Introduction
The Boys is an ongoing anti-superhero series by Garth Ennis, detailing the antics of The Boys, a CIA ‘controlled’ (in the loosest sense of the word) group of powered individuals who work to try and keep the monstrous egos and powers of the superheroes in check. The Innocents is volume seven in the series of trade paperbacks and brings to a head many of the longstanding plot threads that have developed over the course of the series – The paranoia of Butcher (the chief), the loyalty of Wee Hughie and Annie January’s secret that she’s Starlight, a member of The Seven, this universe’s corrupt ‘JLA’ whose leader, the Homelander, is reaching some kind of frustated breaking point…

Review
(Caution, spoilers)
Butcher becomes paranoid about Hughie when he finds out that he’s dating Starlight – of course, Hughie doesn’t know that’s who she is. Wanting Hughie out of the way and wanting to test him, Butcher gives him a bullshit task of investigating ‘Superduper’, this universe’s equivalent of The Legion of Superheroes (yet somehow even more lame). They’re sort of a dumping ground, a super-powered remedial class of damaged individuals and Hughie initially resents being sent off to look into them as they’re irrelevant and genuinely innocent of the shenanigans that other hero groups get up to. However, they have just been assigned a new leader, an arrogant, manipulative, psychopathic shapeshifter by the name of Malchemical. Hughie ends up befriending Superduper, in his usual cack-handed way and ends up saving them more than they save anyone, even confronting Malchemical and getting his arse kicked, though that’s enough to convince the watching Butcher – who steps in to save Hughie – that he genuinely is innocent himself.

The second main plot thread, that links with this, is Starlight revealing her true nature to Hughie who, having lost his previous girlfriend in a superhero ‘accident’ is rather upset, potentially exposing The Boys surveillance of The Seven and ruining his relationship with her in typical, clueless, Hughie style.

The Boys’ spy amongst The Seven is also revealed and the Homelander finally loses it, acting out against his corporate masters and ominously announcing that he’s going to get started on doing whatever he wants.

There are stumbling innocents and mirrored plotlines on both sides of the coming conflict, paranoia in The Butcher and The Homelander, the bumbling nature of Superduper and Hughie, distrust amongst The Seven and The Boys own members. Neither side is particularly sympathetic and the ultimate irony is, of course, that the very people set to watch over the dangerous superheroes are – themselves – superheroes and just as dangerous and screwed up in their own way.

Conclusion
This seems to be a setup towards a conclusion of the series, which is a shame, but it has that ‘definitive arc’ feel which often makes for a more effective story. Everything is set up for things to get really nasty and brutal in the next collection.

On the Plus Side

• Hughie and Butcher’s relationship develops interestingly.
• Several plotlines are resolved.
• You’re left dreading – and anticipating – what’s going to happen next.

On the Minus Side

• Taking the piss out of The Legion is a cheap shot since they already read like a special ed class.
• You don’t get to see so much of The Frenchman or The Female, fair enough I suppose since they got a lot of love in the previos trade.
• Hughie acts like a dick and I lost some love for the character.

Score
Style: 3 (Not quite as polished as previous trades)
Substance: 5 (Meaty and intriguing)
Overall: 4

Introduction
RED is a short graphic novel (TPB from a series of comics) by the inestimable Mr Warren Ellis that was recently made into a movie. The movie only shares the most basic plot points with the comic and is an action comedy, whereas the comic is quite grim and forms part of Ellis’ broader theme in much of his work of historical holdovers, dirty secrets, cleaning up messes and criticism of the American right. This isn’t quite as subversive as Planetary or The Authority and nor is it as explicit in its criticism and confrontation as Black Summer which, perhaps, makes it more accessible to a wider audience, more of a critique of ‘chickenhawks’ than any particular brand of politics. That’s the subtext that gives the main story depth and interest at any rate.

Review
RED follows the story of Paul Moses, a former CIA agent and ‘monster’. The guy who did all the terrible, terrible shit that needed to be done to protect the USA throughout the Cold War. He’s now retired, living with his nightmares in government subsidised silence and luxury with only calls to his retirement handler and letters from his niece to punctuate his days. He’s a man with a lot of demons.

Meanwhile a new President has come into office and has assigned a new director to the CIA. This director is made aware of Paul’s past deeds in a special briefing in ‘Room R’ and becomes horrified, terrified, paranoid, demanding that Paul be put down, killed, as a way of burying the past (it’s strongly hinted that Paul may have killed kennedy, assassinated members of the civil rights movement and taken part in other nasty, black operations.

Needless to say the tough old killer doesn’t go down easy, annihilating the team sent to kill him and launching an assault upon Langley in order to kill the men who ordered his death.

That’s really the whole of the story and it’s told in a very sparse style, without a huge amount of dialogue or exposition. This emphasises Paul’s own taciturn nature and the only points you really get verbosity are when he encounters – and spares – his retirement handler and when he confronts the director with his own weakness and executes him, having shown him – intimately – what terror really is.

This is a very spartan and short book, padded out with concept sketches and original scripting sources – which is nice for writers and afficianados. Nonetheless it’s a very effective book with enough interesting subtext to make you think without getting too involved in lecturing or letting its themes override the effective action. I would have liked to have seen this done a little more true to its original form, perhaps as a short film.

Conclusion
Sometimes less is more and this is a worthwhile book to own, slotting neatly – thematically – in amongst much of Ellis’ other more personal work such as Global Frequency or Black Summer. It’s a subtle, effective, thoughtful piece of work while – at the same time – being an action-packed, blood-soaked thriller. The artwork is angular and lean, complimenting the scripting and coming together nicely as a whole.

On the Plus Side

• Very effective storytelling.
• Powerful minimalism.
• Has something to say.

On the Minus Side

• Short.
• Padded out with things you don’t really need.
• Might well surprise, in a bad way, people who have seen the film (and vice versa).

Score
Style: 4
Substance: 4
Overall: 4