Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Dynamite Entertainment |
Format | Limited series |
Genre | |
Publication date | July 20 – December 21, 2011 |
No. of issues | 6 |
Creative team | |
Created by | Garth Ennis [1] [2] Darick Robertson |
Written by | Garth Ennis |
Artist(s) | Darick Robertson |
Penciller(s) | Darick Robertson |
Inker(s) | Darick Robertson |
Letterer(s) | Simon Bowland |
Colorist(s) | Tony Aviña |
Collected editions | |
Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker | ISBN 978-1784537487 |
Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker is a six-issue comic book limited series by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Originally published as a spin-off of The Boys, set between issues #59 and #60, following villain protagonist Billy Butcher as he attends his father's funeral before thinking back on his origin story, serving in the Royal Marines, fighting in the Falklands War, meeting and then losing his wife Becky Saunders, and joining the CIA and in-turn the Supe-focused black ops group The Boys following her death. Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker was collected in trade paperback in March 2012 as the tenth volume of The Boys, as The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker. [3]
Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker was adapted as the seventh episode of the second season of the Amazon Prime Video streaming television adaptation of The Boys , with John Noble and Lesley Nicol portraying Sam and Connie Butcher, [4] [5] [6] as well as to the third season episode "Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed", with Jack Fulton portraying Lenny Butcher.
Following the death of his estranged father, after attending his funeral, Billy Butcher begins talking to his corpse about his time spent serving in the Royal Marines, fighting in the Falklands War, from the heights of love to the depths of tragedy, revealing the terrible nature of the forces that drive him. [7] [8] [9]
In 1982, on the desolate Falkland Islands, young Royal Marine Billy Butcher finds his calling. On the war's end, he begins to indulge his love of conflict in civilian life, leaving it locked on a grim course until an unexpected source brings him a chance at salvation. [10]
Finding love with Becky Saunders, turning his life away from one of crime, Billy Butcher explores a life of joy. [11] [12]
Over the course of two years, Billy Butcher set up home in 1980s Britain under the reign of Margaret Thatcher, living with Becky, before she suddenly grows distant, and months later, gives birth to a Supe baby, the process of which kills her. On seeing this, Billy beats the baby to death. [13] [14] [15] [16]
Arrested for Becky's murder, Billy Butcher is recruited from solitary confinement to the CIA by Colonel Mallory, and on reading his wife's diary, believes he has discovered the identity of the one responsible for her pregnancy and subsequent death. [17] [18]
Beginning a new life in America, which turns out to mean life ending for a good many unsuspecting superheroes. Billy Butcher embraces his destiny as the enforcer of keeping Supes in-line as part of the CIA black ops group "The Boys". [19]
Issue # | Publication date | Critic rating | Critic reviews | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | July 2011 | 8.0/10 | 4 | [20] |
2 | August 2011 | 6.8/10 | 2 | [21] |
3 | September 2011 | 7.5/10 | 3 | [22] |
4 | October 2011 | 8.8/10 | 4 | [23] |
5 | November 2011 | 7.7/10 | 3 | [24] |
6 | April 2012 | 5.0/10 | 1 | [25] |
Overall | 7.3/10 | 17 | [26] |
Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker | Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #1–6 | March 7, 2012 [27] | ISBN 1-60690-264-4 |
The Boys: Definitive Edition 5 | The Big Ride (The Boys #48–59) + Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker [28] | July 9, 2013 | ISBN 1-60690-412-4 |
In September 2020, Eric Kripke, the showrunner of the Amazon Prime Video streaming television adaptation of The Boys, confirmed that Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker would be adapted as the seventh episode of the series' second season (starring Karl Urban as Billy Butcher), featuring John Noble and Lesley Nicol portraying Sam and Connie Butcher, characters introduced in Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker. [4] Unlike the source material in which Sam Butcher is depicted as having died, and Billy Butcher returning for his funeral, Billy returns to find his mother had lied to him about his father's death, in an attempt to have the two reconcile before his father actually dies. [29] [30] In addition, Butcher's family history from the series is adapted to the third season episode "Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed", with Jack Fulton portraying Lenny Butcher. [31] [32]
Preacher is an American comic book series published from 1995 to 2000 by Vertigo, an imprint of DC Comics. The series was created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon, with painted covers by Glenn Fabry.
