comicsforever: So I Read Today… The Boys #01 to #72 // by...

comicsforever:

So I Read Today… The Boys #01 to #72 // by Dynamite Entertainment (2009 to 2012)

Yeah you read that right. I read this one in one sitting through a whole week. Recently it was announced that Cinemax is starting work in a series based in this little gem by the always-reliable Garth Ennis with artists Darrick Robertson, John McCrea and Russ Braun. Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: if you are sensitive towards Superheroes and dislike Preacher or Hitman this not a comic for you. This is however one fucked up damn good reading from the first to the very last number. The premise (and the sources to drawn on) couldn’t be more simpler, yet totally compelling and relatable, let’s try to sum it up:

Imagine a world where real life superheroes exist. Try to picture that from the POV of the world’s powers and the normal people. The endless battles that always take their fair share of human casualties are bound to create a source of discomfort among the powers-that-be and this people should be (sure as hell) policed and kept a leash on. Now imagine that the very existence of these powerful beings is just a flat out big fucking lie. A lie feed to you via every social media that exists and managed by a really y big fucking corporation just to make sure you love them, worship them and of course, spend your hard earned dollars on everything that has their faces on them.

Imagine for a minute that Superman is not the moral and stand-up guy you believe him to be, but rather a sociopath, a bully and a killer. Imagine that Wonder Woman is just a sex addict and alcoholic who doesn’t give a fuck about anything anymore. Picture Professor X as this huge pederast that only farms kids in his school to have a endless supply of “students” to please his twisted cravings. Imagine the Avengers playing second fiddle to the most profitable team the company has (read the previous example) until a little “accident” makes them go away and they have a shot to be the top dogs. The Justice League is just this huge team of bastards that are always sitting their asses on their satellite doing nothing but corporate appearances and negotiating their contracts to ensure themselves vast amounts of money for every single thing they do. The corporation running things? Imagine Marvel and DC fused in one big company whose sole end is to weaponize Superheroes with defense contracts, you know, where the real money is in the world. There is not archetype of Superhero that it’s not touched by Ennis in the most comedic and fun way you could perceive through the series. Believe me: if you have read anything by the big three imprints in the last 10 years you’ll get every reference right away.

How do you keep these beings and this corporation on a leash? how do you ensure that humanity is kept in the driver’s seat when all this power running around unchecked? The US Government and the CIA has The Boys: Five superpowered bastards with a very special set of skills that are always ready to give these kids in spandex a well-deserved beating when they misbehave and believe me… there is a lot of misbehaving in the whole series. Your five main characters are full of complexity and they are all a riot to read, special mention to Billy The Butcher who’s basically every though bastard you’ve ever read rolled into one character and Wee Hughie, who by Superheroes standards is just this man-bitch with a whole sea insecurities but a heart in the right place (i.e: the most normal human being in the whole book) plus: he was modeled to look like Simon Pegg.

Still not convinced? Hell you should really give this one a try. If you are into superhero comics you’ll get a brand new perspective from a POV you have never considered and most of all: your laugh your ass off.

(repost)

Posted in: Reviews & Appreciation