The Boys‘ third season wrapped up a few weeks ago and cemented the show’s place at the pinnacle of the superhero genre. Anyone who’s seen it will know that it refuses to pull any punches, whether for ridiculously bloody violence or nailing its political flag to the mast. And the core of the show, not to mention a huge part of its success, is Antony Starr’s barnstorming Homelander: a psychopathic and fascistic Superman analog.
The idea of a corrupted and villainous Superman has been around in DC comics for decades, but Homelander is the most complex and interesting example to date. This is a man who can do anything he wants, with his only weakness a pathological need for approval from others. Strip that away, and as Homelander explains in the third season, he’ll happily exchange love for fear and become a one-man apocalypse.
But is Homelander actually a better character than Superman? The debate got started with a viral tweet laying out the case:
DC fans aren’t happy, with many believing that this opinion could only be held by someone who hasn’t delved into the comic books:
Perhaps this is just trolling?
A few seem to be confused that “better written” = morally correct:
It’s also a fair point that the only reason Homelander works so well is because Superman is a well-written character:
Having said all that, we wouldn’t go so far as to call Homelander relatable, though who can resist a nice tall glass of milk?
Homelander actually does have the edge on Superman in a couple of ways, primarily that his story will have a completely closed arc when The Boys wraps up in a few years. But apart from that, there’s a reason Superman is an icon, as proved by comics like All-Star Superman, movies like Man of Steel, and the excellent animated version from Justice League Unlimited.
As great as Homelander is, he’s no Supes.
Published: Aug 2, 2022 03:15 am