The Boys (Comic Series)

***The Boys*** is an American superhero black dramedy comic series created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson. The series was initially published by Wildstorm Productions, an imprint of DC Comics, until the sixth issue, when the book was canceled and the rights to the story and characters were reverted to the creators, allowing them to continue the series through an independent, lesser-known comic publisher, Dynamite Entertainment, starting with the seventh issue continuing through to the seventy-second.

The series created a few spin-off miniseries during its original run, including *Herogasm*, *Highland Laddie*, and *Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker*, all published by Dynamite. In 2020, the book received a sequel miniseries in the form of *The Boys: Dear Becky*.

Praised repeatedly and in huge quantities for its excellent social commentary, fascinating characters, unique tone, and brilliantly cruel humor, *The Boys* enjoyed huge critical success and a decent commercial one in its seventy-two issue run from 2006 to 2012, and its spin-offs continue to turn a profit. A film adaptation was in development for years, but after it fizzled out and died, its death spawned an adaptation in the form of an original series from Amazon Prime Video, as well as a spin-off coming soon involving the G-men. The show was renewed for a second season days before the release of its first and was renewed for a third a month before its second even premiered. Two spinoffs were later greenlit. One of them, called *The Boys Presents: Diabolical* aired in March of 2022. It included the episode I'm Your Pusher, which featured an original story written by Garth Ennis set in the world of the comics rather than the main television adaptation.

The series starred the Boys, a CIA-backed group of operatives whose job was to manage and, if need be, kill supes. The team was comprised of Wee Hughie, Billy Butcher, the Frenchman, Mother's Milk, and the Female. The book followed their continued efforts fighting The Seven and Vought-American.

## Synopsis

*The Boys* is an irreverent take on what happens when superheroes, who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians and as revered as gods, abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. It's powerless against the super powerful as The Boys embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about "The Seven," and their formidable Vought-American backing.

## Issues and Volumes

### Volume One

**The Boys, Volume One:
The Name of the Game**
May 30, 2007
Issues**The Boys #1**
August 2, 2006**The Boys #2**
August 30, 2006**The Boys #3**
October 4, 2006**The Boys #4**
October 25, 2006**The Boys #5**
November 22, 2006**The Boys #6**
December 27, 2006
### Volume Two

**The Boys, Volume Two:
Get Some**
February 20, 2008
Issues**The Boys #7**
May 30, 2007**The Boys #8**
June 27, 2007**The Boys #9**
August 8, 2007**The Boys #10**
September 5, 2007**The Boys #11**
October 17, 2007**The Boys #12**
November 21, 2007**The Boys #13**
December 12, 2007**The Boys #14**
January 9, 2008
### Volume Three

**The Boys, Volume Three:
Good for the Soul**
October 1, 2008
Issues**The Boys #15**
February 6, 2008**The Boys #16**
March 5, 2008**The Boys #17**
April 2, 2008**The Boys #18**
May 7, 2008**The Boys #19**
June 4, 2008**The Boys #20**
July 2, 2008**The Boys #21**
August 6, 2008**The Boys #22**
September 3, 2008
### Volume Four

**The Boys, Volume Four:
We Gotta Go Now**
July 1, 2009
Issues**The Boys #23**
October 1, 2008**The Boys #24**
October 29, 2008**The Boys #25**
December 3, 2008**The Boys #26**
January 7, 2009**The Boys #27**
February 4, 2009**The Boys #28**
March 4, 2009**The Boys #29**
April 1, 2009**The Boys #30**
May 6, 2009
### Volume Five

The Boys, Volume Five:
Herogasm
November 25, 2009
Issues**The Boys: Herogasm #1**
May 20, 2009**The Boys: Herogasm #2**
June 17, 2009**The Boys: Herogasm #3**
July 22, 2009**The Boys: Herogasm #4**
August 26, 2009**The Boys: Herogasm #5**
September 30, 2009**The Boys: Herogasm #6**
November 4, 2009
### Volume Six

**The Boys, Volume Six:
The Self-Preservation Society**
April 13, 2010
Issues**The Boys #31**
June 3, 2009**The Boys #32**
July 1, 2009**The Boys #33**
August 5, 2009**The Boys #34**
September 2, 2009**The Boys #35**
October 7, 2009**The Boys #36**
November 4, 2009**The Boys #37**
December 2, 2009**The Boys #38**
January 6, 2010
### Volume Seven

**The Boys, Volume Seven:
The Innocents**
November 3, 2010
Issues**The Boys #39**
February 24, 2010**The Boys #40**
March 31, 2010**The Boys #41**
April 28, 2010**The Boys #42**
May 26, 2010**The Boys #43**
June 30, 2010**The Boys #44**
July 28, 2010**The Boys #45**
August 25, 2010**The Boys #46**
September 29, 2010**The Boys #47**
October 6, 2010
### Volume Eight

**The Boys, Volume Eight:
Highland Laddie**
April 6, 2011
Issues**The Boys: Highland Laddie #1**
August 25, 2010**The Boys: Highland Laddie #2**
September 29, 2010**The Boys: Highland Laddie #3**
October 20, 2010**The Boys: Highland Laddie #4**
November 17, 2010**The Boys: Highland Laddie #5**
December 15, 2010**The Boys: Highland Laddie #6**
January 26, 2011
### Volume Nine

**The Boys, Volume Nine:
The Big Ride**
November 9, 2011
Issues**The Boys #48**
November 3, 2010**The Boys #49**
December 1, 2010**The Boys #50**
January 19, 2011**The Boys #51**
February 16, 2011**The Boys #52**
March 2, 2011**The Boys #53**
April 6, 2011**The Boys #54**
May 4, 2011**The Boys #55**
June 1, 2011**The Boys #56**
July 6, 2011**The Boys #57**
August 3, 2011**The Boys #58**
September 7, 2011**The Boys #59**
October 5, 2011

### Volume Ten

**The Boys, Volume Ten:
Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker**
March 7, 2012
Issues**The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #1**
July 20, 2011**The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #2**
August 17, 2011**The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #3**
September 21, 2011**The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #4**
October 19, 2011**The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #5**
November 16, 2011**The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #6**
December 21, 2011
### Volume Eleven

**The Boys, Volume Eleven:
Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men**
June 6, 2012
Issues**The Boys #60**
November 2, 2011**The Boys #61**
December 7, 2011**The Boys #62**
January 4, 2012**The Boys #63**
February 1, 2012**The Boys #64**
March 7, 2012**The Boys #65**
April 4, 2012
### Volume Twelve

**The Boys, Volume Twelve:
The Bloody Doors Off**
November 28, 2012
Issues**The Boys #66**
May 2, 2012**The Boys #67**
June 6, 2012**The Boys #68**
July 4, 2012**The Boys #69**
August 1, 2012**The Boys #70**
September 5, 2012**The Boys #71**
October 3, 2012**The Boys #72**
November 14, 2012
## Short Stories

Two short stories related to the series were published in benefit anthologies produced by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Image Comics.

* The Boys (Liberty Comics short story)
* The Comic That Got the Legend Fired