Garth Ennis is well-known for his dark parodies of comic book clichés. The award-winning writer is famous (and infamous) for works like The Boys and Preacher. Now, Ennis is teaming with frequent collaborator Jacen Burrows and AHOY Comics to deliver a satire of Sword and Sorcery titled Babs.
Set in a land before time, Babs details the misadventures of the titular adventurer. She is a skilled barbarian thief with an itchy metal wardrobe. Accompanied by a sentient sword named Barry, the heroine cuts a bold path through wizards and warriors alike.
The six-issue series will pit Babs against Tiberius Toledo, who leads a band of very white knights. While enacting her latest scheme to get rich, the barbarian heroine uncovers Toledo’s plot to exploit the baser instincts of the local townsfolk. This sets up the epic conflict that informs the series.
How Babs Goes Beyond Simple Fantasy Parody
It is clear from the cover art and character description that Babs is a riff of Red Sonja. Even the name of her sword seems to be an Easter egg, evoking legendary artist Barry Windsor-Smith who drew Red Sonja’s first comics. However, Ennis has loftier goals than simple parody.
“The world of Sword & Sorcery provides endless opportunities for deeply disrespectful humor,” Ennis noted. “Having our heroine smash her way through goblins, ogres, imps, incels and other vermin was extremely satisfying. Nobody’s going to be Making Middle Earth Great Again while she’s around.”
Jacen Burrows echoed Ennis’ enthusiasm for Babs “I’ve been lucky enough to work in a lot of genres over the years but I have always wanted to work on a fantasy story. The humor, the action, the wild creatures, and settings, this really is a dream project for me!”
Babs #1 will land in comic shops everywhere on July 17, 2024.
