The Butcher Diaries: ‘The Boys: Dear Becky #1’ Reviewed
by Josh Davison
Mild Spoilers Ahead
Wee Hughie is at a pub in Scotland talking nonsense with his friend, Bobbi. Hughie complains about all the things in modern culture that get under his skin and Bobbi humors him. He also drops hints about his past, but he doesn’t open up to Bobbi much. After taking a six-pack down to the beach, the two finally call it a night. Hughie goes back home and finds a journal with letters addressed to Becky. It’s Billy Butcher’s journal and it documents some shocking and diabolical acts.
The Boys: Dear Becky #1 brings us back to the life and times of Wee Hughie, Billy Butcher, and the rest of the Boys. Hughie is attempting to lay low and get drunk in Scotland, but the threat of supers and his time with the Boys manage to catch up with him.
Much of the comic seems to be a chance for Garth Ennis to complain about all the things in modern society that get under his skin and it’s pretty damn entertaining as a result. Hughie goes on a diatribe about “woke” culture and everything therein and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a good laugh out of it.
It isn’t until the second half of the book that we get to the actual “Dear Becky” portion and we see the Boys handling a 10-year old super in a rather gruesome fashion. The contents of the journal shock Hughie and we’re left to wonder where all of this is leading.
Russ Braun is the artist on this new Boys venture and he brings some damn good visuals to the book. He and Ennis teamed up for something special in Jimmy’s Bastards and Braun once again shows what a talent he is here. Tony Aviña is the color artist and he brings a vibrant and well-balanced palette to the book.
The Boys: Dear Becky #1 is a triumphant return for Ennis and the Boys. While much of the book is aimless complaints from Hughie about nothing that’s really all that relevant to the story proper, it is still a damn good read with fantastic visuals. Ennis’ scripting and dialogue can make almost anything entertaining and the art from Braun and Aviña is stellar. This one gets a recommendation. Check it out.
The Boys: Dear Becky #1 comes to us from writer Garth Ennis, artist Russ Braun, color artist Tony Aviña, letterer Simon Bowland, and cover artist Darick Robertson.
Final Score: 7.5/10