Baaaad Muthaz

by Bill Campbell, David Brame, Damian Duffy

These women are truly baaaad. They're rough. They're ready. They're space pirates. They're a James Brown cover band. They are the BAAAAAD MUTHAZ ... Follow Afro Desia, Cali Vera, Alley Bastard, Candy Ass, Katana Jade, and Snake on their madcap cosmic adventures as they funk up the galaxy in search of the almighty booty!

After Captain Beefheart delivers some very special cargo, the Baaaad Muthaz find themselves on the run, with the entire galaxy in search of their precious booty.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comics, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

ebook

First published May 16, 2018

About the author

Bill Campbell is a native Pittsburgher. Throughout his varied and illustrious career, he has done everything from assembling Christmas toys in Cleveland; loading trucks, bookkeeping, and being an AmeriCorps volunteer in Atlanta; coordinating an elementary school literacy program in D.C. to teaching English as a second language in the Czech Republic. He's also the former publisher of the independent magazine, Contraband, and the music trade magazine, CD Revolutions.

Bill came out with Sunshine Patriots, a semi-satirical, military sf novel, back in 2004. My Booty Novel, which he likes to call "fluff for nerds," came out in 2007. His new book, Pop Culture: Politics, Puns, and "Poohbutt" from a Liberal Stay-at-Home Dad was released in September, 2010.



Bill lives in Washington, DC, where he has worked as a music critic for www.ink19.com and currently works for a company that produces books for the blind for the Library of Congress.

Reviews

[Niki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright, this was.... very underwhelming?

Not much happened plot-wise, and even though I was very intrigued (come on, that title? How could I resist? One of my favourite manga is called "Gangsta"), it never really went anywhere. Maybe this was just because it was the first issue and everything will go down later, but shouldn't the first issue be the one that got my attention the most?

The characters intrigued me too, they are all different and interesting looking. I'll probably end up reading the next issue just for them.

But.... the art I can't forgive. It's baaad. I don't know if it's just me who personally didn't "click" with it, but, there's no way to sugarcoat this: I hated it. I've read DIY underground self-published zines with more polished art than this. Hopefully this will be improved later on.

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this comic book**

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't tell what was going on in most of this. They're a band...and pirates? There's a lot of confusing, made up, future lingo to parse through as well.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley

As always I find it a bit difficult to rate a single issue of a comic because to me it's kind of like trying to rate only the first few chapters of a book - there's not really a complete story - but this was just a lot of fun and I definitely look forward to more issues. A 70s B-movie inspired sci-fi story with awesome lady pirates who are also in a band? Seriously, what's not to love. I get that this probably isn't going to be for everyone - I mean one character basically spends half the issue doing kung-fu moves in a bathrobe - but if you got excited when I said '70s B-movie' earlier then you know exactly what you're in for.

I've seen a few reviews say they hate the art, but I absolutely loved it. It's maybe a bit too 'sketchy' at times but overall it was really bright and vivid and I absolutely loved all the character designs [also I just feel like it fit the overall mood really well]. Not a lot happens here because it is just one issue, but it definitely feels like the set up for what could become a really fun series.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted this to be awesome. Funky female space pirates? Yes please!

But the execution wasn't great. I don't like to judge art because it's so subjective, but there was a distinct lack of polish to the drawing and the lettering, and I'm not sure whether that was a stylistic choice...like some friend who is not a professional or experienced comic artist got their first draft published. There really wasn't a story....I get that a first issue is going to be mostly set-up for an ongoing story, but that is not what this was. This was just pure disappointment.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing free digital access to this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small taste of what I expect to be a quick seller. Baaaad Muthaz first issue was a great introductory to the characters. I can see this story definitely going places, and the characters are going to be a hit. It's a little hard to judge too much more on this 26 page issue.... but I will definitely be reading on. Thanks to NetGalley for putting this onto my radar. I am always up for a new comic book or graphic novel series.

I have received a much appreciated digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Santy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the art.

The dialogue was just about okay but overall I actually expected more from the book and I was bit disappointed with that. It also just sort of ended abruptly, further adding to my disappointment.


*** eARC Provided By Publisher In Exchange For An Honest, Unbiased Review ***

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure this was my kinda thing, but I dig Bill’s novels, so I tried it and I was not disappointed. This graphic novel is endlessly inventive, hyperkinetic storytelling that’s deeply steeped in music history and takes delirious delight in wordplay. Definitely raunchy too, so be warned. But doe-headed Prince is not to be missed. :D

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

And...... in English, please?

Artwork - vivid, messy. 2 stars.
Plot, dialogue, comprehension levels - 0 stars.
Wanton use of bodily fluids and bad music - 6 stars.

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun silly time and I enjoyed it. It's a chaotic, psychedelic, blaxsploitation-inspired scifi romp with brilliantly colorful art. Maybe more of a low 4.5, but its average is far too low so I'm giving it a full five stars. You have to take this for what it is, which is batshit crazy, and just enjoy the ride.

