The Badger is a comic created by Mike Baron, originally published by Capital Comics in 1983 and then moving to First Comics with issue #6.
The Badger, otherwise known as Norbert Sykes, is a Vietnam war veteran and vigilante with multiple personalities. The one most dominant is the Badger, but the others include Max Swell, nine-year-old Emily, and Pierre. The persona of the Badger is Norbert's coping mechanism for his PTSD.
Norbert works as a bodyguard for Hamilton "Ham" Thorndyke, a 5th century druid who was put into a coma by the rest of the wizarding community and woke up in the 20th century. Also employed by Ham is Daisy Fields, a clinical psychologist, who acts as his secretary when not providing therapy for Norbert.
The series tends to be tongue-in-cheek while also providing occasional biting political commentary.
No connection to the BBC show Badger.
The work provides examples of:
- Author Tract: The last issue of First Comics' Badger run - a Christmas Episode - has Mike Baron delivering several less than subtle messages about his political views. Many of them are put in Santa Claus' mouth.
- Blood Magic: Ham's magic relies on blood sacrifices. He used to use people, but now he sacrifices animals.
- Camp Gay: Originally Max seems to have some attraction to women, but later on in the first volume and in succeeding Badger comics he's outright said to be gay.
- Crossover: Thanks to time travel, he guest starred several times in Nexus, also by Mike Baron.
- Druid: Ham is specifically a reformed renegade druid.
- Overly Long Name: Ham's real name is Hammaglystwythkbrngzzaxotl. He's Welsh.
- Split Personality: Besides the Badger, inside Norbert's head is also Emily, a nine-year-old girl; Pierre, a French psychopath; Leroy, a dog; Max Swell, a playboy; and Gastineau Grover Depaul, an African-American Vietnam vet.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: Norbert is capable of talking fluently to most animals, although his ability gets fuzzy when there's vampires nearby.
- Rip Van Winkle: Ham was put into a 1500-year sleep by his fellow druids and wizards because his use of magic and human sacrifices was out of control.
- As Long as It Sounds Foreign / Aerith and Bob: Hammaglystwythkbrngxxaxolotl as a Welsh name?
- Violence Really Is the Answer: One short story has Badger debating this with a crippled busker. At the end after the Badger saves him from a mugger the musician concedes that there are times violence is called for while remaining personally committed to pacifism.
