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The Boys, Volume 4: We Gotta Go Now (2009)

by Garth Ennis(Favorite Author)

4.05 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1606900358 (ISBN13: 9781606900352)

languge

English

genre

Horror

publisher

Dynamite Entertainment

series

The Boys

review 1: Vol. 4 and we keep chugging along with our band on CIA-backed Supe-policers. Starting with the cover, this is a big tribute to Animal House, John Landis,and John Belushi (his character Blutarsky specifically). Hughie is sent undercover to investigate the G-Men (X-Men) and he starts by becoming one of the G-Wiz crew and he finds that they pretty much party all day and night like it's Animal House; they even wear Togas, and the gross guy is named Blowchowski (His superpower is to vomit acid).This is a fun start, but Hughie is very uncomfortable with things in the house.He got sent in because one of the G-Men killed herself in public, and that got the Boys wondering about things. Ennis just rips the X-Men to pieces here, with all the teams (G-Men, G-Street, G-Coast, G-Wiz, G-... moreBritain, G-Unit (wait no, that's real life...oops)) and how much money they're worth in merchandising to V-A. There's also a rather disturbing 'what-if' type scenario about their Charles Xavier figure. Ennis has his character discuss how they're supposed to be 'edgy, anti-establishment, etc. totally letting us know what he really thinks of the X-universe. When the statue of fallen Kincade is put up, it even says something about "Phoenix" on it, mocking Jean Grey. The head of the G-Men is a Motorcycle Cop looking dude with red glowing goggles...hmmm Cyclops? lol.The suicide of one Silver Kincade is investigated by Mother's Milk, who really breaks the story, and who has a great story line in the small town where things happen, and with someone connected to things. I loved this part, as we don't get enough usually of MM, and this humanized him even more for me. Butcher finds out some things about the CIA-director he doesn't like, and Frenchman tries to keep the Female in check from her violent urges.The finale of the undercover op is pretty spectacular and it's the only time all series I've seen all 5 members of the Boys look speechless.As with all so far, this is well worth reading.
review 2: "We Gotta Go Now" is Ennis and Robertsons' take on the X-Men and that whole brand of heroes with younger X-Men like X-Factor, etc. "Orphans" get taken in and trained by a creepy benefactor who uses them to profit off and continue the cycle. Then one of them kills themselves and another who is supposed to be dead turns up "alive" and things turn out to be not as they were. The usual debauchery, ultra-violence, and bad taste are in abundance with the added delight of Wee Hughie dressing up as a supe. I'm sure Ennis' note on that page was "make Hughie as gay as you can" and Robertson just ran with it. It's a joy. "The Boys" is one of the most enjoyable series of recent years and making fun of superheroes is an utterly fun subject, far more enjoyable than Moore's drab and overrated "Watchmen" makes out. I loved Tek Knight (a Batman spoof) from "Get Some" and how that ended showing Ennis and Robertson at their most cheeky (what Tek Knight did to his wimpy, gay sidekick for example, and Ennis/Robertson's solution to Tek Knight's "troubles"). Similarly the brilliantly written and drawn alternate take of 9/11 in "Good for the Soul" which showed a completely overwhelmed superhero team floundering and failing. What a great counterpoint to all the comics in the aftermath of that day where people were asking the likes of Spiderman and Superman "Where were YOU?". Ennis' response is to show how idiotic they are as a creation and how ridiculous a world is that relies on a man wearing underpants on the outside flying about the place. The whole point of "The Boys" is to make fun of the most popular characters and genre in comics through comics and counter them with a group of psychos who are perversely the heroes. Another way to look at it is to say we don't need superheroes, they're arrogant b*st*rds who cause more damage than they save. But it's mostly just good fun and they always keep that in perspective (the next book is titled "Herogasm"). It's clear Ennis and Robertson are having a ball with this series and it's a pleasure to read each book. The writing is snappy and the plot coming thick, fast and edgy. Robertson's always been a maverick artist with his work adding to much of the appeal of "Transmetropolitan" and "The Boys" continues to show his work as good as ever. Catch these books as they come out, it shows two artists at the top of their game, never better. less

Download links for: The Boys, Volume 4: We Gotta Go Now

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