The Boys #37 review

Who likes the French? They are loved by few and certainly not cherished nor respected by Irish author and comic badass Garth Ennis. In this issue, The Frenchman shares his tragically corny origin story with Hughie. Ennis is able to not take himself nor his charcters too seriously which make his issue a lot of fun.

Ever notice how origins stories often fall into a predictable cookie cutter outline? Authors and comic enthusiasts alike know the formula. Writers habitually use it, while devout readers cringe. As Ennis has used The Boys to mock just about everything in the superhero comic industry, now he attacks the origin story and the French. Yes!

Returning from the war to his small village, Frenchie soon learns that life has changed. The Frenchman is from a small village called Franglais, showing the French’s secret love for the English. Artist Darick Robertson nails every French stereotype with his talented pencils. There’s an annual tradition of jousting on bikes with large loaves of French bread. What happens when Frenchie’s childhood rival uses an illegal croissant? Will Frenchie get his long lost love? Will he make a cheesy vow to avenge his father’s honor? How did he meet the Butcher? Mon Dieu!

The Boys has long arcs that can drag at times. Ennis strikes gold with this single-issue story. This is what The Boys should be – fun, irreverent, well written, and a kick to the nuts that the comic industry so rightly deserves.

4 out of 5

Garth Ennis’ Boys crash the superheroes’ orgy while the vice-president of the United States satisfies his every kinky desire.  With last issue’s buildup, the Boys infiltrating the party looked like it would be the catalyst this series needed.  Unfortunately, it didn’t work.  Actually, it just flat out failed.

Muddled down with meandering plotlines, Garth Ennis just can’t seem to find a clear direction for this story.  This issue is filled with tiny moments that are fragmented and disconnected.  Nothing clicks; nothing works; it all falls flat.  From trite conversations to poorly executed action sequences, I was bored.

Thankfully, The Boys is still a satisfying read, because this series is suck-central.

.5 out of 5

Garth Ennis hits his stride with the Boys, as they return to what they do best – kicking the crap out of superheroes.  However, Butcher and the team are experiencing a reversal of roles as they have become the hunted.  With the Female in a comma after being attacking by a supe, The Boys are ready to spill blood.

Ennis wisely devoted most of this issue to some long overdue brawling.  The throw down between the Boys and the sup-team assigned to take them out is nasty and not for the faint of heart.  Vought American is still plotting and scheming in the background, but this one is just a blood fest.

Artist Darick Robertson shines as the sadistic star of this issue.  From a blood-soaked nut crush to a nose bitten and spat away, Robertson’s ability to put Garth Ennis’ revolting ideas onto pages is a sickening thing of beauty to witness.  The fighting sequence works because of Robertson’s fluid panels and dynamic moments.

I think I threw up a bit in my mouth reading this one, but that’s why we read The Boys.  Roll up your sleeves for the next one because round two should kick ass and crush nuts.

4 out of 5

After the unnecessarily drug out “We Gotta Go” arc, they Boys return to a fresh new story.  The first pages are what the Boys should be doing, jumping unsuspecting super heroes with bats and dishing out a good ol’ fashion stomping.  However, the supes have decided to swing and stomp back.

I like the new direction Ennis takes in this issue.  Vought American, the mastermind company exploiting superpower teams for their own gain, is seeking revenge against the Boys.  If Vought is sick enough to take out their own people at will, imagine what they will do to their sworn enemies.  Garth wastes no time in dishing out surprises.  Hughie struggles with his role in the group and bellyaches to his super-powered girlfriend, Annie.  She, Starlight and unknown to Hughie member of the Young Americans, is also bitching about her “job.”  Their whining is getting old; I hope their mutual discontent leads to decisive action soon.  The buildup is losing steam; we need payoff.

The art is consistent with the rest of the series.  Sufficient details are paid to gore and boobs, satisfying fans of this series for sure.

The last page is a good cliffhanger, possibly changing the face of the team forever.  Hopefully this arc will continue and conclude as well as it began.

3 .5 out of 5

This is one of the best comic book covers of the year! Unfortunately, that’s where the praise ends.  I am so sad to write this review.  What was once at the top of my pull list has fallen both hard and fast.  With only one more issue to his third story arc, Gath Ennis’ The Tankies isn’t a good read.

The first two arcs were phenomenal.  They stood out from the plethora of WWII tales because of their unique characters.  These were character driven stories placed in original situations written by the master of war stories himself, Ennis.  The Tankies fails on both levels.  There are too many pages wasted on dialogue without advancing the plot or enriching the characters.  The conversations are rambling and appear rushing in their writing.  It’s as if Ennis liked the idea of a story about British Tankies, but couldn’t think of compelling characters and a griping plot.

Carlos Ezquerra’s art is the bright point of this read.  However, it’s not enough to save an overall boring issue.  This series has been so good that a poor story arc is forgivable.  Garth Ennis lost this battle, but he’s got formidable ammo for future skirmishes.

2 out 5

In this issue, the Dean of Gore and Sadism, Garth Ennis attempts to develop characters, but it’s too little too late.  Crossed is Garth’s vehicle for portraying that, which was too deplorable for Preacher and too over the top for The Boys.

