Barrier was the founder and editor of Funnyworld (October 1966 – Spring 1983), the first magazine exclusively devoted to comics and animation.
[3] Beginning in 1970 it expanded to being a magazine of general circulation that eventually had a print run of several thousand before ceasing publication in the early 1980s.
[4] In 1973, Barrier signed a contract with Oxford University Press to write a history of Hollywood animation.
With the aid of associate (and animator) Milt Gray, Barrier undertook research and interviews of all the key figures who played a role in the creation of classic American theatrical animation, mainly that of Disney (Silly Symphonies and Mickey Mouse), Warner Bros. (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies), MGM (such as the Tom and Jerry series) and the Fleischer/Famous studios.
In 2004, Barrier engaged in a lengthy discussion on animation topics with John Kricfalusi that he was allowed to post on his website.