Author: Trafficblast

The titular Boys all have super-strength and the ability to fight “supes” head-on in the comics, but not in the show. Other than that, Butcher is largely the same. Karl Urban’s portrayal of the character is spot on–just look at how similar that smirk is to Robertson’s art.

Comics Hughie and show Hughie look nothing alike, mainly because comics Hughie was clearly designed to look exactly like Simon Pegg, who plays Hughie’s dad in the show. Comics Hughie is also Scottish, while show Hughie is American. Lastly, comics Hughie is weirdly much less focused on avenging Robin, and more interested in the Boys’ overall mission of knocking supes down a peg in general.

One major difference early on in the comics is that it’s not just the Deep who sexually assaults Starlight–it’s Homelander and Black Noir as well. While the show version of Homelander is largely preoccupied with his faux-Oedipus complex and machinations involving Vought and Compound V, comics Homelander is a full-on murderous sex freak. However, they largely look the same.

Annie begins the comics just as naive as her streaming counterpart, and her story plays out in similar ways. However, in the books, she doesn’t play a public role in The Seven right away, and she has to shovel a lot more s***–literally, in at least one book scene that probably won’t happen in the show any time soon.

The most obvious change to the speedster A-Train is that he’s white in the comics. In addition, the other members of The Seven (minus Starlight, of course) still treat him like a newbie, as he’s only been on the team for a couple of years.

Mother’s Milk in the show is similar to his counterpart in the comics, where he usually goes by “M.M.” He even has the same mug. However, there are some massive differences involving his family. In the comics, his ex is a deadbeat who he had to rescue his daughter from. In addition, his name is much more literal in the books. You don’t want to know.

Kimiko is much more fleshed-out character in the show, particularly taking into account the events of Season 2 (no spoilers, we promise). In the comics, she’s mainly a mute killing machine who goes only by “The Female.” She works for the mob on the side when she’s not sating her bloodlust alongside the Boys. Her powers are more robust in the show as well, perhaps to make up for the fact that, unlike in the books, she’s the only member of the crew with superhuman abilities in the live-action version.

Show Frenchie is similar to his original incarnation in the books, where he goes by “The Frenchman.” In both versions, he works closely with Kimiko/The Female, who is already part of the team by the time Hughie joins up in the comics.

The Deep is another character who was race-swapped in the show. But even looking past that, the show and comics versions of The Deep have basically nothing in common. That’s partially because the comics version is barely a character at all–in the first 40 or so issues (which is as far as I’ve read), he has a handful of lines and no major impact on any storylines. The show version is obviously much more interesting. That said, as you can see, in the comics, Deep can fly–which makes his choice to wear an antique diving helmet seem even more nonsensical.

Show and book Queen Maeve are practically completely different characters. In the books, Queen Maeve is jaded and stuck-up, drinks constantly, and has a sycophantic peon who she calls disparaging nicknames and barks orders at, usually to make her another martini. Show Maeve is much more sympathetic, especially with her gay romantic subplot, though she’s still far from perfect.

Black Noir is one of the most mysterious members of The Seven, in both the show and the comics. Little is known about him, though it will be interesting to see where his storyline goes in the show.

Stormfront is a new character who will join The Seven in Season 2, played by Aya Cash. As such, we currently can’t reveal anything about her character–but in the comics, she was a “he,” and a full-on nazi.

We still haven’t met Lamplighter in the show, catching only a glimpse of him during The Deep’s tribute in the first episode. However, in the books, Lamplighter is, um, a s***-covered zombie who Starlight and A-Train have to clean up after. The show will probably go in a different direction.

Stillwell’s role in the show is completely different from the version in the original books. The comics version is a mysterious figure who oversees The Seven largely from the shadows; even they don’t know his name, and he’s known simply as “the man from Vought” until late in the series, when it’s revealed that his name is James Stillwell. Obviously, almost every aspect of the character is different in the show–where Madelyn Stillwell, who was killed at the end of Season 1, didn’t make it nearly as far into the story.

Mallory’s role in the show and comics are similar, though in the comics, the character is male. In both versions, they were former allies of Butcher’s, and the founder of the Boys, who left the crew when Lamplighter killed their grandchildren.

Popclaw is fairly different in the original books, where she’s a member of a lesser superhero team, the Teenage Kix, and has no relationship with A-Train. However, her powers are the same.

Susan Raynor is one of the characters who is most similar between the books and the show, although unlike in the show, comics Raynor can’t stop herself from having vigorous, hateful sex with Butcher every time they meet. In both incarnations, Raynor serves as the Boys’ link with the CIA.

Technically, the show character Ezekiel is not in the comics. However, the character Oh Father is a Christian-themed supe who speaks at the Capes for Christ event, much like Ezekiel. In Season 1, Ezekiel preaches an anti-gay message despite apparently being gay himself, which allows Hughie to blackmail him. In the books, Oh Father’s secret is much more sinister than that.

Translucent is not a notable character in the comics. Instead, The Seven have a different member in his place: Jack from Jupiter. Unlike Translucent, Jack isn’t killed early in the series. However, both have powers that involve indestructible skin.

Stan Edgar is Vought’s CEO, played by Giancarlo Esposito in the show. He appeared in a single episode of Season 1, but will have an expanded role in Season 2. In the comics, Edgar is only referenced, never seen.

Terror is Butcher’s dog. As the name implies, he’s a real terror. He hasn’t appeared yet in the show–fingers crossed.

In the comics, the Legend is a former Vought employee who oversaw the comic books that chronicle the supes’ exploits. He serves as the Boys’ informant and ally. He has no equivalent in the show.

In both the comics and the show, Becca was Billy’s wife, who, stereotypically, provides his motivation for going after The Seven. However, if you’ve finished The Boys Season 1, then you’re aware of the one key difference between them: In the books, she actually died giving birth to a super-powered baby, whereas in the show, she and the child are still alive.