The “crossed” virus transforms people into psychotic cannibals with dirty mouths and overactive sexual appetites.  Unlike the typical zombie-like roamers, Garth Ennis’ undead rape, curse, steal, pillage, and bludgeon with horse penises.  The guy is actually called Horse Penis.

None of that is in this issue.  Not one infected haunts these pages.  While it is a welcomed respite from the depravity, this is an odd choice and just does not work.  Ennis attempts to provide depth to his band of survivors through conversations and self-reflection.  Even after reading this, I can’t name one character and I care even less about them.

The character exposition is out of place and awkwardly written.  Ennis should have been doing this from the start of the series if he wanted his survivors to be more than cannon fodder.

1 out of 5

Can Garth Ennis find a new un-flushed toilet bowl of material?  The answer is a disgusting, yes – a super hero orgy.  In this mini-series spinoff of his popular series “The Boys,” Ennis treats his emotionally stunted audience (including me) to a vacation with the superheroes.

All of earth’s supes leave to battle an alien threat in the deep reaches f space.  Of course, this is a ruse.  The superheroes are all at a non-disclosed location to relax, recoup, and indulge their sexual appetites.  Welcome to Herogasm!  I’ll give it to Ennis, that’s an original premise.  Sick, but fresh.

What can I say?  It’s all the foulness you would expect and then some.  The two-page splash of the poolside antics is not something your mother should see (unless she’s a hooker).  The blue beauty Shehemoth seemed especially to be having a good time.  You can only imagine what the “Ant Man knockoff” was up too.  Eventually, The Boys show up and bring with them the semblance of a plot.

If you are offended by gratuitous sex, run!  Forget sexual innuendo, nothing is left to imagination in these pages.  I took a shower and cried after reading this.  It was too over the top for my taste.  Herogasm crosses the line without enough laughs.  I can’t rate it too harshly; it delivers what it promises.  Just take a look at the cover.

3 out of 5

A real shocker closes out this arc for The Boys.  “We Gotta Go Now” has been the longest arc on this series to date.  Sadly, it didn’t have to be this long to get to the point.  I’m glad to say that the conclusion was worth the wait.

Hughie’s undercover work with G-Wiz, the entry-level super group for the G-Men, comes to an authentic Garth Ennis ending.  I mean Ennis in top form, not cheap shock and awe. Godolkin, the bizzaro Prof. X character, is unveiled in this issue.  We learn how he baits innocent kids to join G-Wiz and his tactics to keep them there.  It’s not a shocking reveal, but penned by Ennis it made my skin crawl.  Ennis exposes the story via confession by a G-Wiz member who breaks down to Hughie and the team.  It’s heart-wrenching and sick, but Ennis is effective and handles the reveal well.  Other lose ends tie up (Godokin’s connection to Vought and Mother’s Milk investigation of a missing kid) without much fanfare.

This arc was too long, often dragging to a snail’s crawl.  Ennis could have told the story in four issues.  It would have saved me money and that’s always good.  In the pervious issue, an interesting tension developed between Hughie and Butcher.  There’s no mention of it here, but too much was happening to really flesh it out.  Hopefully, Ennis builds on it.

Darick Robertson’s art has become as essential to The Boys as Ennis’s writing.  He draws The Boys so they look like bad asses (even Hughie).  He handles the big reveal with skill.  It’s up to him to pull it off, as panel after panel, are wordless yet shocking, horrible and bold.  It’s good to have Darick back.

Ennis and Robertson get back on their game with this arc’s final two issues.  A few issues ago, I was debating dropping this title.  Well, I’m in for a bit more.  I’ll stick around at see what they have planned for The Boys.

3 out of 5

The Boys are back on track.  After suffering through this meandering story arc, issue 28 delivered the stuff that makes The Boys a good read.

For some time, infamous author Garth Ennis was off his game.  Ennis, who is known for his over the top story matter both in sex and violence, is now more focused on story rather than cheap shockers.  That doesn’t mean this is great, but getting better.

Hughie has been pulled out of his undercover assignment with G-Wiz.  However, he’s now invested in the new recruits he has bonded with and can’t leave just yet.  The story pieces of how these young men and women are recruited into the G-Wiz flock begin to take shape.  The confrontation between Hughie and G-Wiz comes to a fun boiling point.

For me, the novelty of The Boys is wearing off.  I want to see the direction it takes at the conclusion of this story.  I am at a crossroads with this book.  This issue gives me some hope, but I’m not sold yet.  I am willing to buy at least one more issue.

3 out of 5

Garth Ennis delivers a straight up, ruthless tale of warring brothers. Bob Saetta has evidence that can put his mobster brother, Paul, away for life.  Needing to protect his family and friends, Bob returns to Brooklyn to confront his wayward brother.

Bones are broken, heads are cracked, and a few other gruesome surprises are par for the course.  This is a fun read. This issue offers a sick moment that I really didn’t see coming.  If you’ve ever had it with a nagging, opinionated loved one, you’ll get a chuckle.

This book does have its flaws.  There are a few moments of action that push the realism the story is based in to the limit.  I have a love –hate relationship with the art.  I like the realistic photo quality in which the characters drawn. However, the same effect can fail miserably at times, making people look like mannequins.

Back to Brooklyn is entertaining.  If you miss The Sopranos, fagettabout it; Back to Brooklyn will satisfy your Italian mob sweet tooth.

3 out of 5