The Boys: Dear Becky #1

Garth Ennis is the popular co-creator of Preacher, as well as the popular writer of such series as Battlefields, Hitman, Punisher, The Demon, and much more. He’s also the co-creator of The Boys, the basis for the popular Amazon TV series, and he returns to that world again with The Boys: Dear Becky from Dynamite. Ennis shares more on this exciting series with Westfield’s Roger Ash.

Westfield: Why did you decide to return to the world of The Boys?

Garth Ennis: I’d been thinking about the series quite a bit, for obvious reasons, and it occurred to me that the one character I always wanted to write more of was Becky Butcher. She casts a long shadow over the story, in terms of what her fate drives her husband to do, and yet she only actually appears in two episodes. I felt she deserved a fair shake. It doesn’t hurt that I always enjoyed writing her very much- she’s such a decent person, and her scenes with Butcher remain one of the highlights of the original series.

Westfield: If people are only familiar with The Boys from the Amazon series, is this a good jumping on point for them to experience The Boys adventures in comics?

Ennis: The best jumping-on point for new readers is book one of the collected editions, back where it all began, with Billy Butcher hissing darkly from his park bench.

The Boys Omnibus Vol. 1

Westfield: What can readers look forward to in the series?

Ennis: Ten or so years after the events of the original series, Hughie uncovers a letter written by Butcher to his wife, Becky. In flashback we then visit the original Boys line-up, led by Colonel Greg Mallory with Butcher as his second in command. The team is approaching a turning point in its dealings with the supes, and Butcher is feeling the need to step up – the trouble is he’s also feeling certain doubts about his violent new life, doubts inspired by the lingering influence of Becky.

There’ll be plenty of action and dark humour as MM, Frenchie and the Female go to work in their own inimitable style, and Butcher will certainly be getting his hands dirty along with them. That said, we’re going to see him at his most reflective, dealing with internal conflict in a way that’s quite unprecedented for the character. When all’s said and done, Butcher’s story is that of a man who lost the love of his life (and the chance for redemption that went with her) to violence.

Westfield: You’ve worked with artist Russ Braun often in the past. What makes this a good collaboration?

Ennis: Great storyteller, great sense of character, takes his time to think about and understand the script. Russ stands alongside my all-time favourite collaborators in that regard – guys like Steve Dillon, Carlos Ezquerra, Jacen Burrowes, Goran Parlov, Peter Snejbjerg et al.

SPECIAL DEAL! The Boys: Dear Becky #1 is available on WestfieldComics.com for greater than the usual discount, along with a specially priced bundle of the first two issues.