Movies - TV
Essential Comics Every Fan Of The Boys Needs To Read
By DEVIN MEENAN
Marshal Law
Marshal Law is a futuristic police officer in "San Futuro," who’s tasked with policing superheroes who are dangerously unpredictable at best, and deviants at worst.
Garth Ennis openly cites Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neill's British comic as an inspiration for "The Boys." While Ennis mocks superheroes, Mills despises them as fascists.
Each panel is packed with detail. O’Neill draws his superheroes with the same outrageous and colorful costumes as the real deal but makes them look grotesque, not inspiring.
Miracleman
Alan Moore's comic centers on journalist Mike Moran, who’s forgotten his boyhood adventures as Miracleman until he recalls the magic word "Kitoma!" that gave him powers.
The gore of "The Boys," which is so often about exploring the dark potential of superpowers, doesn't exist in a world without "Miracleman" #15's climatic battle that levels London.
The Ultimates Vol. 1 & 2
Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's "The Ultimates" was the primary inspiration for 2012's "The Avengers," only it’s a lot more similar to "The Boys."
Ultimate Captain America is Soldier Boy before Soldier Boy, Ultimate Iron Man has utterly surrendered to the demon in a bottle, and the SHIELD characters are all soulless spooks.
Earth's Mightiest Heroes topple foes of the American Empire. The "villains" of Volume 2 are the Liberators, an international coalition of superhumans assembled to invade America.