Barbara Kesel

 ( 1960 Births ) 

and  In 1988, she wrote a ''Batgirl Special''
Matthew K. Manning (2025). 9781465424563, Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781465424563 and then co-wrote, with then-husband [[Karl Kesel]], a ''Hawk and Dove'' miniseries,
Matthew K. Manning (2025). 9780756667429, Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9780756667429 followed by an ongoing series that ran from 1989 until 1991. As a solo writer, Kesel scripted the [[licensed|brand licensing]] ''Dungeons & Dragons'' series ''Spelljammer'' in 1990–1991
Shannon Applecline (2025). 9781907702587, Mongoose Publishing. ISBN 9781907702587 and an adaptation of the ''D&D'' novel trilogy ''Avatar'' in 1991.
     

Kesel became an editor at Dark Horse Comics in 1991 and later was part of Team CGW, responsible for most of the design and creation of the setting and characters in the Golden City location. In the second half of the 1990s, she also wrote for Image Comics, scripting all seven issues of Savant Garde, the miniseries Shattered Image with fellow writer Kurt Busiek, and issues of Stormwatch and WildC.A.T.s. For Marvel Comics, Kesel wrote the limited series Ultragirl (1996–1997) and (with Karl Kesel) the Captain America/Citizen V Annual '98. Kesel also returned to DC and wrote the Alpha Centurion Special (1996), several Superboy issues (1997), and the "Girlfrenzy!"-oneshot Superman: Lois Lane as well as the one-shot in 1998.Manning "1990s" in Dougall, p. 236: "In this prestige format Elseworlds tale, a new take on the World's Finest team was delivered to readers courtesy of writer Barbara Kesel and plotter/artists Matt Haley and Tom Simmons."

From 2000 to 2004, Kesel worked as both a writer and an editor at CrossGen, where she scripted the series Meridian, The First, Sigil and Solus as well as issues of CrossGen Chronicles. In 2007, Tokyopop released the first volume of Legends of the Dark Crystal, an OEL manga based on Jim Henson's film The Dark Crystal, written by Kesel. Volume 2 was published in 2010.

As of 2008, she was part of the comics packaging company "The Pack" with Lee Nordling, Brian Augustyn, Gordon Kent, and Dave Olbrich. The same year, Kesel began to work for IDW Publishing, writing a four-part Ghost Whisperer comic miniseries, another miniseries based on the adventure novel series Rogue Angel and the comic adaptation of the animated film Igor. In 2015, she wrote a Wonder Woman story for DC's digital series Sensation Comics, later published in print as Sensation Comics #13. When fellow comic book writer Kurt Busiek put together creative teams for the eight standalone, oversized issues of his Marvels Snapshots series, he hired Kesel to write the first issue starring the 1980s Avengers, which was published in 2021.

As of 2022, Kesel started working for a tech-startup called Urus Entertainment.

Kesel is an outspoken opponent of sexism in the comic book industry. She is known for her strong female characters and created Grace, the ruler of the Golden City location in Comics' Greatest World.