Back when it premiered, The Boys was the perfect show for its moment. In 2019, the box office was eclipsed by Avengers: Endgame, the apex of global Marvel mania, which came equipped with a flimsy set of politics positioned, implicitly, against the rising tide of fascism. During the Trump years, mass culture became overrun by mascots—usually superheroes—making content-light declarations about the world we ought to live in, with Iron Man and his Disney overlord leading the charge. So it was cathartic to have Homelander, A-Train, The Deep, and Black Noir reminding us, in no uncertain terms, that we were living in hell. The Boys focused on Vought International, a massive multilevel conglomerate with investments in the entertainment, pharmaceutical, and paramilitary sectors. Vought is fronted by an inner circle of sociopathic superheroes, forming something of a dark Justice League, who seem to leave nothing but personal injury lawsuits in their wake. The first few seasons of the show touched on everything from police brutality to mealymouthed corporate social justice solidarity, but its dominant theme was one of feeling helpless and vulnerable in the face of towering capital and political collusion. I wasn’t surprised that it became a hit.
Read Full Article »
