A Big Change for Wonder Woman's Cheetah in 2026: The Return of the Urzkartaga Curse (Spoilers)
Cheetah, one of Wonder Woman's most iconic archenemies, is set to undergo a significant transformation in 2026. The character, created by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter in 1946, has a complex history with the plant god Urzkartaga, which will be revisited in the upcoming comic series.
In the 2020 film Wonder Woman 1984, Barbara Ann Minerva, the current version of Cheetah, is portrayed by Kristen Wiig. On an African expedition, she becomes entangled in a ritual, bonding her to Urzkartaga and transforming her into a humanoid cheetah hybrid. This curse grants her superhuman strength, speed, agility, razor-sharp claws/teeth, enhanced senses, and regeneration, but also a cannibalistic bloodlust.
Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp reintroduced the Urzkartaga backstory in Wonder Woman #3 for DC Rebirth in 2016. In the series, Cheetah is eventually freed from the curse, and the plant is returned to the authorities.
In the new series, Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League, Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott explore a different outcome. Cheetah, under the influence of the Urzkartaga curse again, leads a heist on the Justice League Watchtower. This time, she aims to do something permanent about the curse, potentially breaking free from its hold.
The story reveals that the authorities kept a certain plant in the Justice League Trophy Room, which Cheetah has just robbed. This plant allows her to communicate with Urzkartaga, her oppressor, and abuser. As a result, she returns to human form, Barbera Minerva, with a few more freckles than before.
The significant change is that Cheetah no longer relies on Wonder Woman for a cure. She masterminds the entire plan herself. The question arises: will she retain any of her abilities even if the curse is lifted? What other gods might she summon next? Could she have avoided the curse by asking Wonder Woman? These questions leave room for speculation and discussion, especially given Greg Rucka's involvement in the new Batwoman series.
The series Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League is set to be collected as a graphic novel and published as Justice League: Cheetah & Cheshire Rob the Watchtower in May 2026. The story promises an unforgettable conclusion to Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott's epic caper series, with Cheetah and Cheshire facing off against Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman in a thrilling chase.
