The Boys is an adult superhero comic book series co-created and written by Garth Ennis and co-created, designed, and illustrated by Darick Robertson. The plot follows The Boys, a small group of CIA agents who aim to combat superheroes who are widely perceived to be helpful but are secretly corrupt. The first volume was published by WildStorm, which cancelled it after six issues, after which the series was picked up by Dynamite Entertainment for the following eight volumes: Get Some, Good for the Soul, We Gotta Go Now, The Self-Preservation Society, The Innocents, The Big Ride, Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men, and The Bloody Doors Off. 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's previous 1995–2000 DC Vertigo series, Preacher, with former vampire Proinsias Cassidy cameoing as a bartender. Three six-issue spin-off limited series were also produced during the series' original run: Herogasm, Highland Laddie, and Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker, with an eight-issue epilogue series, Dear Becky, published from June–December 2020.