The Boys (comics)

Title	The Boys
Image
Caption	Cover of The Boys Volume 1: The Name of the Game (June 2007), depicting the titular group (clockwise from top left: The Frenchman, Mother’s Milk, The Female, Wee Hughie, and Billy Butcher.)
Schedule	Monthly
Multigenre	y
Superhero	first
Ongoing	Y
Publisher	WildStorm/DC Comics (#1–6) Dynamite Entertainment (#7–72, Dear Becky)
Date	October 2006 – November 2012
Issues	72
Main Char Team	The Boys The Seven The G-Men Vought-American The U.S. Government
Creators	Garth Ennis Darick Robertson
Writers	Garth Ennis
Artists	Darick Robertson Peter Snejbjerg (#13–14) John Higgins (#26, #28) Carlos Ezquerra (#31–32, #34) Richard P. Clark (#42–43, #72) Russ Braun (#44–51, #56–71)
Pencillers	John McCrea (#33, #39, #52–55, #65) Keith Burns (#33, #39, #52–55, #65) Russ Braun (#65)
Inkers	Rodney Ramos (#11–12) Matt Jacobs (#22) Hector Ezquerra (#31–32, #34) John McCrea (#33, #39, #52–55, #65) Keith Burns (#33, #39, #52–55, #65) Russ Braun (#65)
Letterers	Greg Thompson (#1–6) Simon Bowland (#7–72)
Colorists	Tony Aviña
Editors	Ben Abernathy (#1–6) Kristy Quinn (#1–6)
Tpb	The Name of the Game
Isbn	91-33-30546-3
Tpb1	Get Some
Isbn1	19-33-30568-1
Tpb2	Good for the Soul
Isbn2	19-33-30592-4
Tpb3	We Gotta Go Now
Isbn3	18-48-56298-5
Tpb4	Herogasm
Isbn4	16-06-90082-X
Tpb5	The Self-Preservation Society
Isbn5	16-06-90125-7
Tpb6	The Innocents
Isbn6	16-06-90150-8
Tpb7	Highland Laddie
Isbn7	16-06-90207-5
Tpb8	The Big Ride
Isbn8	16-06-90220-2
Tpb9	Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker
Isbn9	16-06-90264-4
Tpb10	Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men
Isbn10	16-06-90341-1
Tpb11	The Bloody Doors Off
Isbn11	16-06-90373-X
Tpb12	Dear Becky
Isbn12	15-24-11990-3
Subcat	Wildstorm Publications
Sort	Boys

Publication history

The first six issues of The Boys were published by Wildstorm, starting in 2006. On January 24, 2007, the series was abruptly canceled with issue 6. Ennis later explained that this was because DC Comics (of which Wildstorm was an imprint before it was disbanded) were uneasy with the anti-superhero tone of the work. The planned collection of said issues was also canceled. Co-creator Darick Robertson said that "DC is being good about reverting our rights so we can find a new publisher and we're in the process of doing that now". Ennis then released a statement that some other publishers had expressed interest, and that issue 7 and a trade paperback of the first six issues would be available. While Robertson was on exclusive contract to DC, he was given special dispensation to continue working on The Boys. In February 2007 the series was picked up by Dynamite Entertainment and it resumed in May, Dynamite also publishing a collected edition of the first six issues, The Name of the Game, with a foreword by Simon Pegg, the model on whom the character Wee Hughie was based in how he was drawn by Robertson.

In February 2009, Dynamite announced a spin-off miniseries, Herogasm, with art from John McCrea and Keith Burns; subsequent miniseries include Highland Laddie and Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker, with the three series each later being compiled as volumes of The Boys.

After The Boys was completed, Ennis told CBR.com that the comic had benefitted from Wildstorm cancelling it, in that Dynamite gave him far more freedom than DC ever would have, saying, "We'd have died on the vine DC. The book would have been chipped and chipped away at until writing it was pure frustration." He also admitted to "a sigh of relief" as Wildstorm had been dissolved as an imprint not long after the move.

An eight-issue epilogue series, Dear Becky, was published from June to November 2020.

Plot

The series is set between 2006 and 2008 in a world where superheroes exist, and 9/11 had marked the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge instead of the Twin Towers. However, most of the superheroes in the series' universe are corrupted by their celebrity status and often engage in reckless behavior, compromising the safety of the world. The story follows a small clandestine CIA squad, informally known as "The Boys", led by Billy Butcher and comprising Mother's Milk, the Frenchman, the Female, and new addition "Wee Hughie" Campbell, who are charged with monitoring the superhero community, often leading to gruesome confrontations and dreadful results; in parallel, a key subplot follows Annie "Starlight" January, a young and naive superhero who joins the Vought-American-sanctioned superhero team called The Seven, the most prestigious—and corrupt—superhero group in the world and The Boys' most powerful enemies.

Characters

List of The Boys characters

Collected editions

Dynamite releases both hardcover and trade paperback collections on an ongoing basis (including those comics previously published by Wildstorm). In addition, Dynamite also releases "Definitive" slipcased hardcovers, which contain two trade/hardcover collections to an "omnibus."

Definitive Editions

Oversized Hardcover Omnibus

Awards

• 2008: Nominated, "Best Continuing Series", Eisner Award.
• 2009: Nominated, "Comic Book of the Year Under $3.00", Diamond Comic Distributor Gem Awards.
• 2010: Nominated, "Best Comic Book or Graphic Novel", Scream Awards.

