BARBARELLA (VOL. 2) #2 – Review

In BARBARELLA (VOL. 2) #2, available from Dynamite Comics on August 18th, 2021, Barbarella and TALN head to the mysterious island sending signals to control the minds of Camelot’s residents. Unfortunately, the island is just the start of this mystery.

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The Details

• Written By: Sarah Hoyt
• Art By: Madibek Musabekov
• Colors By: Ivan Nunes
• Letters By: Carlos M. Mangual
• Cover Art By: Lucio Parrillo
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: August 18, 2021

Was It Good?

This was a very good issue. Not as good as the first issue, but still very good.

I liked Hoyt’s strong depiction of Barbarella as a more thoughtful elevation of the character beyond her slightly cartoonish origins as a “sexpot in space.” Her almost inescapable feminine charms are still presented in all their amorous glory, but there’s a slightly magical quality to this character that’s so subtle as to be nearly imperceptible.

And that’s the magic trick. Barbarella hooks you with her charms, but you don’t know it until you’re already hooked. Her sexuality and attractiveness verge into the realm of magic or a superpower that comes from the character’s steadfast belief in love and goodness, and you can’t help but fall in love with her if you get too close.

Hoyt pulls this exceptional character work off with a ludicrous amount of skill that’s quite amazing.

Where this second issue stumbles slightly is in the disjointed storytelling. There are several pages/panels where Baraberella is either breaking into a building or escaping a planet, and the panel transitions don’t clearly flow from one to the next. It’s as if a few panels were missing and the resulting experience becomes clunky. It doesn’t happen a lot but enough during key scenes to stick out like a sore thumb.

As for the art, I’m still gobsmacked with just how gorgeous it turned out. It’s some of the most captivating art Dynamite’s turned out in years, maybe on par with Jonathan Lau’s work on Red Sonja. The linework is exquisite, and the coloring on just Barbarella’s hair alone is astounding. I can’t praise the art team enough for this book.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

Don’t you dare read another word until you catch up with our BARBARELLA (VOL. 2) #1 review.

At the end of the last issue, Barbarella discovered the strange behavior of Camelot’s residents is due to a mind-control signal from a small island off the main coast. We pick up with Barbarella and TALN heading to the island to investigate. When they arrive, they find the signal station is heavily guarded and fortified.

However, luck is on their side. A group of thugs arrives at the station, and Barbarella uses the opportunity to sneak in while the defenses are dropped. Once inside, Barbarella and TALN use all their *ahem* talents to overcome the guards and the thugs to take control of the transmitter. Before they shut the signal down, they discover it’s simply a relay from another planet. More on that in the next issue.

When Barbarella heads back to the mainland, she expected to be greeted by cheering throngs of people now free from mind control. What she finds is a panicked population in chaos. The Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt of everyone suddenly snapping out of a waking nightmare incites everyone to flee, causing a fair bit of destruction along the way.

We conclude the issue with Barbarella getting helpful directions to her next destination, a dangerous mob at the spaceport, and a goodbye (for now) to a treasured friend.

Final Thoughts

BARBARELLA (VOL. 2) #2 continues the adventures of the future’s greatest liaison of love with smart, sharp writing and captivating art. The smoothness and clarity of the storytelling hit a few, small bumps that bring the rating down a bit compared to the first issue, but the net result is still one of the best titles Dynamite has on the market.

Score: 9/10