Book Review: Codename Baboushka vol #1

Book: Codename Baboushka volume #1: The Conclave of Death (issues #1-5) by Antony Johnston with cover art and illustrations by Shari Chankhamm with letters by Simon Bowland

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Mysterious young heiress Contessa Annika Malikova has been part of Manhattan high society for several years... but if they knew the truth, her dinner companions would faint! The white-haired Contessa is in fact the notorious criminal "BABOUSHKA" — a former Moscow gang leader, now living in exile!

But Baboushka's retirement is about to be shattered, as the US government has somehow discovered her true identity, and blackmails her into working for them! Now she must infiltrate a secret conclave of global crime lords, on a cruise liner, to retrieve information for the Americans. But nobody reckoned on the boat being hijacked by pirates...


Rating: 1 star

Review:

Good artwork but a very boring and predictable story. Codename Baboushka vol #1 is a generic spy story with Contessa Annika Malikova being forced by a shadowy US government organization to go back into the crime business in order to work for them. Before gaining asylum in the United States, Annika was a leader of one the Russian gangs. She went by the codename Baboushka but when things went bad she and her friend ex-KGB agent Gyorgy made their way over to the US with a slightly fabricated story. But when the truth was found out she was now going to have to return to her old ways in order to keep them both from being deported.

Using her outstanding skills and abilities she takes out a crime boss to make it easier for her to attend a secret meeting on a yacht. The meeting was for her to obtain a database by outbidding other criminals but that doesn't go as plan when the ship was hijack by pirates. But there is more going on than a simple hijacking, someone has orchestrated the attack, leaving Baboushka to come to the rescue. 

What annoyed me about this besides the all flash and no substance story, was Baboushka. She was too perfect, she could do anything. Not only can she kill a crime boss and get away from his armed security but take out a ship full of pirates without any real effort and not to mention stop the person behind it. She got a little assistance from Gyorgy but he was mainly her Oracle/Alfred Pennyworth feeding her information over the communicator.

I found the writing to be mediocre with it focusing on all the fast-paced action and adventure. However, story wise it's empty. This is like one of those outlandish action movies with a generic plot and flat and uninspiring characters.

I had been planning on buying this but I'm glad I was able to read an advanced reader copy before hand. This was so boring. Which is why I'm giving it the Beast Boy Boredom Award. Because that's just how bored I was reading this. I think I'm going to start giving out this award whenever I find a really boring book.

This was a disappointing read, the only thing I liked about it was the artwork. With that said, I have no interest in reading the second volume whenever it becomes available.