On the next Major Spoilers Podcast (episode 19 for those of you keeping track at home), we’ll be reviewing Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s The Boys: The Name of the Game trade paperback.
Collecting the first 6 issues of the controversial new series from PREACHER writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson (TRANSMETROPOLITAN)! Don’t miss this dark, twisted look at SUPERPOWERS, super – people, and the men and women who make sure the world’s “heroes” never go too far. Also features an introuction from writer, actor and producer Simon Pegg, the creator and star of Shaun of the Dead, Spaced and the upcoming Hot Fuzz!
Recommended for Mature Readers
You better believe this episode is not one for the kiddies or those who don’t like hear graphic depictions of sex, drugs, and super heroes gone bad.
If you’ve read the series, and would like to participate in the show, post your feedback below, or e-mail me a MP3 of your reactions by Tuesday 5:00 PM.
5 Comments
This series a product of the twisted mind that calls itself Garth Ennis is what got me back into comics and also what got me checking out this fantastic site (You guys are doing an awesome job by the way).
I’m a big fan of the classic vintage-esq kind of superhero ideal and that’s also why I’m also a big fan of comics that go and de-construct that, from Watchmen and Kingdom Come to the more grotesque The Boys and Wanted.
And that’s exactly what i have been reading. Having grown tired of the classic heroics and being to young to have been following the “ultimate” line or any of the new DC stories properly. (to me having read comics at age 13 and now returning 4 years later it looks like a cluster-bleep-)
So for me reading alternative stuff like The Boys and reading some of the great trade classics (Year One, TDK etc etc) has been the only way to get back into comics…and I’m not complaining
There really is no greater joy for me then reading “Supreme Power”, which is basically Marvel pulling the leg of their greatest competition DC or following the exploits of the oh so greatly dysfunctional Noble clan.
But i musts say I’m slowly returning to the more classic parts of superheroes comics and that Image comics “Invincible” is very much what i have been originally looking for. But i must say that with the quality of comics like Runaways and Kick-ass I’m not gonna leave the alternative line for quites some time.
All in all I’m just happy to have made my return into the jungle of comic books, and I’m really pleased to be privileged with such talented and funny native guides as you three guys, so from me to you.
THANK YOU GUYS!
But i must **ALSO** say that with the quality of comics like Runaways and Kick-ass
Had to fix that…
And if you are wondering why i got back because of “The Boys” and not another series its basically because i read, watch hear anything Simon Pegg is involved in the slightest bit. :)
At the moment The Boys is my favorite comic series, and I love superheroes. But over the last few years the idea of superheroes has appealed more to me then the execution provided by the Big Two. Especially after Wildstorm/DC repeatedly dropped the ball on The Authority.
Recently I re-read The Boys 1-6 after coming across a very negative review/analysis of the first trade on Scans Daily (http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/5517505.html), check out the link at your own risk, NSFW or sanity.
After re-reading issues 1-6, I noticed that the plot points set up at the beginning of the series are starting to pay off (slowly) and we’re getting to know some of the characters better ( I don’t want to spoil anything for the trade-waiters). I think that by the end of the series I’m going to feel like an a-hole for laughing at the “Suck It†scene. Actually, not just laughing but going back and re-reading that scene a few times, just to enjoy the confirmation that there really is a superhero casting couch. I mean, how else did Marrow get on the X-Men?
The artwork by Darick Robertson is fantastic. The level of detail in each issue always warrant’s a second look. As for the story, it’s a little slow. But I’m guessing that’s because the story is paced for the trades.
Overall, the negative response that this series seems to get out of people is actually making me enjoy the comic more. Especially the wacky theories on Scans Daily regarding what could possibly be wrong with Garth Ennis. Reading Scans Daily is like watching a DVD with a really messed up commentary (and there is nothing wrong with that).
I hope you review more “mature readers†books in the future. I liked the review of Wanted from a few weeks ago, I think I’ll go and dig it out of whichever long box it’s in and re-read it.
@Janna
Totally agree though i had to get used to the art, coloring specifically. But yeah a lot of people find the pacing to slow, luckily though the smart readers knows that it will pay of and the..uh..dimmer ones will just enjoy the non plot related shenanigans. Also being a bit farther in i can only tell ya its gonna get worse and by worse i mean better.