Writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson have added yet another spectacularly sordid chapter to their uber-violent/hyper-sexual brainchild that is, “The Boys” from Dynamite Comics. The Boys # 58 plays out like a great undercard match to a UFC title fight. It builds anticipation, throws a couple of surprise punches and gets the audience drooling, howling and screaming for the main event.
If you haven’t gotten around to reading The Boys yet, and shame on you if you haven’t, let me give you a quick skinny on what the series is about: The Boys follows a secret group of government agents (Billy Butcher, Wee Hughie, Mother’s Milk, The Frenchman and The Female) as they investigate, arrest, humiliate or just outright kill the perverted, abusive deviants that pass as superheroes in their world.
The latest issue from the depraved duo sets up what might (hopefully) be the biggest fight in The Boys history: The Boys versus The Seven (who are basically twisted versions of the Justice League)! Issue # 58 is part three of an arc (“The Big Ride”) in which a returned and rededicated Hughie and his “big brother-type” Butcher investigate the murder of a transexual sex worker in a superhero-frequented bordello. As all evidence points to an obvious suspect (Jack from Jupiter; a powerful alien who enjoys being gang-banged by a room full of chicks-with-dicks) Hughie and Butcher remain reluctant to accept what looks like an open-and-shut case. Unfortunately for them, the video of Jack verbally berating tranny prostitutes as they train-wreck him from behind is released to the media causing The Seven to confront The Boys on the roof of their headquarters in Times Square.
Ennis’ writing on The Boys has never backed down from its debased, tongue-in-cheek charm that made it an instant hit when it was released in 2006 and issue # 58 is no exception. What I enjoyed about this issue was that it gets the reader revved up for the possible confrontation that may come in the next issue with the great cliff-hanger ending.
Of course Robertson’s artwork is as usual up to par. Though I’ve never been a huge fan of his almost cartoony-style superhero art, Robertson’s hilarious depictions of said superheroes’ pevertedness is so perfectly fit for the series that I couldn’t imagine anyone else drawing it. His face work is priceless and really tells half of the story.
All that being said The Boys # 58 is definitely worth a pick-up even if it is somewhat of a pedestrian issue. Overall The Boys is much more lighthearted than Ennis’ other work (which includes Preacher, Wormwood, and Crossed) balancing the violent scenes with awesome back-and-forth banter between the twisted characters on both sides of the fence. In short, The Boys is worth the pick up almost every month especially if your looking to spice up your steady diet of superhero with something a little bit more superhero/indy.
Reviewed by Nick Santos
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