So, in this week gone by, both the 6 part Herogasm and the two part Mothers Milk stories concluded. Decks now no doubt cleared for the start of a new and very, very wrong arc, by Irish Comic Book GENIUS Garth Ennis. It is of course a title that can split opinion but I know what side of the fence I sit, I’m a firm fan, and feel that amongst the sex and drugs and violence Ennis has much to say about not only the state of the comic book industry, but also about the state of the society we live in.

This was evidenced superbly in the Mothers Milk back story which concludes in issue 36. His story is one of the son of an exploited and poor family with a father who rose above it to fight for what was right, but fate screwing them over regardless. It was powerful stuff. Especially on the note on which Garth chose to end, starting to draw our attention more firmly on the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge in the comic world in which they inhabit and the shadow of two buildings that in the real world no longer do.

So then to the other book, concluding its arc in the world of The Boys, Herogasm. 5 issues highlighting the hedonistic annual retreat and award ceremony at which the Supes of this world indulge themselves. It was brash and bold (thanks in no small part to some excellent work on pencils by John McCrea) and very, very rude. But what happens? Well, Vic the Veep turns up, and we find out more about his shady dealings with Voight. We are given more of an insight into their control over Homelander, who is clearly growing wary of being their puppet and we find that all involved love to indulge in sexual practises and drugs that would kill we mere mortals stone cold dead. There are many webs woven throughout this book which leaves a tantalising thread for issues yet to come.

Side by side however these could almost be two completely different worlds. OK there is the obvious difference in the art, but the tone of the two books are so different are almost jarring. But this is what has been so consistently good about the Boys right from the off. It’s been episodes of pure filth and stupidity, juxtaposed by a story full of pathos and allegory. Ultimately it’s these qualities that make it so readable. The surface gloss would soon wear a little thin without it, and indeed if this was just a series of books designed to poke fun at Superheroes the comic book medium is probably the wrong place to have been doing it.

Books 35 & 36 have, in particular, been very much an example of just how skilful a writer Ennis is putting such a relatively still episode, which is essentially just two guys standing near a bridge talking about their lives. Its moving stuff, and despite the larger than life world that Mothers Milk inhabits, this two issue back story adds (as it should) depth and motivation to this quiet character.

Herogasm of course was not so, but still great fun for all that, who can fail to be amused by the depths that the Supes of this universe stoop too, and of course add colour to their side of the world. After all in the world of the Boys they are the bad guys…?

Both of course feature heavily Voight and the shadow this organisation casts across this world. With the end of both these stories it’s a series that very much feels like its reached its half way point, and is poised to launch into a down hill run which, if its been anything like the books up to this point, is going to be spectacular.

I’m not sure Ennis has, as he claimed he would, out “Preachered”, Preacher, but what he has done is create a world which live and breathes on its own and is in no need of comparison to any of his other works. The Boys stand on their own feet, and still has the feel of a true classic in the making.