Beginning the four part "Barbary Coast": Hughie travels out west to finally meet Lieutenant-Colonel Greg Mallory, the man who started The Boys. All kinds of secrets await our hero, beginning with the terrible story of the first supes to see action in World War Two. When the revelations cease, will Hughie return- or walk away from the team forever?
Artist John McCrea fills in on this arc, offering another tie to Highland Laddie. Unfortunately, McCrea's pencils lack the detail and smooth lines of Russ Braun's work. This issue is a bit too haphazard and rough in its visuals. Characters lack consistency, and at times aren't even immediately recognizable. On the plus side, the flashback scenes are somewhat more pleasing on the eyes, which bodes well for the coming chapters. Read Full Review
The first couple of years of The Boys was a thrill ride, seen through the eyes of Wee Hughie, the innocent point-of-view character, but as Hughie has become more and more drawn into the madness of Butcher's world, things have gotten darker, which I think has led to some of my misgivings in recent issues. This issue, though, brings Hughie and his story to the main narrative again, and his presence in the middle of things somehow makes the story feel stronger. I still want Darick to return, but this is a good, strong issue leading into one of the historical pieces that this title does so well. There's a terrible momentum building here, and strong implications that we're headed towards the patented Garth Ennis bloodbath ending, but the ride is smoothing out a bit as we go. The Boys Fifty-Two earns a strong 3.5 out of 5 stars overall, and it's good to have my personal protagonist back. But when does that Butcher solo mini start again? Read Full Review
A poor issue of The Boys is usually better than a good issue of most titles but in the end the two main conversations aren't anything new and the whole flashback is all lead in. Tune in next month for what will surely be something epic, though. Read Full Review
You know they're going to need it, because the message of Mallory's clearly bitter backwards look is heavy on the macho manpower and military ordinance, and colorist Tony Avina lays in those drab army greens and browns just to make the spandex of these "mystery men" pop all the more ridiculously. It'll take a little more than gumption and a solid right hook to win the upcoming battle, methinks. Or even survive it. Read Full Review
A poor issue of The Boys is usually better than a good issue of most titles but in the end the two main conversations aren't anything new and the whole flashback is all lead in. Tune in next month for what will surely be something epic, though. Read Full Review
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