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subplotkudzu's review
4.0
Much like Nexus, Baron's other work from the mid 80's, Badger shines with the unbridled creativity of the independent comics market of the time - it is nominally a super-hero book but it's really not. It's too bizarre for that and it doesn't hit the beats of the classic Marvel or DC books. It is sui generes, and wonderful because of that. Any description of the books cast of characters and general plots won't capture the sheer insanity of the multiple personality martial artist costumed vigilante working with a time displaced 5th century Celtic weather wizard to do, well, stuff.
scottfaulkner's review
4.0
Why should it be that I so enjoy the work of Mike Baron (Nexus), who is such a far-right reactionary these days? Part of my enjoyment of this series is nostalgia, as I read the comics when they first appeared, but as a comics fan I'll probably always enjoy a well-told vigilante tale and this one has enough weirdness to keep things interesting. The Badger is a Vietnam vet with "multiple personality disorder" (maybe not a real thing but common enough in fiction) who defends the citizens of Milwaukee against street punks and more esoteric threats. He'll philosophize and kick ass in almost equal measure and meets all kinds of characters eager to do the same.
He has a patron of sorts in Ham, an ancient druidic "weather wizard" who gets some of his power through animal sacrifice, and this is a sticking point with the nature-loving Badger. That's another great thing about this series - before "grim n' gritty" was the comic book norm, Baron didn't hesitate to show the rough edges of his characters, yet they still remained likable. Unfortunately, the artwork varied greatly throughout the series and was never particularly great by today's standards, but if you can look past that you can get a lot of fun out of this character. If only Baron had been able to team up with someone like Steve Rude, who made such a success of Nexus, The Badger would be better remembered today. If you like Billy Jack or Buckaroo Banzai, then get with the program, Larry!
He has a patron of sorts in Ham, an ancient druidic "weather wizard" who gets some of his power through animal sacrifice, and this is a sticking point with the nature-loving Badger. That's another great thing about this series - before "grim n' gritty" was the comic book norm, Baron didn't hesitate to show the rough edges of his characters, yet they still remained likable. Unfortunately, the artwork varied greatly throughout the series and was never particularly great by today's standards, but if you can look past that you can get a lot of fun out of this character. If only Baron had been able to team up with someone like Steve Rude, who made such a success of Nexus, The Badger would be better remembered today. If you like Billy Jack or Buckaroo Banzai, then get with the program, Larry!
centauria's review
4.0
Dare I say a diamond in the rough?
Definitely a different spin on the superhero genre; I actually enjoyed its oddness and absurdity. It was a fun read. It also got me thinking about certain things: people in any mental institution, the concept of what defines a hero, where do you draw the moral line (those kids got what they deserved), etc.
Pick it up and tell the world how you felt about it
It was a nice change from the overly-repeated stories and overly-used characters (tired of #superman, tired of #thejoker...I want something new, different, ORIGINAL! This was it.)
Definitely a different spin on the superhero genre; I actually enjoyed its oddness and absurdity. It was a fun read. It also got me thinking about certain things: people in any mental institution, the concept of what defines a hero, where do you draw the moral line (those kids got what they deserved), etc.
Pick it up and tell the world how you felt about it
It was a nice change from the overly-repeated stories and overly-used characters (tired of #superman, tired of #thejoker...I want something new, different, ORIGINAL! This was it.)
rebus's review
0.25
Mike Baron was a puny little wimp who was obsessed with and learning martial arts--he wrote film reviews solely about Westerns and Martial Arts, perhaps the two most bankrupt genres in film history, lauding every film he saw in the local free paper in Madison WI--which he was terrible at, when he conceived of the Badger and Nexus. He even once attempted to punch me in the groin to prove his skill, a move that I deftly avoided due to my high level athletic skills.
I was working in the Art Department of Capital--yes, the owners failed to realize that we lived in the Capitol city, they were that dumb--at the time, and it became very clear that he was terrified and paranoid, no doubt because he was always praising Ayn Rand and other architects of the Alt Right and had some deep fear of being pummeled in some bar full of punk rockers with leftist attitudes (when he wasn't stealing comic books from the damage bins of the warehouse and office supplies upstairs). Curiously, he had attended Boston College for one semester in the 70s before flunking out and returning to his birth residence in Middleton WI to take the comic world by storm, affecting a Bostonian accent for the rest of his life!
Given his abysmal tastes and pretentious attitudes, it's no surprise that his smug moralizing carries over into his work, all of which is comprised of puerile revenge fantasies as imagined by weak 12 year old boys (which is about the level of his political thinking, as he later went on the become a huge financial supporter of Trump and donates money to Alt Right groups such as the Proud Boys).
It's sick, sad, stupid stuff that should never have seen the light of day.
I was working in the Art Department of Capital--yes, the owners failed to realize that we lived in the Capitol city, they were that dumb--at the time, and it became very clear that he was terrified and paranoid, no doubt because he was always praising Ayn Rand and other architects of the Alt Right and had some deep fear of being pummeled in some bar full of punk rockers with leftist attitudes (when he wasn't stealing comic books from the damage bins of the warehouse and office supplies upstairs). Curiously, he had attended Boston College for one semester in the 70s before flunking out and returning to his birth residence in Middleton WI to take the comic world by storm, affecting a Bostonian accent for the rest of his life!
Given his abysmal tastes and pretentious attitudes, it's no surprise that his smug moralizing carries over into his work, all of which is comprised of puerile revenge fantasies as imagined by weak 12 year old boys (which is about the level of his political thinking, as he later went on the become a huge financial supporter of Trump and donates money to Alt Right groups such as the Proud Boys).
It's sick, sad, stupid stuff that should never have seen the light of day.
revslick's review
2.0
Classic Badger storyline and decent reboot; however, the art is subpar compared to the original.