Kenan Yarar returns to Barbarella with the start of a new story arc. Barbarella has gotten her ship fixed, taken an unseen shower as the comic never gets piggish with its cheesecake, gotten almost a full night of sleep in a comfortable bed, and received a message from a ghost friend of hers.

Even though Carey goes in depth about the mineral Barbarella goes off to mine, the ghost thing is just a given. There are ghosts.

The ghost tells her to go to mine some R.U.S.T., which turns out to be a space-time mineral. A large amount has been found on some desolate planet. On the planet Barbarella encounters some redneck prospectors and a scientist sidekick. Carey’s got a lot of exposition about the R.U.S.T. for reader edification, which Barbarella’s pet can apparently “hear.” At least when it suits comic effect.

There’s a bunch of good art, a bunch of good writing, and the end of the issue comes way too fast.

Barbarella is a gem.