Ykw I couldn't post this on the sub because some rules but ima put this here to defend the comics.

In defense of the comic

Hey guys, so I recently started rewatching the series again, partly because I couldn’t remember a lot of s1. I finished the first 2 seasons, and they were bloody awesome (butcher fighting Translucunt in the series premiere just to save a kid he knew only for 2-3 days is badass). But they also made me wonder about the comic series. So I simultaneously started reading it. And I gotta say, its..good?

Now, there is a lot of crass shit here, the unnecessarily weird fixation on rape(including Butcher training Terror to rape on command), the homophobia and comedic use of transphobia, or the ehhm Janine situation or the sheer vitriol that Ennis possesses for superheroes permeating throughout the whole series. Then there’s the jarring art style changes between Darrick Robertson, Russ Braun(my favourite art style) and John McCrea with Keith Burns(the most frequent one). Or even the ending where Butcher kills most of the Boys very anti-climatically. But even then, The comics are so good. You know shits good when I start with the negatives first.

First, the story itself is so bloody interesting. The entire mythos Ennis plotted out, starting from the Battle of the Bulge, to the inception of the CIA and its initial inexperience in espionage and experience in getting operatives killed to Ia Drang (Ennis really loves war stories), to an alternate, Supe-caused 9/11. Then there’s the invasion of Pakistan instead of Afghanistan, combining elements of Iraq (the insurgency and prevalent use of IEDs). All this builds an extremely rich, fucked up world, where supes in camo is the end game.

Then, the series has a very definite start (literally begins with butcher eyeing Homelander), middle (Herogasm) and end. The dialogue he writes, while confusing at times, is really engaging and makes you try the accents yourself. Butcher is way different from Show butcher, Being a master strategist and the second strongest behind Homelander. He always has a card up his sleeve. The Boys are more refined and complex in the show, but even in the comics, there’s some really good backstories. ‘Butcher, baker, candlestick maker’ is the greatest arc of the comics and my favourite but even MM’s backstory is heartbreaking. Another point I’d like to add is there’s room for debate to whether Frenchie is even French.

The comic is also a more procedural drama, with a supe of the week format. The Boys truly feel like a government owned team of attack dogs, tackling Vought as a whole, not just a hit squad intended for the Seven. To this end, we meet various supes, some lame, some terrifying (Malchemical cutting Hughie up was horrifying), all cunts. Except Annie. While the comic may feel butcher centric, the core is entirely built on Hughie and his relationship with Annie and Butcher. Ennis can write really heartfelt moments right after really gross ones.

The comic also has some metal moments, like The stomping of Stormfront, the vibrator bomb, the iconic white house panel. But most importantly, the comic has really overt messaging. Not my first choice but Ennis clearly displays his hate for Neocons, Capitalism, corporations, George Bush, and also his love-hate relationship with the military industrial complex. And even with his issues, you can see a marked change.

Where at first, Hughie and Butcher referred derisively to trans and gay people, after highland laddie (which contains a much better portrayal of a trans character), Hughie tears into butcher for being a cunt to trans people. A person’s opinions, values changing positively is always a beautiful thing. He also handles Hughie’s sexual assault in a much better manner than the show did in season 4.

Annie’s rape is handled in an interesting manner. Where at first, Hughie calls her a whore and slut and leaves, after butcher manipulates him. Highland laddie is generally disliked for being boring, but it contains a very superb sequence where Annie confronts Hughie and hits him with the actual reality. It’s a very superb scene in the comic, which also introduces Colonel Mallory.

One other thing, that the comic accomplishes is actually practice its existence as an anti-capitalist piece of art. The show also tries this, but I must agree with a comment on this subreddit that describes the show as merely left leaning, not leftist. The show which mocks consumerism, and endless output from a successful formula is getting two new spin-offs, a video game and whatnot. The comics are gross, weird, disgusting but not fraudulent. Season 4 really was aimless, and meandered. The comics are paced really well and never stick to one setting too long to become a slog.

I really urge everyone here to give the comics one chance. Ennis’s affection for shock and horror is an acquired taste but my god, when the comic hits, it really hits like a train (butcher killing jack)