(Note--I read a collected paperback of the full series, but I can't seem to find that on Goodreads, I think this is just the first issue, technically).

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Baaaad Muthaz #1' by Bill Campbell, David Brame and Damian Duffy shows some interesting promise, but it's a bit hard to tell based on 28 pages.

Characters Afro Desia, Cali Vera, Alley Bastard, Candy Ass, and Katana Jade are a band. They are also smugglers in space trying to make a buck. There are also some interesting flashbacks that Afro Desia has that make me wonder what is real and what is a dream.

It's a bit confusing and a bit all over the place. Still I liked it well enough and the art was colorful and interesting. I liked the call outs to other music groups like James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and Kid & Play. I'd be interested to see where this goes.

I received a review copy of this issue from Rosarium Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this first issue.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first issue of the series. Afro Desia and her group are a musical band, and they are also pirates and smugglers. When Captain Beefheart delivers a special cargo to the Baaad Muthaz, suddenly everyone is after them and said cargo.

This is a nice and quick story. The pace is fast; after a musical number, the action starts and keeps going. There are some small flashback sequences, but they connect to the main story. I liked the story, but this being the first issue, it felt a bit short. I also note that the story here ends in a cliffhanger.

The art is not great, but it does have a nice funk sensibility to it. On a positive note, the cover art made me think of Prince. Overall I liked this light comic. I am curious to see how they follow up, but for now this was good.

(crossposted from my blog)

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to pull up James Brown’s Get On Up to read this!

And can I just say…

I love it!

OK, so it’s not without it’s problems. It jumps around at times. Sometimes it’s a bit convoluted and hard to follow.

But, damn! It’s just so fun and colorful and amazing.

It’s really different from anything I’ve ever read, really.

It’s experimental, and different, and just hits you right in the face with how crazy it is.

Once again, this is why I’m on NetGalley.

I'll definitely be picking up a copy of this when it's available in print. It's the kind of thing you want on your shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rosarium Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A shaky but promising start - nothing much happens, which isn't so much of a knock on the first issue, but nothing much happens in a kind of boring way. The colors are amazing, however, and some of the panels are great in a 70's blacksploitation way so I'll definitely give the next few issues a try.

I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Beth Younge · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting first edition of the comic and i liked how the characters came alive. The art style was interesting and i liked how the story developed over the first comic. I do not know if i would continue this but it was a fun, brief read.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Nore · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story sucked. The characters sucked. The art, which was bad at the start, only got worse, and worse, and worse as the book went on.

I've been that person to recommend something garbo to our library. I get it. It happens. But still, I hope whoever asked them to purchase this regrets recommending it as much as I regret reading it.

[Inda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the hell out of this. I got the chance to read it today in transport and it's just my type of comic. It's my new "Heavy Metal." There are many music references, and I unintentionally paid homage to Prince by reading this on his birthday. Definitely hope this becomes a regular series.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 2 out of 5]

A space-faring rock band that's also into thievery and fighting everything in sight while also getting busy. It's an attempt to homage and outdo the 1970s exploitative movies and comics and there are times where it really works--but just not enough to recommend it, at least for me.

[B. Barron · Rating 2 out of 5]

MeH!

A disjointed mess filled with failed attempts at humor, panels of random and dull ultra-violence, and a lot of music references that might amuse a real devotee of the Funk genre.

Best to skip it and look for something good.

[Joshua Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mixed feelings here. I saw this at a convention after asking the publisher for his recommendation on the weirdest books he had. This checked all the boxes, comix, funk, weird scifi, but ultimately it just didn't do it for me

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Baaaad Muthaz are both a funk band and a crew of space pirates and they go on wild, psychedelic adventures. I'm not entirely sure I followed what was going on in this book, but it was pretty fun.

[Free ARC from NetGalley]

[Gillian Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funky, weird ass space opera fantasy stacked with references to Bootsy Collins, Prince, and the terrifying KC and Sunshine Band. Light, pulpy, and the palette cleanser I didn’t know I needed.

[Misty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well... There is A LOT of wtf going on and that's all I'm going to say.

[Dorothy Taylor]

had to put this on hold until I have a better way to read, not the book's fault!

[Stine Hopsdal · Rating 3 out of 5]

*free copy received from netgalley for an honest review *

Bahahaha, this was way trippy! Just what in hell did the authors smoke before they made this? I don't think it's supposed to be funny in that kind of way, but this was a hoot.

The story is a bit all over the place, but for me that's just a part of the weirdness. I think I'm going to check out the next one in this series. I'm already curious as to what happens next to Desia and her 'fro.

[Steven McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baaaaad Muthaz is an interesting premise that sets the tone really well but doesn’t really come into its own until the violent conclusion that made me want to read No.2. Female Space Pirates, what’s not to love.