Anna and Barbara are two villainesses from the 1982 Franco-Belgian comic Globetrotters, issue no. 19 of the Boule et Bill series. Text and artwork are by Jean Roba (1930-2006).
The two heroes of the comic strip, Boule the redhead boy and his best friend, Bill the cocker spaniel, have won a trip around the world in a prize competition organised by a travel agency. Boule’s parents travel with them, but at some stage they catch a different flight and therefore the underage hero and his canine friend are left with the conscientious tour guide provided by the travel agency. Each stage of their round trip offers new sights, acquaintances and adventures. Halfway through their trip, they are heading for a city on the Pacific coast of the United States. While still on the plane, a wealthy American businessman and producer of TV commercials offers Boule up to five thousand dollars in exchange for his dog, an offer which Boule indignantly refuses.
Outside the airport, he is being received by two girls who wear short karate outfits complete with black belts, indicating their proficiency as martial arts fighters. Both seem rather young and take instructions from the ruthless TV producer to follow the heroes. He addresses them by their first names (Anna, Barbara), but it is unclear which name belongs to which girl. One of them has blonde, wavy hair whereas the other wears her dark hair as a bob. None of them speaks a word throughout their brief appearance, but from their body language and facial expressions, they convey a strong confidence in their own capabilities and the success of their assignment.
A few moments later, they are seen in the front seats of a car, pulling over. They pass by the travellers on the sidewalk when the blonde distracts Bill by holding out a chain of sausages. The dog takes the bait, allowing Anna and Barbara to jump on and grab the poor creature, shove it into the car and drive off. Boule can only watch in horror as his friend is being abducted by the miscreants.
Inside the car, the producer promises Bill fame and fortune, starting with a shampoo commercial on TV. It should perhaps be added at this point that a running gag in the Boule & Bill series is Bills’ hydrophobia and his abhorrence of being washed. Upon hearing this, Bill attacks his kidnappers furiously. The next thing we see of the two karate ladies is a scene of utter defeat and humiliation. Completely overrun by Bill’s fury, because they look utterly pathetic as their outfits have been ripped to pieces and their hair dishevelled. The evil blonde leans against a fire hydrant on the sidewalk with her black karate belt undone. Her brunette friend is left in an even more humiliating position, with her arms and upper body are stretched over the hood of the car. Her blue panties are revealed as a result of a large piece of her outfit torn off by a painful bite into her derriere. Bill escapes, and none of the ladies dares to pursue him. The villainesses’ subsequent fate is unclear, but the two friends will reunite shortly afterwards.
