The Pull List – The Boys Omnibus Volume One

In a world of superheroes, the US government needs a backup plan if the super-powered become too unstable to control. So when a superhero steps out of line, the Boys are the ones that get sent in. From the minds of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys is the violent response to the superhero genre that needed a reminder that not every masked hero was just. This omnibus collection contains the first fourteen issues of the team of the enforcers digging their boots into the capes of the superheroes, with a behind the scenes gallery of sketches and footnotes.  

The Boys follows the CIA backed black ops team that monitors and corrects superheroes with any means possible. From blackmail, threats and even a roughing up, the Boys have no problem making sure the super-powered fall in line. Leading the team is Bill Butcher, the tactical and merciless commander of the Boys. He is one step ahead of every enemy and always has a winning strategy. Supporting the team is Mother’s Milk, a large smooth operator that can get a plan up and running quickly. Serving as the team’s main muscles, The Frenchman and The Female are two vicious and psychotic fighters that can rack up a body count. The Boys’ newest recruit, Hugh Campbell, was a normal person that was brought into the team and finds himself in a world that a few people only have the proper classification to ever see.

Garth Ennis wanted to make a comic more twisted than Preacher, with a project that “out preachers Preacher”. Working with Darick Robertson, The Boys delivers shocking and twists adventures that explored corrupt heroes, global conspiracies, outrageous behaviors and the struggle to maintain power. There are slight nods to famous heroes, parodying some of the traits and characteristics of heroes from all franchises. This series is definitely recommended for comic fans that wanted to see the dark side of super-heroics can take on their favorite heroes.

The story is amazing, the action is violent in all the best ways, and the artwork reminds you this is no longer the golden age of heroes. Getting onboard with the comic series should speed people up for the TV adaption that is coming soon this year from Amazon Prime. Newcomers that enjoy the series get to bypass waiting to see the comic get a live-action treatment, that will hopefully be as stellar as the original. Look out for the super team the superheroes fear when this newest edition of the Boys omnibus drops this week.

The Boys Omnibus Volume One will be released March 20th, 2019.