GVN Talking Comics Review: Ahoy Comics, ‘BABS’ Issue 1 By Garth Ennis And Jacen Burrows –“Who wouldn’t fall for a girl like that?”

Introducing BABS

As most fans of sword and sorcery stories know, generally speaking if there’s a female protagonist, she’s a bad ass. As good with a sword and her fists as any man and not afraid to speak her mind when the call arises. As I have mentioned many times, I LOVE characters like this. So, leave it to writer Garth Ennis of Preacher and The Boys fame and artist Jacen Burrows to give us a character that encompasses all of those things and more in Ahoy Comics new series BABS!

Life Has its Problems

Right from the very start, Ennis gives the reader the low down on BABS! Explaining her virtues and perhaps her short comings which help to contribute to her current situation. Which basically means, she’s down on her luck. She hardly has two coins to rub together. In her estimation, her magical sword is just an “OK” sword that apparently has a low opinion of her.  Not to mention that the leather scale-mail tunic she wears is chafing her chest to the point of madness. It’s also been intimated that some of the local populace speaks ill of her, but not to her face. Their smarter than they look.

Izzy

The one thing that makes it at least bearable is she has someone to lament with, her friend Izzy. Although Izzy isn’t doing much better. Especially when she had a slight “run in” (or runover) with the leprechauns.  Having to recompense them for that mistake left her in the same boat (or tavern) as BABS… almost BROKE! But as they started to combine what they DID have to get one last drink; Babs had some visitors. A group of mercenaries who thought they recognized her. They wanted her not because they thought they would get a payday, but because they didn’t like the backstory, they had created for her.

What are friends for

Sounds like a poor reason to get your butts stomped by a chaffing warrior woman. But they did ASK for it. After the floor was wiped up with Orcs, Trolls and whatever other species they had brought, BABS charged them a “behaving like a twat TAX.” This was the penalty of picking a fight you had no chance to win. The sudden influx of coin meant that she and Izzy could afford a few more drinks. The downside of that was Babs wasn’t much of a drinker. Hey, you can’t be great at EVERYTHING. Thankfully, Izzy was there to hold her hair out of the way while she vomited.

In search of Padding

Later, Babs halted in the forest to hunt a couple of squirrels. Not for their meat, but because their pelts could offer extra padding for her Scale Mail and her chafed chest. As she detached the first squirrel from the tree where her arrow had fixed it, her “ok” enchanted sword “Barry” began to speak, questioning why she was squandering time on squirrels instead of furthering her education. Babs dismissed the commentary, having already eyed her next quarry. Her rationale was impeccable: two breasts, two squirrel pelts for protection.

She took aim and, upon striking the squirrel, a loud roar ensued. Odd for a squirrel to emit such a sound. Looking through the foliage for her prey, she discovered it impaled not on a tree, but on the flank of a massive bear. Recalling the earlier mention of misfortune, this was a prime example. For some reason, the bear was furiously upset about the arrow. Perhaps the bear and the squirrel were companions, though that seemed improbable.

The Bear Facts

Babs had two choices in this situation. Stand her ground and meet the bear head on or flee. Babs was of a mind to take her chances with the bear, but Barry reminded her of the lunacy of THAT idea. It would be the most prudent decision to make a break for it. Upon second thought, Babs agreed with Barry and rode her horse as fast as they could go. Which considering how fast the bear moved, almost wasn’t fast enough. Barry suggested that Babs sacrificed her horse to the bear. The thinking was that the bear just wanted to kill something. Better that be the horse than Babs. Not to mention that Barry would come out ok in that scenario. I’m sure her horse would feel otherwise.

The Deep Realm

Back in town, the beaten down mercenaries were trying to decide who or what was to blame for their defeat and the generally poor lot in life. Their leader Mork placed the blame on the insidious “Deep Realm.” It was this mysterious entity that kept them from getting the life they should be having. As he tried to explain how the “man” was keeping them down, a group of shining Knights rode into the village. They were known as the Ivory Knights of Unblemished Virtue and led by their lord Tiberius Toledo. Nothing too pretentious about this lot. In fact, Mork thought they looked like their kind of guys. Well…good luck with that.

BABS and the Bear, Part II

Back with Babs and the bear, the chase somehow ended with the horse, Babs and Barry in the branches of a tree. Exactly how this transpired was a mystery but Babs was more than happy to remind Barry that it was the horse that saved them. The very same horse Barry wanted to feed to the bear. Barry would hear none of it. He reminded her that it was HIS idea that really saved them. Babs hardly thought that Barry suggesting running was all that insightful. She had already figured out that by herself. Why couldn’t she have one of those magical swords that blasted fire or power beams at her enemies. All Barry did was talk…and talk. Besides, while he was blathering on, their bear friend had caught up to them.

Thoughts

As I mentioned, this story had me right from the beginning with writer Garth Ennis introduction to the character.

“Raven haired, suspicious minded, wielder of an “OK” sword… fair of face yet shit of luck, a wanderer, a mercenary, a goblin-stomper, a dragon dodger…a lover but a leaver, a breaker of hearts and a jumper from windows…”

Who wouldn’t fall for a girl like that? Babs (in my opinion) is a hilarious mix of Red Sonja and pick a sarcastic female comedian…let’s say Sarah Silverman. She says what she wants to and has the physical skill to back it up. What she hasn’t had lately is good luck. At least that is what it seems to her. Babs is still waiting for an opportunity to turn things around. But in the meantime, she is just taking things as they come. If that means beating a few malcontents along the way, that’s life. It is also what makes her a very interesting and entertaining character and a perfect addition to the Ahoy line.

References Aplenty

Another part of the strength in this first issue is Garth’s willingness to make satirical references that older readers will pick up on. One only looks at Mork the Orc. Is he from the village of Melmac? (I know I can’t be the only one who recognized that). His issue with Babs was that he thought she had usurped the identity of a man. No “girlification” of characters for Mork. Don’t make him call Orson.

Then there’s Mork’s reference to the “Deep Realm.” A place where everyone is out to get you and hold you down.  Sounds familiar. But it’s known in conspiracy circles here as the “Deep State.” No matter where you go, the “man” is trying to keep you in your place. It’s nice to know that we’re not the only one’s suffering from their insidious machinations. Nice.

Babs and Barry

Then there’s Barry. Babs magical sword. It’s no wonder that a sword named “Barry,” isn’t instilling fear or awe in the hearts of Bab’s enemies. Of course, the fact that it doesn’t do any of the things that magical swords tend to do is also a problem. It doesn’t glow, it doesn’t shoot fire or some other destructive force. In fact, as far as Babs knows, it doesn’t even cut that well. But it does remind Babs that she needs to educate herself more…and perhaps, listen to his wisdom when he offers it. Their conversations alone are worth the price of admission.

Jacen Burrows

For all this to work as well as it does, Garth is working with a familiar partner in artist Jacen Burrows. Jacen’s work here is perfect for this tale, and he captures every beat of the story. Whether it be bar fights, conversing horses, or a magical sword that uses it cross guard and quillons to give Babs the middle finger, Burrows masters them all. His familiarity with Garth’s style and prose goes a long way in making this a great opening issue and a must follow book.

Ahoy Comics BABS, Issue #1 releases on August 14th. pick it up at your local comic shop and where great books are sold. Also, check out our interview with writer Garth Ennis here.