BARBARELLA: THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD #3, from Dynamite Comics on 5/3/23, finds Barbarella, TALN, and Jack enacting a daring rescue mission to retrieve Vix before her mind is turned to mush.
The Details
- Written by: Sarah Hoyt
- Art by: Riccardo Bogani
- Colors by: Werner Sanchez
- Letters by: Carlos M. Mangual
- Cover art by: Derrick Chew (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: May 3, 2023
Is It Good?
BARBARELLA: THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD #3 is a serviceable space rescue chapter in the current arc by Sarah Hoyt. All things considered, this a solid issue with good pacing, snappy dialog, urgency, and a decent cliffhanger. That said, the down point of this issue isn’t the issue itself but its place in the arc as a whole.
When last we left Barbarella and her friends, TALN’s mind was accidentally linked with Vix’s mind, giving each character a window into what the other is experiencing. Now, Barbarella, Jack, and TALN mount a rescue mission to the Architects’ homeworld to get Vix back.
All the right technical boxes are checked in Hoyt’s script. The mission istension-filloed as Barbarella and her friends evade capture around every corner. The dialog for each character is distinctive and snappy. The mission doesn’t go as planned, but the missteps are handled with cleverness and engaging surprises. And the ending leaves the characters with a moral dilemma ripe with drama.
What’s a little bit odd or (if you prefer) off is the inconsistent tone of this arc after three issues. Issue #1 was surreal and wacky. Issue #2 shifted dramatically away from the wackiness into a heavy, desperate drama. Now, issue #3 shifts the tone again into a Star Wars-like adventure that mixes serious elements with exciting adventure. It’s as if Hoyt can’t settle on a tone or mood and stick with it because every issue (so far) feels like it belongs to a different arc than the one before.
What has been consistent is Bogani’s expressive, whimsical art. The characters hit their emotional moments perfectly, and the action is imaginative. As a bonus, Sanchez’s coloring work is gorgeous.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BARBARELLA: THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD #2 review to learn the horrifying truth behind the Architects.
We begin with Barbarella struggling to come to terms with the Architects’ designs for the galaxy and Vix’s potential participation in the oppressive plot. Jack is not sure if Vix is part of the plan, but the truth about Vix must be discovered before the group attempts a rescue.
As a show of good faith, Jack reactivates TALN, who shares the same mind-meld effect as Vix. Seeing into Vix’s eyes and mind, TALN confirms Vix had no knowledge of the Architects’ plans. Jack agrees to help Barnbarella dn TALN launch a rescue mission to the Architects’ homeworld.
We conclude the issue with stealth, convincing hugs, a hostage, and a special ship.
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Final Thoughts
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BARBARELLA: THE CENTER CANNOT HOLD #3 swerves (again) away from the heavy talk of genocide and slavery in the second issue to a roaring space adventure in issue #3. The action is thrilling, the dialog is peppy, and the plot developments are imaginative. Overall, this issue is a solid space adventure in a strangely inconsistent arc.
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