[4][5] In 1988, she wrote a Batgirl Special[6] and then co-wrote, with her then-husband Karl Kesel, a Hawk and Dove miniseries,[7] followed by an ongoing series that ran from 1989 until 1991.

As a solo writer, Barbara Kesel scripted the licensed Dungeons & Dragons series Spelljammer in 1990–1991[8] and an adaptation of the D&D novel trilogy Avatar in 1991.

She became an editor at Dark Horse Comics in 1991[5] 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.

She is known for her strong female characters and created Grace, the ruler of the Golden City location in Comics' Greatest World.

[14] In 1995, she was nominated for "Best Anthology" and "Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Material" Harvey Awards for, respectively, Instant Piano and Hellboy: Seed of Destruction.