Adaptations

The Boys (franchise)

Scrapped film

Variety reported in February 2008 that Columbia Pictures had optioned the comic for a film adaptation, to be produced by Neal H. Moritz. and Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi writing the screenplay. In August 2010, Adam McKay said that he had been signed on to direct the film. McKay added, "They already have a script and we're doing a rewrite on it so hopefully getting the whole thing into shape in the Fall with maybe a shoot happening in January." Columbia Pictures reported in February 2012 that it had dropped its option regarding a film adaptation of The Boys. However, Adam McKay said in a Twitter response that Paramount Pictures had picked it up, and that it was still in the works. On April 30, 2013, Manfredi and Hay were hired by Paramount to write the film, though the project never came to fruition.

Television series

The Boys (TV series)
In October 2015, it was reported that Cinemax greenlit a television series adaptation of The Boys, and that Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Eric Kripke were producing the series. In September 2017, Variety reported that Amazon Studios had picked up the series. The series premiered its first season on July 26, 2019. The second season premiered on September 4, 2020, while the third season premiered on June 3, 2022, and the fourth season premiered on June 13, 2024. In May 2024, the series was renewed for a fifth and final season.

Audiobook series

All 98 issues of the comic series have been adapted into 7 audiobooks produced with a full cast of actors, immersive sound effects and cinematic music by GraphicAudio. Volume 1 was released on May 4, 2020. Volume 7 adapts the Dear Becky epilogue series and concluded the audiobook production on May 20, 2022. The entire series lasts 31 hours, retains the 2006–2008 setting and the dialogue is a very close match to Garth Ennis' original scripts. The content rating is Ages 18+.

Animated series

The Boys Presents: Diabolical
An animated spin-off series of The Boys, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, was released on March 4, 2022.

"We Gotta Go Now" adaptation

Gen V
A live-action spin-off series of The Boys, Gen V (formerly The Boys Presents: Varsity), serving as a stand-alone adaptation of the "We Gotta Go Now" arc from the comic series, focused on Marie and the G-Men and inspired by The Hunger Games, was announced on September 20, 2020, and premiered on Amazon Prime Video on September 29, 2023.

References

• October 17, 2020, August 30, 2021, Forbes, Inside The Boy's publisher Dynamite Entertainment after the series success
• dead, November 8, 2017, Amazon Orders 'The Boys' Superhero Drama Series Based On Comic From Eric Kripke, Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen, Andreeva, Nellie, Deadline, November 8, 2017, November 9, 2017
• Garth Ennis talks The Boys and more (interview), Heidi, MacDonald, Heidi MacDonald, dead, July 14, 2012, Publishers Weekly, February 9, 2007, February 12, 2007
• So long, Boys — Ennis's Statement, Heidi, MacDonald, Heidi MacDonald, dead, January 28, 2007, Publishers Weekly, January 24, 2007, January 26, 2007
• The Boys Lands @ Dynamite Entertainment, Matt, Brady, Newsarama, February 7, 2007, February 8, 2007, February 17, 2007, dead
• Why *that* cameo in Amazon's , The Boys, is more significant than it looks, Chris, Longridge, July 26, 2019, Digital Spy
• Saying Goodbye To "The Boys" with Garth Ennis, Part 1, CBR.com, September 25, 2012
• Garth Ennis Hints at New Discoveries in , The Boys: Dear Becky, Abbate, Jake, September 20, 2020
• Ennis, Garth, Garth Ennis Commentary On The Boys #66, May 3, 2012, Bleeding Cool, May 3, 2012
• Columbia, Moritz call on 'The Boys', Tatiana, Siegel, Variety, Reed Business Information, February 20, 2008, August 7, 2010
• Borys, Kit, Two men will adapt 'Boys', The Hollywood Reporter, e5 Global Media, August 26, 2008, August 7, 2010, July 1, 2010, dead
• Q&A with 'The Other Guys' director Adam McKay, Stuart, Oldham, Boffo on , Variety, Reed Business Information, August 6, 2010, August 7, 2010, March 9, 2012, dead
• Borys, Kit, Columbia Pictures Drops Comic Book Adaptation 'The Boys' (Exclusive), The Hollywood Reporter
• Adam McKay on Twitter
• Screenwriters Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay Talk THE BOYS Movie, Adam McKay's Vision, the Involvement of Garth Ennis, and More, Collider, April 30, 2013
• dead, April 7, 2016, 'The Boys' Drama Based On Comic Book Set At Cinemax With Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Eric Kripke, Original Film & Sony, Deadline, Andreeva, Nellie, October 12, 2015
• Seth Rogen Is Shopping An Adaptation Of THE BOYS To Cable Nets, Birth.Movies.Death, Farchi, Devin, October 12, 2015
• Cynthia Littleton, Daniel Holloway, Amazon Orders Fred Armisen-Maya Rudolph Comedy, Wong Kar-wai Drama, 3 Other Projects (EXCLUSIVE), September 17, 2017, Variety, September 8, 2017
• The Boys, Season 3 Gets Premiere Date — Watch Announcement Video, TVLine, Vlada, Gelman, January 7, 2022, January 7, 2022
• 'The Boys' to End with Season 5 on Amazon, Variety, Maas, Jennifer, June 11, 2024, June 11, 2024
• The Boys Volume 1, May 1, 2020
• Diabolical, : Amazon Sets Premiere Date For , The Boys, Spinoff Animated Series, Alexandra, Del Rosario, Deadline Hollywood, January 18, 2022, January 18, 2022
• Andreeva, Nellie, September 27, 2021, 'The Boys' Spinoff Series Developed by Amazon with Michele Fazekas & Tara Butters as Showrunners, dead, September 27, 2021, January 19, 2022, Deadline Hollywood
• Maas, Jennifer, October 2, 2020, The Boys, Supe College Spinoff Is 'Loosely Inspired' by , X-Men, Parody From Comics, Eric Kripke Says, October 2, 2020, TheWrap

External links

• Sullivan, Michael Patrick (April 19, 2007). "The Boys" Are Back in Town: Ennis & Robertson Speak. CBR.com.