Garth Ennis Previews New Series “Babs” from Ahoy Comics

This week marks the release of Babs #1 from Ahoy Comics. The series, penned by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Jacen Burrows, revolves around a barbarian warrior woman who just can’t seem to catch a break. Ennis approaches the theme somewhat humorously, akin to Justice League International, reducing her fierce battles and raids to a mundane job that rarely goes right. He revealed that while sword and sorcery comics can be a tough genre, the idea for Babs came to him during a trip to St. Lucia.

Babs skillfully combines classic sword-and-sorcery elements with lighthearted comedy and some sharp satire, making it distinctly Ennis. Ahead of the book’s release in comic shops and on digital platforms tomorrow, Ennis had a quick Q&A session with ComicBook.

This title feels fairly fanciful for you. How did it come to you, and how did you land on Jacen for the art?

I had been thinking about sword & sorcery since doing Hawk the Slayer for Rebellion. It’s often a silly, lazy genre, but it can also be really enjoyable. Jacen and I have collaborated for 20 years, building a great creative rapport. He’s a talented storyteller, and his precise visuals make conveying humor easier.

In the first issue, we get a bit of commentary on popular culture and fandom. How crucial is that satire to the overall series?

It’s a thread within the story, but it doesn’t overshadow everything. Readers might be surprised to see that the incels aren’t treated as harshly as expected, mainly because of my tendency not to write people off unless they’re truly beyond saving. That said, the current anti-immigrant riots in the UK are testing my patience. At the end of the day, it’s the same basic breed of troublemaker.

In the book, you say she’s “fair of face, but s–t of luck.” That seems true of another character in the first issue. What will Babs’s supporting cast look like?

Besides Izzy, we have Mork the Orc and his bunch, who are important for intelligence-gathering. There’s the dubious Tiberius Toledo and his White Knights of Unblemished Virtue, plus a bunch of undead characters. In the second issue, you’ll meet Sir Colin Culpepper, a direct commentary on the sword & sorcery genre.

The first issue really moves quickly with lots of action and humor. Will there be slower, character-focused moments, or will you maintain that pace?

Issue 2 is quite talky, which should slow things down a bit, although there is that undead army and a mysterious black rider on a skeletal horse.

Does Babs have an overarching mission? Maybe something tied to her past?

Babs just wants to get rich, quit her barbarian lifestyle, and relax. But life has other plans, as she herself says, “I know I’m going to end up on another f—ing adventure.”

Were there any outside influences on how the book shaped up? It feels unique despite potential comparisons to other works.

Not really. The character idea came to me while wandering through a tropical ravine in St. Lucia. Does that count as an influence?

You have a rich library of characters. Is there anyone from your past work who would get along with Babs?

I mentioned this in another interview, but I think Babs would have fun meeting Code Pru and Marjorie Finnegan. One practical, one dangerous but a bit of a loser, and one borderline insane—they would make a great trio.