Barbarella #5

Barbarella #5

Dynamite Entertainment 2021

Written by Sarah Hoyt

Illustrated by Madibek Musabekov

Coloured by Ivan Nunes

Lettered by Carlos M. Mangual

The domino's keep falling, but still, there are more to tumble as Barbarella seeks the source of a malevolent evil that enslaves, mutilates, and now can add mass kidnappings to the list. And so, Barbarella brings the love -- and the outrage -- to the pleasure planet, Rio, ‘cause there’s nothing pleasurable about being kidnapped -- or on the wrong end of a Vix scorned!

I’m really enjoying this series a heck of a lot more than I was expecting it to be and the fact that Barbarella questions not only herself but those around her and their intentions really goes to show just how human Sarah has managed to make her. I like that we see her a lot more vulnerable than usual and how those around her have been vocal about how she affects them really goes that extra mile in revealing more about her than we’ve seen in the past. I am also enjoying that this seems to be a long running arc that has these pit stops along the way, each world or mission that she’s been on has allowed us to see that much more of her abilities, her brains and her beauty and how it all works to her advantage not to mention that the larger picture never leaves the scene.

I’m a huge fan of the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information are presented exceptionally well. The character development that we see through dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter does a magnificent job showcasing these ever changing and evolving personalities. The pacing is excellent and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story and we get caught up in what feels like is going to be the dramatic conclusion of the arc we are enthralled.

I like the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen. I am also liking the way that we see these layers open up new avenues to be explored. These new avenues add so much depth, dimension and complexity to the story. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward are impeccably handled.

I’m in love with the interiors here. The linework is truly exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level & quality of detail within the work throughout is awe inspiring. I love that this can be so sensual at times without it crossing into something stronger, or smuttier. How we see the backgrounds being utilised to enhance and expand the moments as well as how they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show an amazing eye for how colour works.

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Babarella’s unwavering belief in the good of people is what makes her so unique and beloved. Well that and she’s always the centre of attention and everyone who meets her wants her in some way shape or form. I’d like to see her use her brain, and science, more often but that’s just me. In the meantime with this kind of strong writing and dynamic characterisation alongside these utterly brilliant interiors here’s hoping there’s still a lot more to come.