‘The Boys’ Spinoff Is a ‘Perverted Marvel’ Show With a ‘Ton More Dick Jokes’
The Boys has been a smash hit since the release of its initial season on Amazon Prime in 2019. And fans eagerly await the show’s third installment. Audiences immediately resonated with the show’s subversion of the normal superhero formula to bring to life a gritty, corrupt world where superpowers are just a part of everyday life. And there’s more to come. Showrunner Erik Kripke gave hints regarding a The Boys spinoff series set in the “Extended Vought Universe.”
‘The Boys’: dark satire or gritty realism?
The Boys takes place in a world much like our own. In it, social and economic problems aren’t skipped over with a fade to black and a peppy musical score. Unlike other superhero stories, the show focuses on the real-life repercussions that result from such power in a few hands. Vought’s “supes” look like Marvel’s to the public. But they’re often two-faced con-men manipulating public opinion through marketing. They’re also pawns of a corporate empire with much darker intentions.
The titular band of vigilantes in the story goes to often horrific lengths to exact justice on the “heroes.” At times it’s unclear whether the show takes itself seriously or slips fluidly into outright satire. Power does tend to corrupt, and the brutality of The Boys shows a more nuanced version of what superheroes would really look like than what’s shown in the idealistic world of Marvel. It creates a compelling series with comedy elements as fan expectations are repeatedly subverted, but also a high level of character development and drama.
Many more stories to tell with ‘The Boys’ spinoff
The concept of The Boys isn’t brand new. Amazon’s adaptation began airing in 2019. But Garth Ennis originally released the comic it’s based on in 2006 and wrapped up its run in 2012. The Boys adaptation on Amazon is certainly a different creature entirely. But it’s only taken a small bite of the buffet of inspiration for stories that exist in the comics.
Showrunner Erik Kripke knew that The Boys would have to be different from the comics. However, he also wanted to keep the same gritty realism and indictment of the superhero mythos that Ennis was so iconic for. He didn’t exactly take any one story straight out of the frames of the comic for his work on seasons 1 and 2. Instead, he was inspired by a wide range of moments and well-developed characters, which he incorporated into a narrative.
With so much great source material left to work with, the team is moving ahead with The Boys spinoff. The new show will still be in ‘The Boys’ universe, and carry the same weighty tone. It may deviate a little from The Boys’ methods though. Kripke compared it to “the way that different Marvel projects are very different: One’s a thriller, one’s a comedy,” when speaking to The Hollywood Reporter. “This feels like that, too, but with a ton more dick jokes,” he added.
Everything we know about ‘The Boys’ spinoff so far
Unfortunately for fans, a spinoff in the world of Vought superheroes could be pretty far in the future. However, casting announcements made in Spring 2021 are encouraging. Additionally, Kripke made other comments to THR that give fans a little insight into what the show may be about.
The spinoff will focus on the “G-Men.” This dark take on the X-Men will watch more like a coming-of-age college drama, but likely with all the brutality and gritty drama that everyone has become accustomed to in The Boys.
Kripke remarked, “We’re writing furiously. I think it’s coming along really great,” when asked about the progress of the spinoff series. “It’s exciting in that sort of perverted Marvel way.” While it may be a while before fans get to see another series in the Kripkeverse, they can at least take comfort in the fact that it doesn’t seem like the team behind The Boys is going to get any tamer in their second go-round.
