The Boys Omnibus Vol. 3 – Review
Yeah, it seems weird to review a collection of previously published comics. However, The Boys is probably the hottest comics-related TV show right now. I went into this book relatively uninformed of the story, as I suspect a lot of new readers of The Boys will be on the heels of the Amazon Prime series.
The Boys Omnibus Vol 3
writer: Garth Ennis
artist: Darick Robertson
cover: Darick Robertson
FC | 384 pages | $29.99 | Mature
Solicitation:
Dynamite’s new compilation of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s hit series The Boys continues with Volume 3, which includes both of the original volumes 5 & 6.
An evil so profound it threatens all mankind! The mightiest heroes on the planet uniting to defend us all! A secret crisis of such utter finality that a countdown to civil or infinite war seems unavoidable! But have you ever wondered what really happens during Crossovers? The Seven, Payback, Teenage Kix, Fantastico, and every other superhero on Earth team up for an annual event like no other – and where the superheroes go, can a certain “five complications and a dog” be far behind? But as the fun and games begin, it seems our heroes have set their sights on bigger game than usual.
You can only maim and murder so many superheroes before someone decides to do something about it, and in The Boys’ case that means Payback – a superteam of unimaginable power, second only to the mighty Seven. Pulping teenage supes is one thing, but how will our heroes fare against Soldier Boy, Mind-Droid, Swatto, the Crimson Countess, and the Nazi juggernaut known as Stormfront? Blood flies and bones shatter, as Butcher and company meet fire with fire.
Review:
Warren Ellis has a style in writing super-heroes. It doesn’t show a lot of respect for the traditional model of portraying them. However, he is one of the best at it. In a comic series where the premise is that super-heroes are out of control, He does an absolutely amazing job of having them demonstrate this fact. They lie about where they’re spending their time to indulge in “Herogasm.” Needless to say, that aspect of the story is not for immature minds. The plot that unfolds within that shows the larger scope of the plot. It also underscores the real villain in this story.
I went in knowing only what I did about The Boys from the trailers for the television series. I fell immediately into the story. From what I have seen, the television series centers on Billy the Butcher, but the comic tends to use Wee Hughie as the audience’s entry into the story. He’s involved, but not completely in the world. This is intentional, and it works so well in bringing us as readers into the world of The Boys.
While the art may not look very naturalistic, it serves the story very well. The characters are consistent. I had no problem even recognizing what characters are thinking or what motives they have. Some bit players are unremarkable, which might be the only flaw to the art side of the series. Ellis demands a graphic quality to the art, and Robertson delivers in spades.
Preview Pages:
