Barbarella (comics)

Barbarella was originally a heroine in the French science fiction comic book created by Jean-Claude Forest. He originated the character for serialisation in the French magazine "V-Magazine" in spring 1962, and in 1964 Eric Losfeld later published these strips as a stand-alone book, under the title "Barbarella". The stand-alone version caused a scandal and became known as the first "adult" comic-book, despite its eroticism being slight and the existence of the Tijuana bibles well before this date. Its traditional editor, however, contrasted with its subject matter, anticipating as it did the sexual revolution.

The main character is 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 "orgasmotron"). The original comic book version of Barbarella was probably modeled on Brigitte Bardot, who was once married to the director of the 1968 film, Roger Vadim. For her creator, the character embodied the modern woman in the era of sexual liberation.

Other characters

*Duran : 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 town of Sogo, surrounded by a maze, on the planet Lythion.
*Lio : A brown-haired teenage girl saved by Barbarella who must save the town governed by her father in "Les Colères du mange-minutes". (The chanteuse Lio drew her stage name from this character.)
*Mado : Male gigolo robot (gynoïde), whose "breakdown" Barbarella repairs.
*Narval, an "aiguiote" (aquatic man) who comes from Citerne IV to complete his scientific research in "Les Colères du mange-minutes".
*"L'artiste", a self-portrait of Jean-Claude Forest. In "Semble Lune" he and Barbarella have a child together.

Bibliography

* "Barbarella" (originally serialized in "V-Magazine", 1962; book by Eric Losfeld, 1964)
* "Les Colères du Mange-Minutes" [The Wrath Of The Minute Eater] (Kesselring, 1974)
* "Le Semble-Lune" [The False Moon] (Horay, 1977)
* "Le Miroir aux Tempêtes" [The Storm Mirror] (Albin Michel, 1982) (art by Daniel Billon) Barbarella also guest-stars in "Mystérieuse, Matin, Midi et Soir" [Mysterious, Morning, Noon And Evening] (originally serialized in "Pif", 1971; book: Serg, 1972)

Popular culture

1980s 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"). In addition, one of the band's hit songs is entitled "Electric Barbarella".

The British band Jamiroquai mentions a "baby Barbarella" in their hit song "Cosmic Girl". Barbarella is also mentioned in Serge Gainsbourg's song "Qui est In Qui est Out".

The British Funk band Capri recorded the song "Barbarella" in 2000, releasing it four years later on the "Boogie Man" album. Although titled Barbarella, it was an original song and not a cover of the song used in the 1968 film.

"Barbarella as a Boy" is the title of a song by "Devil May Cry", a former project of singer-songwriter [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=6485340 Izzy Novak] .

An aged Barbarella appeared in Forest's "Mysterious Morning, Noon and Evening".

The electronic music group Matmos is named after the lake of evil goo beneath the city of Sogo.

Adaptations

*A "Barbarella" film adaptation was made in 1968.
*A "Barbarella" musical based on the film was produced in 2004.

References

* [http://www.hollywoodcomics.com/forest.html Jean-Claude Forest official site]