Darick W. Robertson is an American artist best known for his work as a comic book illustrator on series he co-created, notably Transmetropolitan (1997–2002) and The Boys.
The Boys is an adult superhero comic book series, written by Garth Ennis and co-created, designed, and illustrated by Darick Robertson. The first volume was published by WildStorm, which canceled it after six issues; the series was picked up by Dynamite Entertainment, which published the following eight volumes. Debuting in October 2006, the series concluded in November 2012 after 72 issues were published. In the fourth volume, the series is revealed to be set in the same fictional universe as Ennis' previous 1995–2000 DC Vertigo series, Preacher, with former vampire Proinsias Cassidy cameoing as a bartender. Three 6-issue spin-off limited series were also produced during the series' original run: Herogasm, Highland Laddie, and Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker, with an 8-issue epilogue series, Dear Becky, published from January–December 2020.
CBR, formerly Comic Book Resources, is a news website covering movies, television, anime, video games and comic book–related news and discussion.
The Punisher was a comic book ongoing series published under the MAX imprint of Marvel Comics, featuring vigilante and antihero the Punisher.
Herogasm is a six-issue comic book limited series by Garth Ennis, John McCrea and Keith Burns. Originally published as a spin-off of The Boys, set between issues #30 and #31, and centering on the Boys as they infiltrate "Herogasm", an annual party for Vought-American-sponsored superheroes to allow them "vacations", Herogasm was collected in trade paperback in November 2009 as the fifth volume of The Boys, as The Boys: Herogasm.
Punisher: War Zone, also known as The Punisher War Zone is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics about the vigilante The Punisher. The series was written by Greg Rucka as a follow-up to his previous Punisher series from 2011, meant to finish the story Rucka had begun in the 2011 series. The interior illustration was done by Carmine Di Giandomenico.
Midnighter is an American comic book series published by WildStorm, first issued in November 2006. It is a spin-off from The Authority, a superhero team comic book created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, and follows the solo adventures of Midnighter, "the greatest tactician in the history of mankind". The first six issues were written by Garth Ennis, followed by three issues made by different writers; the last eleven final issues were written by Keith Giffen. Midnighter ended with its twentieth issue, followed by the limited series Number of the Beast. The series is also known as Midnighter to differentiate itself from the character's 12-issue latter series first published by DC Comics in 2015.
Dust to Dust or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: Dust to Dust is an 8 issue comic book limited series published by BOOM! Studios in 2010. The series is a prequel to the story of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The series was written by Chris Roberson and drawn by Robert Adler.
The Homelander is one of the main antagonists of the comic book series The Boys and the media franchise of the same name, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The character is depicted as an egotistical and sadistic narcissist who serves as the extremely powerful leader of The Seven—a group of corrupt and hedonistic superheroes funded by Vought-American—and the archenemy of Billy Butcher. Beneath his public image as a noble and altruistic hero, the Homelander cares little about the well-being of those he professes to protect.
William J.Butcher, or "Billy the Butcher", is an antihero in the comic book and Amazon Prime series The Boys, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. He is the leader of The Boys, a group of CIA-sponsored vigilantes who observe, record and sometimes liquidate "Supes" artificially created by the mega-conglomerate Vought. He is the Homelander's archenemy, whom he blames for the rape and death of his wife Becky, while also developing an intense hatred for all superhuman beings.
The Big Ride is a three-part graphic novel written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Russ Braun that was published by Dynamite Entertainment as the ninth volume of the American comic book series The Boys, consisting of the four-part story arcs Proper Preparation and Planning, released from November 3, 2010 to February 16, 2011, Barbary Coast, released from March 2 to June 1, 2011, and The Big Ride, released from July 6 to October 5, 2011, the latter from which the novel takes its title.
Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men is a graphic novel written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Russ Braun that was released in six parts throughout 2011 and 2012 by Dynamite Entertainment as the penultimate volume of the American comic book series The Boys. Part 1 was released on November 2, 2011, Part 2 was released on December 7, 2011, Part 3 was released on January 4, 2012, Part 4 was released on February 1, 2012, Part 5 was released on March 7, 2012, and Part 6 was released on April 4, 2012.
The Bloody Doors Off is a graphic novel written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Russ Braun that was released in seven parts throughout 2012 by Dynamite Entertainment as the final volume of the American comic book series The Boys. Part 1 was released on May 2, Part 2 was released on June 6, Part 3 was released on July 4, Part 4 was released on August 1, Part 5 was released on September 5, Part 6 was released on October 3, and Part 7, You Found Me, was released on November 14.
The third season of the American satirical superhero television series The Boys, the first series in the franchise based on the comic book series of the same name written by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, was developed for television by American writer and television producer Eric Kripke. The season is produced by Sony Pictures Television in association with Point Grey Pictures, Original Film, Kripke Enterprises, Kickstart Entertainment and KFL Nightsky Productions.
Black Noir is the name of three supervillain characters from the comic book series The Boys, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, and the television series and franchise of the same name, developed by Eric Kripke. In both the comic and television series, Noir is a member of the hedonistic and reckless Vought-American superhero group the Seven and is depicted as a "silent ninja" type parody of Batman, Snake Eyes and Deathstroke.
Soldier Boy is the name of three superhero characters in the comic book series Herogasm and The Boys, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The first character introduced is the elected leader of the Vought-American-sponsored superhero team Payback. He is depicted as one of the only "Supes" with selfless, benevolent motivations, who detests the use of profanity. However, Soldier Boy annually has sex with Homelander alone at the "Herogasm" orgy, under the mistaken hope that the "test" of doing so will convince Homelander to let him join his own superhero team, the Seven. After his most recent dalliance with Homelander, Soldier Boy is captured by CIA black ops agent Billy Butcher and brutally tortured and murdered by him for information on Homelander's recent activities. The original Soldier Boy is later revealed to have been mercy killed by Mallory during his first mission at the Battle of the Bulge, after his "Avenging Squad" inadvertently caused Mallory's men to be massacred, and been replaced by the second for the remainder of the war.
Mother's Milk, or simply M.M., is a fictional character and antihero in the comic book series The Boys, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Born Baron Wallis, he is a member of The Boys, a group of CIA-sponsored vigilantes who observe, record, and sometimes liquidate "Supes" artificially created by the mega-conglomerate Vought. One of two "Supes" in the group alongside "The Female ", Wallis' mother was dosed with the superpower-inducing Compound V while pregnant with him, the result of which was her eventually mutating into a Cthulhu-like creature, and him becoming the first naturally-born Supe, prematurely aging. To stay alive, Mother's Milk requires continued consumption of his mother's Compound V-enhancing "mother's milk" on a semi-regular basis, leading to him taking the term as a sobriquet and boxing ring name. He later rises to become heavyweight champion of the world following his military career, before being recruited to the Boys after accidentally killing his opponent in the ring, becoming Butcher's second-in-command/best friend over years of missions and befriending Hugh "Wee Hughie" Campbell on his own recruitment. After helping Butcher finally get his revenge on Black Noir, M.M. learns that Butcher plans on killing all Supes and potential Supes, including him and his daughter. After confronting Butcher over this, M.M. is smothered to death by Butcher to prevent him from interfering with his plan. In order to avenge her son, M.M.'s mother then gives Hughie the necessary milk to kill Butcher.
The Boys is an American media franchise, consisting of action-drama/satirical black comedy superhero streaming television series which follow the residents of a world where superpowered individuals called Supes are recognized as heroes by the general public and work for a powerful corporation known as Vought International, which markets, monetizes, and (secretly) creates them, with most being selfish and corrupt outside of their heroic personas. Based on the comic book series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, originally published by DC Comics under its Wildstorm imprint before moving to Dynamite Entertainment, the television franchise debut has garnered success both financially and critically.