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Terry Hooper-Scharf

Saturday 17 December 2011

The Boys – The Big Ride (Vol. 9)





Titan Books
Garth Ennis, Russ Braun, Darick Robertson, John McCrea
Dimensions: 258 x 170 mm
Paperback: 288pp
Publication date: 25 November 2011
ISBN: 9780857689368
RRP £16.99
‘Adults’  Only


Let’s get to the synopsis:

“The Boys Volume 9 collects three separate story arcs, including the momentous issue #50, with bonus pin-ups and interviews! In issues #48-51: “Proper Preparation and Planning” – With Hughie absent, Butcher re-examines the Boys” first encounter with the Seven, trying to figure out what went wrong.

But first there”s some disquiet in the ranks to be dealt with, not to mention the return of an old and unexpected enemy who finally, incredibly, has come into his own. Meanwhile, on the Seven”s floating headquarters, a flying lesson goes badly awry… In issues #52-55: “Barbary Coast” – Hughie travels out west to finally meet Lieutenant-Colonel Greg Mallory, the man who started The Boys.

All kinds of secrets await our hero, beginning with the terrible story of the first supes to see action in World War Two. When the revelations cease, will Hughie return, or walk away from the team forever? In issues #56-59: “The Big Ride” – The countdown to the end begins, as Jack from Jupiter takes one step beyond… or does he? Hughie’s triumphant return is not all he’d hoped for, but Butcher has bigger fish to fry. And The Boys meet the mysterious Doctor Peculiar…”

To be honest there are some nice art styles here but the material is just …I can’t find any redeeming features.  I know there are a lot of Garth Ennis fans out there and when I last reviewed The Boys I think the child-like abusive comments that followed from fans spoke volumes.

I just find this stale, almost juvenile –even the, uh, more than obvious “homage” to Marvel Comics The Twelve (“Barbary Coast” part 2).  I’m sure many will buy this collected edition and, sadly, isn’t that just what it is about?  As one comic editor once said after making it clear he’d sue if I ever gave his name: “It’s shit. They’re (customers) the piggy-banks.  We sell ‘em sugar-coated shit and they buy it cuz we tell ‘em its great!”

Ah, just go buy but remember “other trade paperbacks are available” from Titan.

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