Barbarella #3 Review

Writer: Mike Carey

Artist: Kenan Yarar

Colorist: Mohan

Published by: Dynamite

Something that isn’t done quite so often these in comics is to have stories only span a few issues instead of the regular five to six issue series. Because of that, I was pleasantly surprised that this is the case here in Barbarella. Expecting the first arc to span a full six issues, I liked the fact that this first reintroduction to Barbarella as a character was done in three.

What I really appreciate is that Carey was able to tell a full story within those first three issues of the series and ejected all extraneous story beats that he could have easily peppered in. Barbarella’s quest to make herself whole again, and to get a modicum of revenge on both the planet that took her womanhood and the rebels that left for dead are accomplished, and in spectacular fashion at that.

I’m a broken-record at this point when it comes to the fact that I feel that this comic is the most European comic that I’ve seen in a while, and that continues with this issue. The art is pitch-perfect, the writing is snappy and the short arc feels like it belongs in a European BD (the French term for comics). Couple this with a character that we continue to learn a little more about with each issue in Barbarella and some fantastic sidekicks - the mechanical horse and the little rat thing are stand out - and you get a comic that is really fun to read and just experience.