the Boys #39 - Dynamite Entertainment

There's a lot of character development for the various people in this title, but . . I think the point of this issue is to show the Butcher that he may not have things as together as he thinks. The issue starts out with him looking through files and surveillance. During which . . he's feeling pretty good about himself. He feels like he knows everything, and he can pretty much do what he wants. Ironically . . kind of the same thing that he doesn't like about the supes. But by the end of the issue he's going to feeling like his whole world has been turned upside down. We know that he's got cameras and such in the supes headquarters. So he's seen how they've initiated Starlight, Annie, into their group when she came on board. He's also keeping a close eye on Vought-American and it's various representatives. Anyways, his whole world falls apart as he goes out for some tea. He happens to run across Hughie and Annie while he's walking around the block. He doesn't recognize her at first, as they're in a passionate embrace, but . . when they pull apart . . and he looks at her face . . his jaw hits the ground and his world comes tumbling apart. That's when he realizes . . 'Nothin'. Absolutely nothin'. That's what I fu#$%n know.' What I think the problem is . . the world that the Butcher works in there has to be a certain level of trust. That's why he's been having the other members of the Boys confide in Hughie about their own individual stories. I think that he was afraid that Hughie was going to leave and he wants him to be 'bought in' to the group. However, seeing him with Annie . . I don't think his first thought is that Hughie doesn't know who he's involved with. How can he not know? So if he knows . . and he's doin' her anyways . . what else is he keeping a secret from the Butcher? And is 'wee Hughie' even who he really is? I think this is really going to mess with the Butcher's head. I mean . . he lives and works in a tempest of paranoia. I think this may be the spark that's lit the fuse on the bomb. I have a feeling that things aren't going to be the same for this group for quite a while . . if ever. I think it's definitely going to send this book into a whole new direction. I know this book isn't on everyone's list. But . . I like it. I think Garth Ennis is doing a great job. Whatever the subtext and implications of his stories are . . it's still just entertainment. To me it's like a good movie . . you go and watch it . . get into it for a little while, as it provides a form of escapism, but then you come back to the 'real' world and deal with whatever you gotta deal with. John McCrea does the art for this issue. I'm not a huge fan . . I'd much rather have Darick Robertson on every book, but . . I thought John did a good job this issue. And I love the cover. Anyways, now we'll have to wait and see where we go from here. I have a feeling that the Butcher is going to react . . hastily. This should be interesting.