Garth Ennis and frequent collaborator Jacen Burrows take a claymore-sized swing at the sword and sorcery genre in their upcoming six-issue mini-series called BABS.
The new AHOY Comics series is an irreverent satire with plenty of the trappings that one can expect from the genre including dragons, warriors, wizards, and Ennis and Burrow’s usual cast of weirdos.
We had the pleasure of speaking with both creators about BABS and their new Punisher: Get Fury series in this exclusive interview.
Where did the idea for a sword and sorcery satire originate?
Garth Ennis: I’d really enjoyed writing Hawk the Slayer for Rebellion, and found myself thinking about the genre and some of the possibilities it threw up. I’m not averse to sword & sorcery generally- although I read and watch very little of it, I do have a few favorites such as The Hobbit, the aforementioned Hawk, and the 2000AD strip Slaine, which I absolutely loved when I read it as a kid.
I should say that although the term satire seems to have been irrevocably attached to Babs, it’s perhaps better to think of it as a story with some satirical elements—we won’t necessarily be nudging and winking at the audience on every page. Sometimes an orc is just an orc.
Garth: You recently stated that “Sword & Sorcery provides endless opportunities for deeply disrespectful humor.” What is it specifically about the genre that allows for this?
Ennis: Partly because it quite often takes itself so dreadfully seriously, partly because it gives rise to a great deal of very lazy work. So many fantasy stories seem like those beautifully painted Tolkien calendars come to life, or a series of Vallejo or Frazetta prints with dialogue added.
Jacen: As an artist, what makes the genre such a fertile ground for creativity and what excited you most about BABS?
Jacen Burrows: Aside from my brief stint into Sci-Fi with Marvel’s Warhammer 40k book from a few years back, I have drawn primarily contemporary real world and recent historical settings. I was excited to stretch my wings a bit and draw something visually different. It is always fun to get to draw monsters, armor, ruins, medieval weaponry and the like. The only downside is having to learn how to draw a convincing horse! These things are a pain in the ass but I do like a challenge.
You have both worked together on a number of projects. How do you compliment each other’s sensibilities?
Ennis: Like any good creative partnership it’s essentially based on trust. Jacen knows I won’t ask the impossible of him or strive for anything less than 100% clarity in my script directions; I know he’ll do his damndest to deliver great work every time. We’ve been working together for what must be twenty years now and he hasn’t let me down once.
What character in BABS do you enjoy writing/illustrating the most and why?
Ennis: I like Babs herself, largely because she’s an odd mixture of smart, capable, brave and incredibly unlucky. Things will only ever go so well for her for so long, and then her fortunes will slide straight off a cliff. Case in point is her sword, Barry, who’s an enjoyably whiny little shit and great fun to write. And I also like Sir Colin Culpepper, Knight of the Realm, who means well but really is a complete tit. He’s probably my most direct comment on a lot of fantasy narratives.
Burrows: I’ve really enjoyed all of the characters but I think my favorite, visually, has to be Undead Lord we meet in issue two. He’s quite horrific and a lot of fun to draw.
Your Get Fury series will be released soon. How do you approach a Frank Castle in Vietnam story vs. a modern Punisher tale?
Ennis: Frank himself isn’t too different, he’s as ruthless and dedicated as a Marine Recon officer as he later will be as the Punisher. He does still entertain a vague sense of hope that his life will change for the better one day, the gates of hell haven’t quite slammed shut on him at this point—although that’s not a point I intend to labor. Beyond that it’s really a question of writing a war/espionage story rather than a crime thriller.
Other upcoming work?
Ennis: I have a new war story from TKO called Partisan with art by Steve Epting, more Battle Action and 2000AD work for Rebellion, and a couple of horror projects at various publishers. And many more long-term irons in the fire.
Look for the first issue of BABS at your local comic shop on August 14.
Get Fury #1 is currently available at finer comic stores everywhere.
