The first teaser for The Boys, Amazon Prime’s adaptation of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s dark graphic novel about blue-collar vigilantes taking down corrupt superheroes, is a bit of in-universe programming: a commercial for Vought, the agency that manages caped crusaders through the kinds of careers more commonly seen for celebrities or politicians. It’s a short clip but nonetheless gives you a sense of the world that Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Preacher) are adapting for television.
This particular teaser’s release during New York Comic-Con is well-timed to the series’ general presence at the convention; there’s a giant poster at the Javits Center reading “F*** SUPERHEROES” above a giant rant about reining in these godlike protectors who are more likely to use their superpowers and/or mythical weapons for their own gain.
Plus, a fun bit of casting news out of the con: Simon Pegg, long a fan favorite for the character of Wee Hughie, will indeed join the series—but as the father of Wee Hughie, played by The Hunger Games’ Jack Quaid.
The official synopsis, from Amazon Prime:
In a world where superheroes embrace the darker side of their massive celebrity and fame, The Boys centers on a group of vigilantes known informally as “The Boys,” who set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than their blue-collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty. The Boys is a fun and irreverent take on what happens when superheroes—who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as Gods—abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It’s the powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about “The Seven,” and Vought—the multi-billion dollar conglomerate that manages these superheroes.
The Boys will premiere sometime in 2019.
Not sure this will work. The Boys is clearly taking aim mainly at DC comics — while there are arcs dealing with versions of the x-men and avengers, the main focus is ultimately on the Justice League (the Seven) and especially a full-frontal attack on the idea of Superman. It’s a reaction to stuff like All-Star Superman.
But that’s not really something that exists in Superhero movies? For most of the superhero movie audience the face of the genre is not Superman but rather Iron Man et al. And none of those Marvel movies are really dedicated to selling their protagonists as great paragons — even Captain America doesn’t really do this. There’s also the changes to the political situation: Ennis was clearly evoking the idea that George Bush II was an idiot and a sockpuppet for his vice-president. You could quite easily have fun with an equally thinly-veiled Donald Trump, of course.
For a televised version of something like The Boys to work, they would need to rework the entire setting. You would need to have a version of the Avengers at the top of things, rather than the Justice League (or, really, Superman). This wouldn’t be that hard to do, honestly — but it would be a different story.
Attacking the Justice League from a small-press comic in 2007 is punching up. Attacking the Justice League with an Amazon Prime television series in 2019 feels more like kicking a man when he’s down, lol. Not a moral judgement — it’s just not that funny.
(Also, “blue collar”? Do we ever see or hear of any of the Boys engaging in manual work? Except for Hughie (who I would imagine worked in an office) and the Female (a mafia assassin) the only work we see them doing is as soldiers, I think?)
I’m curious how much of the same-sex mayhem will be portrayed in this…the comic was groundbreaking in showing many aspects of sexuality, often the idea that people elevated above humankind would indulge like rock stars in utter gratification. If all we get is heterosexuality, it will be a sad thing.
Looks great, and that Simon Pegg casting is a nice little bit. One thing I’ll never get used to is Wee Hughie not having a beard while Butcher does.
(Also, “blue collar”? Do we ever see or hear of any of the Boys engaging in manual work? Except for Hughie (who I would imagine worked in an office) and the Female (a mafia assassin) the only work we see them doing is as soldiers, I think?)
What, “soldier” isn’t a blue-collar profession? Since when?
Butcher and MM are both from poor urban working-class backgrounds; Hughie from a fairly poor rural one.