Graphic Novel Talk: The Adult Section Of The Comic Shop

[Lantern7]

First of all, I will be perfectly okay with this topic title getting replaced. I saw there wasn't one, and I figured that it would be needed. I'm not going to watch on account that I don't have subscription cable . . . but that didn't stop me from posting a similar thread when the Doom Patrol forum (now collapsed) came out.

I haven't read the books in years, but I know it's basically Garth Ennis doing what Garth Ennis does best . . . taking the absolute piss out of the superhero genre. He was able to do that back when he wrote Hitman for DC Comics, but he goes full-tilt with The Boys. Art is from co-creator Darick Robertson, who got his degree in comic satire from two notable books: Transmetropolitan (with Warren Ellis) and Happy! (a four-issue miniseries with Grant Morrison that wound up getting two seasons on SyFy).

I'm willing to bet there will be divergences from the source material, but I'm still recommending new viewers to read the books. Also, while I doubt the "Herogasm" arc will be filmed (basically, it's a week-long super-powered fuckfest), I will concede the series probably won't be bound by traditional standards and practices, which means The Boys might be more Garth than Happy! And considering what Happy! got away with, that might be something to see.

[Lantern7]

For anyone that subscribes to Comixology . . . they got the first six trade paperbacks available for borrowing.

ETA: Grant Morrison wrote Happy! I feel like a putz, even if no one notices.

Edited August 9, 2019 by Lantern7

[blackwing]

On 8/5/2019 at 8:11 PM, Lantern7 said:

For anyone that subscribes to Comixology . . . they got the first six trade paperbacks available for borrowing.

ETA: Grant Morrison wrote Happy! I feel like a putz, even if no one notices.

I just read the first Omnibus volume, which collected the first 14 issues.  I enjoyed some of the plots that made it to the TV show, and found the ones that weren't on the show interesting as well.  What I found most interesting is how little of The Seven there was in these issues... the focus is definitely on The Boys. Most of the Seven barely appear in the book, such as The Deep, Black Noir, Queen Maeve, and the one that is apparently called Jack from Jupiter.  Whereas on the show it seemed like there was almost way more focus on The Seven, particularly Homelander and Starlight, and we actually see them doing superhero things.

The show had a lot more of the sense that superheroes are out of control, while in the comic it's not as stressed as much.  Other than the fact that "one of them" killed Butcher's wife.  However, overall, I enjoyed the read.  Going to read the next ones too.

Question on the Russian story arc.  I remember Butcher saying that Compound V could be dangerous and out of control and sometimes certain people react badly to it.  But how exactly did he get all those superheroes' heads to explode at exactly the same time?

[Lantern7]

I don't use Amazon, but I've been hearing a lot about the show. Question: how does Stormfront-Amazon compare with the comic version? The only arc I saw him in action was "Self-Preservation Society," which ended with most (if not all) of his team dead and him getting stomped out. He was damn nasty there. One member of Payback (Mandroid, I think) said something so incredibly vile that I'll be needing the spoilers to say it.

Spoiler

Speculation: Stormfront jerks off to Holocaust documentaries

I think "Because Garth Ennis" applies there. Seriously, though, I've been seeing a shitload of hate directed toward the TV version, so I'm just curious.

ETA: I hear Jensen Ackles will be going from Supernatural to playing Soldier Boy next season. Basically, Soldier Boy is Captain America if he was stupid. And whipped. To his credit, he did call out the names of states during attacks way before All Might did that in My Hero Academia.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Lantern7

[Mr. Sparkle]

7 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I think "Because Garth Ennis" applies there. Seriously, though, I've been seeing a shitload of hate directed toward the TV version, so I'm just curious.

For me, I like the show better than the comics for The Boys. I read maybe the first 30 issues and got bored. Honestly, too much pointless violence. 

On the flip side, I liked Preacher and read the whole series at least 3 times. The show was a pale imitation for me.