The Good

The Bad

The Verdict

3/5

Will read this, after 3 issues this series is slowly becoming one of my favorite series I've ever read... 
Next to Days Missing (and I'm talking about stories that aren't Marvel and DC)

As with most Morrison things, I think this entire thing will make sense once its all over

I would give it a 4.  I'm still enjoying the series, and the art is really great.  I just want more of a reveal about what is going on, and while this issue started getting there it needs to be made clearer.  They are already halfway to the end...

I haven't read the fourth issue yet, but after the third, I'm comfortable with how much I know about what's going on.  I agree, the first two issues you really don't have any idea.  And maybe in the end this is one of those stories where you have to decide what to take from it.  Anyone else here read Rogan Gosh, for example? 
 
Also... 
This may be a story that works for you, or it doesn't.  Myself, I gave up on Greek Street, because despite the fact I like Greek mythology, I apparently do not know the stories well enough to get what the parallels are, and the story itself didn't do much for me.  I'm sticking with the Unwritten so far, because I have an idea of what I'd like it to be, and have seen bits of that in the story, but over all I feel I'm missing a lot of depth to it.

I absolutely love and adore this series.  I too wonder whether this world is real or fake, what will happen to Joe in the real world, etc.  However, I'm not trying to dig for answers in the book.  I'm enjoying it for what Morrison is writing, and he's writing the story of a boy trying to deal with this illness that he is afflicted with. 
 
Maybe the fact that you are trying to dig for answers is the problem with your level of enjoyment in the last two issues.  I thoroughly enjoyed issue #3, and while I haven't picked up issue #4 so far, the series definitely puts gives me a bit of sadness to know it's only an 8-issue run. 
 
Between this and Daytripper, as well as DMZ, Scalped, Northlanders, and Greek Street, Vertigo is proving yet again why they are the premier comic book label out there. 
 
It's kind of funny that you mention how a series could be "losing steam", because despite how much I like Daytripper, I felt like issue #5 wasn't as impactful to me as the first four, solely because of the gimmick that the series has going with it.  Maybe I'm digging too much into that for either answers or reasoning.  Who knows? 
 
Good review, however, and it definitely will have me thinking a bit more about this book than I have before. 
 
Also...Sean Murphy's art is probably some of the most astounding and gorgeous work I've seen in a LOOOOOOONG time.  Every panel is a breath of fresh air.

I couldn't disagree with this "review" anymore. I happen to believe that, "Joe the Barbarian" is one of the best independent comics available on the stands right now. Inferiorego, along with Gman's  argument, is that their is no back story to Joe; and that your thrown in to this haphazard situation with out any explanation as to why and how. What does the word adventure mean to you!?! I believe that in order for you to enjoy this (or any comic), you need to drop all conceptions of reality and strap in for the ride! It's only issue #4, a lot can happen between now and issue #8 so I'd hold off on criticizing JTB until its full vibrant picture has been painted. 
 
From the diverse character's and environments portrayed by some amazing art, JTB is a recommended must read comic!