There’s something about a bad-ass, competent, and fully self-reliant female hero character that reads so much better than the traditional, competent-until-the-guy-shows-up heroine. Think Lara Croft, FemShep, and Khaleesi.
Codename Baboushka: The Conclave of Death #1 (Image Comics)
Ushka. Bab Ushka.
Baboushka is certainly cast in that image. Issue one, from the creative team of Anthony Johnston, Shari Chankhamma, and Simon Bowland, starts with an attempt to create a fresh female badass secret agent.
She’s deadly, she’s gorgeous, she’s possibly albino (Jesus, that hair), and she’s also a former Mafia boss?
If at some point in issue 12 a smaller, deadlier version doesn’t pop out of her body, I’mma be disappointed.
The crazy hot Russkie spy chick has been done, but taking a page from current events and making her an escaped Russian oligarch, forced by the CIA to kill for them? Alright, at least you’re trying.
In short, this does not tread any new ground. If you’re waiting breathlessly for Black Widow to show up on screen in the Avengers flick, or you were first in line for “Mission Impossible 12: Tom Cruise Isn’t Short – We’ll prove it,” you’ll probably dig this book. The plot is decent, the action feels like a blockbuster movie, there’s just enough explosions – it’s solid.
The artwork feels a tad Manga-esque to me. I’m not sure if that’s a bad thing or a good thing – but it’s great for the action, and slightly off-putting when we close up on faces.
I found myself enjoying the read, but I’m not really compelled, with one exception:
If they can’t work a “I’m the Captain now” joke in here somewhere – I’m not reading issue 2.
Is It Good?
Overall, it was okay. If they keep her as a badass female anti-hero who don’t need no man, I can see this opening up, but it felt very standard, spycraft, intrigue stuff.
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