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A raunchy, dark humor (and very violent) superhero parody comic book series created by Garth Ennis and Darrick Robertson. It ran from 2006 to 2012.
Set in a world where super-powered heroes exist thanks to Compound V, a special formula created by the Vought corporation, it follows a team of vigilantes called The Boys, who combat and expose the crimes of "Supes" who secretly abused their powers against the public.
A live-action adaptation was released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in 2019 and was praised as one of the few live-action comic book adaptations that is better than the comics. Unlike the comics which were criticized for being an edgy comic about Superheroes who are secretly horrible, the show instead explores current topics like corporate greed, bigotry, extremism, abuse of power and celebrity culture. The second season aired in 2020, the third season in 2022, the fourth season in 2024, and the fifth and final season in 2026. The final two seasons would shake the reputation of the show somewhat, with the finale inspiring a second look towards the comics.
The show has three spin-offs:
The Boys Presents: Diabolical an animated anthology series that was released in 2022.
Gen V, a spin-off set in The Boys live action universe that follows the students of Godolkin University, a special university for young Supes. The first season of Gen V aired in 2023 while the second and last season aired in 2025.
An upcoming prequel, Vought Rising, focuses on the first Superheroes created by Vought during the 1950s, is set to air in 2027.
