Jean-Claude Forest created the character of Barbarella for serialization in the French V Magazine in spring 1962,[2] and in 1964 Éric Losfeld published these strips as a stand-alone book titled Barbarella. The book caused a scandal and became known as the first "adult" (erotic) comic book, though American pornographic comic books known as "Tijuana bibles" had long predated it. For her creator, the character embodied the modern, emancipated woman in the era of sexual liberation, and as a result, this literary work has come to be associated with the mid-20th century sexual revolution.[3] The comic would stop publishing in 1978.[4]
Barbarella was relaunched as an ongoing series by the American publisher Dynamite Entertainment in December 2017. The creative team included writer Mike Carey and artist Kenan Yarar. The comic would be supervised by Jean-Marc Lofficier, who worked with the original creator.[4] It ran for 12 issues with a holiday special.
Another relaunch was announced in May 2021, with writer Sarah Hoyt and artist Madibek Musabekov.[5] This run continued for 10 issues.
After the announcement of a movie remake, Dynamite announced in November 2022 it would relaunch the comic with the title Barbarella: The Center Cannot Hold. Sarah Hoyt would return as writer, this time joined by artist Riccardo Bogani.[6] In July 2024, a new series was announced with writer Blake Northcott and artist Anna Morozova. This iteration of the comic will return more closely to Jean-Claude Forest's concept for the original comic series.[7]
Characters
Barbarella: a young woman who travels from planet to planet and has numerous adventures, often involving sex. The aliens she meets often seduce her, and she also experiments with a "machine excessive" or "orgasmatron".
Professor Ping: a one-eyed old man who helps Barbarella.
Pygar: a blind 'angel' guided by Barbarella, he is the last of the ornithanthropes (bird-men).
La Reine noire (The Black Queen): a villainess who reigns in the maze-surrounded town of Sogo on the planet Lythion.
Lio: a brown-haired teenage girl saved by Barbarella; she must save the town governed by her father in Les Colères du mange-minutes.
Barbarella also guest-stars in Mystérieuse, Matin, Midi et Soir [Mysterious, Morning, Noon And Evening] (originally serialized in Pif, 1971; book edition by Serg, 1972)
An updated adaptation of Book 1 was released by Humanoids Publishing[9] on September 24, 2020; this new adaptation was done by Kelly Sue DeConnick. Book 2 saw its first English adaptation in January 2015 by DeConnick from Humanoids as well.
A Barbarella TV series was in development with writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, and Martha De Laurentiis, widow of the film's producer Dino De Laurentiis, were all involved.[15] In May 2013, Refn said to Vulture that they are still writing and are going back to the original comics. As of May 2013, no one has been cast for the series yet.[16]
In 2017, Dynamite Entertainment announced they had acquired the license to create new comics based on Barbarella.[17] A twelve issue series written by Mike Carey with art by Kenan Yarar was published by Dynamite during 2017 and 2018, in conjunction with Barbarella's 55th anniversary. Jean-Marc Lofficier - longtime custodian of the Barbarella character - joined Carey as supervisor on the project.[18][19] The single-shot Barbarella Holiday Special was published in December 2018, written by Locifier with art by José Louis Ruiz Pérez.[20]Barbarella/Dejah Thoris was a four issue series published in 2019, uniting Barbarella with Edgar Rice Burroughs' Princess of Barsoom. It was written by Leah Williams with art by Germán Garcia.[21] In July 2021, Dynamite launched a new ongoing series written by Sarah A. Hoyt with art by Madibek Musabekov.[22]
On October 11, 2022, Deadline reported that a film is planned, with Sydney Sweeney set to star as the titular character and serve as executive producer.[23] Due to this, a new comic series will be released in 2023.[6]
In popular culture
1980s British pop band Duran Duran takes its name from a character in the 1968 film Barbarella: Barbarella's mission in the film is to find a scientist named Durand Durand (pronounced "Duran Duran").[24] In addition, the band's first single from 1997's Medazzaland is entitled "Electric Barbarella".
Belgian pop singer and actress Lio took this stage name from a character in the Barbarella comic books.
American rock band Clutch details a meet-up between the singer and Barbarella in which a Motel 6 is destroyed, among other exploits, in their song "In Walks Barbarella".
Commander Cody's song "Dreams of Barbarella", from his 1978 album Flying Dreams, details a man's descent into a fantasy world where he lives with Barbarella, in a magic ship out by the Milky Way.
Reception
Barbarella has been criticized for being dated and sexist.[25][26] Barbarella has also been described as a sex symbol.[2][27][28]
