. It is lighter, playful, and deceptively calm, and then Orion loses his temper. Orion’s journey drags him straight into the grit and violence of Apokolips. That shift is where the book really shines, morphing into something darker and more emotionally intense without losing its momentum. Ukazu balances heart, humor, and brutality incredibly well, creating a grittier take on these characters that still feels welcoming and wildly entertaining. It’s a blast from start to finish, and a perfect example of how expanding the perspective can breathe new life into an already iconic corner of the universe.
Orion by Ngozi Ukazu is such an unexpected blast of fun, giving readers an exciting, fresh way into the Barda storyline by shifting the focus to Orion himself. The story starts off with this almost fluffy, charming energy on New Genesis. It is lighter, playful, and deceptively calm, and then Orion loses his temper. Orion’s journey drags him straight into the grit and violence of Apokolips. That shift is where the book really shines, morphing into something darker and more emotionally intense without losing its momentum. Ukazu balances heart, humor, and brutality incredibly well, creating a grittier take on these characters that still feels welcoming and wildly entertaining. It’s a blast from start to finish, and a perfect example of how expanding the perspective can breathe new life into an already iconic corner of the universe.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Over the years I have read many different books with Orion at their center, and I found them uniformly dreadful. I actively dislike Jack Kirby's Fourth World in general, and I would have sneered at anyone who suggested I would one day enjoy stories about it.
Well, Ngozi Ukazu has done the impossible.
First, I enjoyed her Barda book, and now she has made the New Gods' rage-meister a relatable and sympathetic character while keeping him just as angry as ever. I went in gritting my teeth and came out eager to see who will be the focus of the next volume in this series.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Well, Ngozi Ukazu has done the impossible.
First, I enjoyed her Barda book, and now she has made the New Gods' rage-meister a relatable and sympathetic character while keeping him just as angry as ever. I went in gritting my teeth and came out eager to see who will be the focus of the next volume in this series.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ngozi Ukazu brings her signature style of artwork to her sequel to Barda. As a fan of her work, I enjoyed the comic. As a person who does not have an in-depth knowledge of DC comic characters, I had a hard time understanding what was happening due to knowing all the characters. There were familiar faces from Barda but the new characters needed a bit more background to help me understand. The dialogue was also hard to follow at points due to the formal, almost Victorian vibe that it had. However, I do think readers who are DC fans and know the characters will enjoy story and the style in which it is presented.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve seen this play out on Justice League Unlimited, but it’s cool to see an even deeper look into Orion’s origins. Especially his Mom’s side, which I never saw before. So, that was def interesting.
It def gave more Teen vibes, but I still enjoyed Orion’s fight for his true self after finding out his hidden identity. The whole Mother Box’s connection to Orion was intriguing as well… All I can think about is how they call them “Boom Tubes” in the show lmfaoo.
Orion and Lightray def gave off that Bromance energy lmfao. Their friendship was cute though. They definitely give off Golden Retriever x Black Cat lol.
It def gave more Teen vibes, but I still enjoyed Orion’s fight for his true self after finding out his hidden identity. The whole Mother Box’s connection to Orion was intriguing as well… All I can think about is how they call them “Boom Tubes” in the show lmfaoo.
Orion and Lightray def gave off that Bromance energy lmfao. Their friendship was cute though. They definitely give off Golden Retriever x Black Cat lol.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“Orion” has some good artwork. I liked the looks of it, but the story just seemed like I had read it before. It felt like the author had pulled from other stories through the years and put it into “Orion” as a character and book.
I did enjoy the return to an actual comic book character. Lately, every graphic novel that I have read seemed more for adults. I definitely appreciated the effort of DC and the writer.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
I did enjoy the return to an actual comic book character. Lately, every graphic novel that I have read seemed more for adults. I definitely appreciated the effort of DC and the writer.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really loved Ngozi's Barda and was excited to read Orion. I thought this was a good entry into Orion and the New Gods lore for a beginner comic read. It doesn't require a lot of background knowledge, and really introduces you to each of the characters. I really enjoyed the way Ngozi wrote Orion's struggle and him coming to terms with everything. The way Orion and Lightray's relationship was written was very sweet. As always, I loved the art for the book. I can't wait for my friends to be able to read this when it's released.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!
Once again Ngozi Okazu's art is incredible and captures the pain and anguish of these characters. The story was fun and acted as a wonderful introduction to characters many are unfamiliar with in the world of DC comics. A fantastic read.
Once again Ngozi Okazu's art is incredible and captures the pain and anguish of these characters. The story was fun and acted as a wonderful introduction to characters many are unfamiliar with in the world of DC comics. A fantastic read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
this was okay at most. i think maybe knowing more of the character going into this story would have helped and maybe having read the authors other DC graphic novels would have helped too.
the artwork was so fun and colorful at times and definitely isn’t something to miss. will definitely try to read this again after picking up the authors other series
the artwork was so fun and colorful at times and definitely isn’t something to miss. will definitely try to read this again after picking up the authors other series
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don't know that it turned over any new ground, and I felt the absence of Kirby's craggy faces keenly.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews