Damn, I’ve been neglecting this blog in the past couple of months. Well, I finally have something worth writing about again, as my favorite sci-fi/space opera miniseries from last year has returned with a new issue.

Picking up from last-issue’s cliffhanger, Barbarella, along with her pet/companion Vix and new friend Z (the sentient sexbot), finds herself in the middle of a deadly standoff on an unnamed planet, with a madman named Amanno-K, who has become a living vessel for an artificial intellegence that has brainwashed the minds of the former population of Alpha Prime, turning them into childlike hippies with no thoughts of their own beyond enjoying themselves. Gynosis Ethera, which is the name of the AI, has even infected Barbarella’s sentient spaceship, Stellaria-6, leaving Barbarella and her friends with no means to escape the planet.

Meanwhile, Earthgov agents Jury Quire and Deicus remain imprisoned on the planet Metrafusion, whose rulers are responsible for selling the technology that evolved into Gynosis Ethera to the citizens of Alpha Prime in the first place. Metrafusion does not want anyone, especially Earthgov, to know that information. Thus, Jury and Deicus face a sham trial and speedy execution if Barbarella can’t expose this conspiracy in time.

I don’t want to spoil Barbarella’s plan, but trust me when I say that it’s a clever one, which harkens back to Barbarella’s time on Planet V from the beginning of this series, including the return of some familiar faces from that storyline. That was unexpected, but it’s cool to see it all tie together.

Along the way, Blake Northcott manages to slip in some meta-commentary on runaway technology, class warfare, celebrity culture, and corporate politics (all relevant issues in today’s society), wrapped up in a suspenseful sci-fi story with a kickass heroine. They couldn’t have picked a better writer for this book (and the upcoming movie!). And it’s all illustrated by Anna Morozova’s stylish artwork, as she’s just as adept at drawing sexy aliens as she is at drawing space battles.

This series has been one wild ride. I can’t wait to see how it concludes. Chacebook rating: FIVE STARS

BARBARELLA #4