Comic Book Review: The Boys #3

Tyler Daniel |

Jul 24, 2016

[easyazon_link identifier=”B01D5JHPZ0″ locale=”US” tag=”bounintocomi-20″]The Boys #3[/easyazon_link], “Cherry”, finally introduces us to the JLA of THE BOYS’ world. Things are getting weird – fun but weird.

Homelander heads the 7 as a Superman type hero, and walks the new recruit, Starlight (Annie), through the 7’s headquarters. Starlight is an innocent, naive, young, and ambitious hero, who is very excited to join the legendary 7. It is every hero’s dream to be called up to join the 7. However, her final “test” is to perform oral sex for Homelander, Black Noir, and A-Train. Starlight is shocked and disgusted.

This is the real world. This is how Garth Ennis envisions a world with Superheroes, and I am buying it wholeheartedly. It is not a far stretch that in real life people perform sexual favors with their superiors – “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” How about in a world with superheroes who can basically go unpunished for their actions because of their powers? Ennis quickly raises important questions about the comic book world, but is he also making direct parallels to the real world?

[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”500″ identifier=”B01D5JHPZ0″ locale=”US” src=”http://boundingintocomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/510BCPBTJLL.jpg” tag=”bounintocomi-20″ width=”325″]

Meanwhile, back with The Boys, Butcher finally assembles them to all meet. He tells them their first mission: fire a warning shot at Teenage Kix. Teenage Kix are the Teen Titans if the members of Teen Titans were a C-rated Punisher, Wolverine, Spawn, and Deadpool (not exactly the hero types). This warning shot is supposed to let the higher-up supes know that The Boys are back and they mean business.

Ennis and Robertson do great work again. The art by Robertson shows the 7 as you would imagine them, vibrant American-hero colors with a beautiful headquarters. On the other hand, The Boys look like the bad guys in shades of black and grey working out of a dilapidated hotel. The dialogue by Ennis is as expected. He continues to give each character a personality through their dialogue and interactions with others. This issue is fast paced and grabs your attention as you learn about two organizations at one time (The Boys and the 7).

My favorite panel is when Starlight protests her final “task,” claiming that the 7 are supposed to be role models and earth’s mightiest heroes. In reality, we are getting a realistic look at how the JLA might actually act if they were given realistic, flawed personalities.

The Verdict

[easyazon_link identifier=”B01D5JHPZ0″ locale=”US” tag=”bounintocomi-20″]The Boys #3[/easyazon_link] is another solid issue by Ennis who keeps pushing the pace and giving us what we want. “Cherry” is still an introductory issue, but we are finally able to see where things may be headed. With most character introductions out of the way, a plot is developing and already we can start making some predictions about how this story will pan out. It’s becoming apparent that there should be a super-fight between The Boys and the 7, but when that will take place is still very vague. In the meantime, I’m content with The Boys running over Teenage Kix.