Summary
Garth Ennishas long been among the most influential creators of the modern age of comics, and is best known fordark titles likePreacher,The BoysandHellblazer. However, the writer has a diverse body of work – and it isn’t his superhero comics he wants to be the most popular. Instead he cited a number ofhis war stories, notablySara, as the ones that deserve more recognition.
In aninterview with YouTube channelComic Book Herald, Garth Ennis talked about his more realist work, notably the number of war stories he has produced in the past decade. He noted that he believed these stories have the potential to achieve the same level of popularity asThe Boys.
Outside his notorious deconstruction of superheroes, Garth Ennis has left a strong mark on many genres, but his take on war stories is largely unmatched by his peers, with comics such asSaraandThe Lion and the Eagleamong those the author is most fond of himself.
For Better or Worse, The Boys Is the Last Great Gen X Franchise
In many ways, Garth Ennis' frequently provocative superhero satire “The Boys” distills the essence of the best and worst of Generation X art.
Garth Ennis Says That His War Comics Deserve To Be More Popular
He NamedSara"Leader Of The Pack"
Ennis' foray into the war genre is far from his best-known work, but it stands out as some of his best writing. Whether it’s hisBattlestories or AfterShock’sThe Lion and the Eagle, these series are as entertaining as they are visually stunning.
WithGet Furycurrently being releasedthrough Marvel Comics, Garth Ennis is continuing in the tradition of his earlier work for the company, with series such asPunisher MAXandFury MAX. The miniseries, centered around Nick Fury in his time at war and as a government operative, is a good showcase of Ennis' writing outside of conventional superhero comics. Speaking with Comic Book Herald, Ennis compared his different comics, explaining that, despite being best known for his incredibly popular seriesThe Boys,his favorite thing to write are his more realistic war stories.
Asked about which of his books –excludingThe BoysandPreacher– Ennis wished would get more attention, he stated:
It would honestly be the war stories, I think. They’re my favorite thing to write. Sara would be leader of the pack, but also Johnny Red and the other Battle Action strips, Out of the Blue, The Lion and the Eagle, my old War Stories and Battlefields series from Avatar and Dynamite, Dreaming Eagles… These really are the stories that mean the most to me.
Ennis' foray into the war genre is far from his best-known work, but it stands out as some of his best writing. Whether it’s hisBattlestories or AfterShock’sThe Lion and the Eagle, these series are as entertaining as they are visually stunning. As he continued:
“If I found myself talking about them to the extent that I do The Boys and Preacher, yes, I’d be very, very happy.”
That said, the author did subsequently imply this desire may be unlikely to come to fruition, soon after comparing it to his desire to visit the International Space Station.
Ennis, in particular, has been one of the war genre’s most prolific writers, but readers keep coming back to his superhero deconstruction.
Ennis Doesn’t Want His Supernatural & Superhero Stories To Dominate His Legacy
His Realist Work “Means The Most” To Him
Garth Ennis' desire for his non-superhero comicsto garner more mainstream attention is far from unique. In fact, this is a concern and criticism that has beenfamously shared by Alan Moore. Even the alternative genre work of modern superstar creative teams, such as Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s indie comics, hasn’t been able to match the success of their DC work. Ennis, in particular,has been one of the war genre’s most prolific writers, but readers keep coming back to his superhero deconstruction – despite the writer not being the biggest fan of caped heroes.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
