There’s nothing visually fantastic in this first issue of The Boys. While Garth Ennis does write little asides–mostly from Butcher–deriding the superheroes, it’s Darick Robertson does all the heavy lifting with the visual implications. Robertson’s settings are hyper-realistic and occasionally gleefully mundane. The Boys establishes its reality feel immediately.
Ennis splits the issue between Butcher and Hughie without any explanation. There’s a little third person narration about Hughie, but otherwise Ennis just uses the force of Butcher’s character to move the rest of the issue.
There’s a lot of humor to take the edge of the occasional meanness. but Butcher can’t be too mean. He’s got an adorable bulldog, after all.
Unfortunately, there’s not much content. It’s clear Ennis is writing for the trade, given how many names he drops without establishing the characters. It’s a good comic, but so obviously a chapter versus a real issue.
CREDITS
The Name of the Game; writer, Garth Ennis; artist, Darick Robertson; colorist, Tony Avina; letterer, Greg Thompson; editors, Kristy Quinn and Ben Abernathy; publisher, Wildstorm.
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