The Boys- both the TV show and the original comic - is famous for its less-than-flattering portrayal of superheroes. The entire franchise is a commentary on the commercialization and cultural obsession of superheroes, both in those superheroes’ fictional worlds and in the real-world. However,The Boyswasn’t the first franchise to do this, asMarvelused a nearly identical method to parody superheroes long beforeThe Boys- and Marvel did it with a team most fans have never even heard of: X-Statix.
2002’sX-Statix#1 by Peter Milligan and Mike Allred introduces readers to theall-new team of mutants inX-Mencanon, though these ‘heroes’ are decidedly different from anything Marvel Comics fans have seen before. The X-Statix weren’t real heroes, they were essentially actors. Their powers were real - as in, they were actually mutants - but they certainly didn’t use those powers for good. Instead, the X-Statix used their powers for one thing, and one thing only: to make money.
The only mission the X-Statix are concerned with is the commercialization of their brand. They’ll do fake and staged missions in front of the camera to make it seem like they’re really out there saving the day. Every once in a while, they take on some easy ‘bad guys’ to add a more genuine feel to the team, and to avoid getting labeled as ‘phonies’ (which would ultimately hurt their brand), but for the most part, every act of heroism is nothing more than a show put on for their fans for the sole purpose of selling merchandise.
The X-Statix use the clout created by legitimatemutant superhero teams like the X-Men, X-Factor, and X-Force, and cashes-in on their feats of heroism without having to earn any of it themselves. The X-Statix have an almost meta-understanding that mutant superhero teams are popular with fans, and they exist purely to benefit financially from that particular market. In other words, X-Statix is an in-world commentary on the real-world success of the X-Men - which is incrediblysimilar toThe Boys.
The Boys Surpassed X-Statix as an Authority in Superhero Parody
X-Statix was a Superhero Parody Before The Boys, but The Boys Perfected the Craft
The Boyscomic book seriesdidn’t come out until 2006, four years afterX-Statixfirst hit the shelves, and that’s not even consideringThe Boys’ Prime Video live-action series, which didn’t debut until 2019. In other words,X-Statixwas doing superhero satire long before The Boys. However, while it may have been first, it’s fair to say thatThe Boysperfected the craft on a level that far exceedsX-Statix.
For one thing, people everywhere know aboutThe BoyswhileX-Statixremains relatively unknown to this day. So,The Boys’ legacy is definitely more substantial thanX-Statix, despiteX-Statixbeing first - but that’s not the only reasonThe Boysis the premier authority in superhero parody overX-Statix.The Boysisn’t afraid to take things to the most extreme during its parodies, which is more effective than the relatively PG versionX-Statixbrings fans. Plus, the superheroesThe Boysparodies are more mainstream than inX-Statix, which generates much more fan-engagement.
The Boys' Creator Has a Clever Cameo in the Series That Takes a Shot at Stan Lee
The Boys creator, Garth Ennis, gives himself a cameo in his series, and he uses that opportunity to take a shot at Stan Lee with an insulting parody.
InThe Boys, readers are given scenarios that effectively amount to “what if Superman was evil?”, or “what if the Avengers were corrupt?”, or “what if real-world superhero worship took over a comic book universe?”. Characters such as Homelander, Soldier Boy, and the members of the Boys are intriguing in their own right, but it’s the mainstream characters they represent and the parodies their existence creates that initially hooked fans, and whyThe Boysis so iconic to this day.X-Statixonly parodies the X-Men in the broadest sense, with no direct parodies or comparisons to specific characters.
The Boys was Originally Meant to be More Like the X-Statix than Fans Know
The Boys Originally Took Place within DC Continuity, Just Like X-Statix in Marvel
The one thingX-Statixhas overThe Boyswhen it comes to which one is the better superhero parody (other than being first) is that it actually takes place in the Marvel Universe. In practically every other regard,The Boysis the superior satire, butX-Statixcalls out its own mutant superheroes while existing right alongside them.The Boyshas entire comic book universes that separate it from the characters and comics it is parodying. But, interestingly enough, that wasn’t always the case.
The Boyswas originally published by DC Comics’ WildStorm imprint, where the series existed for the first six issues. In fact, DC reportedly had an interest infoldingThe Boysinto the established DC Universe, similar to how Garth Ennis’ Hitman series featured characters like Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. However,The Boyswas canceled by DC reportedly due to its general anti-superhero message and its hyper-violence, so any hope that it could exist in the prime DCU was squashed. After that,The Boysmoved to Dynamite Entertainment, and the rest is history.
While it never quite took place in DC’s main continuity (since it was just published by an imprint under the DC umbrella),The Boyscame very close to being more likeX-Statixthan many fans know. Just like howX-Statixmocks the real-world commercialization ofX-Mentitles while taking place in the same fictional universe as the X-Men themselves,The Boysalmost had the chance to have characters like Homelander and Black Noir mock Superman and Batman to their faces. But, since that never happened,X-Statixstill has that particular advantage in this comparison.
X-Statix Eventually Took a Page Out of The Boys’ ‘Handbook’
X-Statix’s Latest Comic Seemingly Took Inspiration from The Boys’ Homelander
Even thoughX-Statixwas first, the comic still apparently had a lot to learn fromThe Boyswhen it came to crafting truly despicable characters to hammer-home the superhero satire. Specifically, in the latestX-Statixseries (2022’sX-Cellent), one character becomes as terrifyingly ruthless and utterly repugnant asThe Boys’ Homelander: Zeitgeist. Casual Marvel fans will remember Zeitgeist from the filmDeadpool 2, and hardcore comics fans know that Zeitgeist actually led the X-Force for a short time. However, when the character got the ‘X-Statix’ treatment, he was never the same again.
Zeitgeist became a sadistic leader of the X-Cellent, a team that revealed theX-Statixin the commercialization of mutant superheroes. While the X-Statix existed to call out the commercialization itself,X-Cellentdelved into the corruption of superheroes who only crave fame and popularity over using their powers for good, and what they’ll do to maintain that popularity - and Zeitgeist represented the worst of them all, just likeThe Boys’ Homelander.
The Boys' Prequel Will Finally Explore One of the Series' Most Elusive Teams: Meet Crimefighters Incorporated
The Boys' spin-off series, Vought Rising, will take fans back to the 50s, giving it the perfect excuse to explore the team Crimefighters Incorporated.
It’s interesting to see how some franchises may have influenced others, even when those franchises basically only exist to criticize other franchises. Indeed, it seems as though bothX-StatixandThe Boyshad something to offer the other, resulting in two wildly entertaining satirical series. But, even ifThe Boysmay have surpassed it in terms of popularity and legacy,Marvel’sX-Statixwas still first, and was doing superhero satire way beforeThe Boys.
The Boys
The Boysfranchise is a satirical and dark superhero series based on the comic book by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. It explores a world where superheroes, or “Supes,” are corrupt, violent, and morally bankrupt, all controlled by the powerful corporation Vought International. The story centers around two opposing groups:The Boys, a vigilante team aiming to expose and defeat the corrupt heroes, andThe Seven, Vought’s elite team of Supes led by the ruthless Homelander.
