The Best New Characters In The Boys Presents: Diabolical
It can be tough waiting on a new season of "The Boys," but as the franchise expands on television, there are other shows to help fill those gaps. We now have "The Boys Presents: Diabolical," an animated series consisting of eight episodes with varying art styles that tell brief stories from the twisted superhero universe of "The Boys." An amusing and raunchy trailer gave fans a taste of what they could expect while showing off the impressive list of cast members. There are several familiar faces popping up in these episodes that fans might recognize –- even if they look a bit different and are, in some cases, played by different actors -– but with such a wealth of vocal talent behind the scenes, there are also a slew of fresh characters to wreak havoc and make a bloody mess.
It's rare that people are ever simple or normal in the world of "The Boys," even when they don't have superpowers. However, "The Boys Presents: Diabolical" is a cartoon spinoff that takes elements from the television show and comics, ultimately allowing the creators to go even crazier with some of these concepts and ideas. Each episode is short and everyone is disposable, so there isn't much time to build new characters up, but here are the best new characters introduced by "The Boys Presents: Diabolical."
O.D.
In "The Boys," superheroes like to unwind and indulge, which often involves doing drugs. Since they are powered-up beings, it takes some special stuff to get them as high as they want to be. That's where O.D. comes in. As the illegal substance provider to the superhuman community, O.D. is a man who can get all of those exotic cocktails and make sure the customer never runs out. As the main supplier to such powerful clientele, this dealer has access to quite the Rolodex of contacts and big favors, making O.D. think he's untouchable — until ol' Billy Butcher pays him a visit. In the end, all it takes is the threat of pressure from the DEA and a potentially painful prison sentence makes O.D. realize that his pals might not be as loyal as he assumes.
For someone who makes their living off seeing others waste away, O.D. crumbles quickly under the pressure. He doesn't handle stress well and lacks the stomach for what happens after following through with Butcher's demands. Not only is he scarred mentally in new ways, but he's also hooked in his own way under the Boys' collective thumb. How long will it be before one of the superheroes he deals to figure out he's been helping to execute them, and what will be the consequences? His story fits in the universe of "The Boys" well and it would be a shame if we didn't see him pop up again somewhere.
Jack from Jupiter
This is a list of individuals that are new to "The Boys" in this medium, but as CBR points out, Jack from Jupiter may have had a small cameo in the second season of the show. However, his possible appearance was incredibly brief, and there is some argument over whether or not porn parodies count, so this feels like the proper introduction to the character. Considering that showrunner Eric Kripke explained to Entertainment Weekly that Jack from Jupiter was unlikely to have a bigger role on "The Boys," this might be all fans will see of the tan-skinned hero, but he is much more prominent in the comics. There, he's seen as a lesser member of the Seven, and even though he has tenure, no one really cares. He may not be as rash and violent as his teammates, but Jack has plenty of his own issues.
This knockoff version of the Martian Manhunter is a bigot with some sexual proclivities he'd rather keep hidden, but he's also a diversity hire in the sense that many civilians believe him to be an actual alien from Jupiter. It isn't true, but he still has the ability to fly, is incredibly strong, and can become invincible for a limited time. Unfortunately, that's only if he can say the magic word, and Butcher figured out Jack can't do that when the right amount of force is applied to the throat. However, given his behavior in the comics, however, he probably deserves it. As for his appearance in "Diabolical," he's having a much better day.
Ironcast
This new supe is a big fella whose stature and look make him a bit intimidating. His name will seem obvious at first glance, as it seems like his entire body has been cast in iron, or a protective skin was built around him in a mutation that could have gone horribly wrong. There are some signs of strength, and he clearly has no problem with fire, as one of his big moments involves holding aloft an oversized flaming hoop. Leading up to that, he has a stellar entrance, rising up on a platform from the water with men and women surrounding him while shimmering in the sunlight. It would also be easy to think that Ironcast has some charisma as well, as we see him laughing and know he likes to attend parties, but they all have a dark side, right?
Butcher explains to the audience that he knows this particular "hero" drinks the blood of dead kids, those who died from diseases like leukemia, and that the metal-clad man experiences sexual arousal from it. It's an odd statement because Butcher also notes that Ironcast "says he can taste the despair" when he consumes it, implying that it may take some pretty sick things to get him excited. That may sound repulsive, but that information is there to make sure the viewers aren't too concerned when this particular stud meets an incredibly gory end.
Great Wide Wonder
Okay, so his name may sound a little bit silly, and yes, his only real power seems to be that he can fly (he seems to lack the toughness and strength that comes with taking Compound V), but Great Wide Wonder does it at incredible speeds. He makes quite the impression, especially on anyone he hits, but can cause a mess. This new character from the episode "I'm Your Pusher" doesn't say much, but he does a lot when he isn't sweating and pumping his fists. In fact, his presence is less about the plot, but more as a mechanic for one insane setup and a beautifully disgusting ending, so no need to get attached.
Part of the story here is that he's being inducted into the Superhero Hall of Fame, which is a humorous concept on its own, but viewers are quickly informed as to why he's not quite role model material. Not only are his drug habits a bit strange, but Wonder also enjoys taking young girls on flights into outer space to have his way with them and then leaving them there. No reason to worry about dead bodies if they never come back down. He makes a lot of bad decisions, like showing up to his induction ceremony while tweaking and causing a traumatizing accident in the process, but at least he goes out with a bang.
Nubia and Nubian Prince
On paper, Nubia, Queen of Thunder, and Nubian Prince are the idyllic superhero couple who get great ratings for Vought International, with their beatdowns making for great online content. The couple's story is almost perfect, even down to how they met after coming together to stop crime, flirting in the sky, and falling in love at first sight — but it's all a lie. Like many other supes of this world, their lives are a scripted sham for television and an act put on for the viewers. After eight years of marriage and one kid later, this power duo can't stand each other and is ready for a divorce. The magic is gone, and watching them fight with each other might be more painful than seeing them wallop foes.
Nubia says it best, "being a supe couple is tough, you belong to the world and your relationship is bigger than the two of you." Nubian Prince wants time to work things out, but his wife knows it's over and is pushing hard for the divorce. Their daughter, on the other hand, isn't giving up on them just yet and goes as far as to get the old foe that they first fought together to take them on again in hopes that it could rekindle their love. That at least says something about how well they raised their child. Even though this temporary fix only lasts for a night, it gives audiences one final look at what a happy couple they once were.
Groundhawk
Imagine someone who is incredibly tough, otherwordly strong, and depends on two hammers as his primary weapon. However, these hammers aren't tools he holds — his hands are just giant mallets that he can't do anything with other than hit things. Groundhawk, a bird-themed powered individual that cannot fly, had a rough life as he grew up in a home that went through a divorce and took his anger out by putting holes in the walls with his giant metal fists. His condition causes several everyday problems with simple things like using the restroom and opening cans. It can also make entertainment, such as playing video games, incredibly difficult. This is a supe who seems to be living a somewhat miserable existence.
Groundhawk is a former hero who got tired of being rewarded with simple recognition. He wants more substantial gain from his powers, and it's hard to imagine this change of heart wasn't also pushed along by his condition, as it is probably hard to get people behind a hero with weapons for hands that enjoys knocking heads and always seems angry. The man is aggressive, all the way down to his destroyed VS5 controller, broken door, and hostile voice mail message. On the other hand, he does show some signs of being a softie who cares about his co-workers to a certain degree and offers to help a kid when she is trying to do something good. Sadly, Groundhawk gets beat up a lot, usually has nothing to do, and spends most of his spare time staring into the void.
Ghost
Another character with a name that says almost everything we need to know about her, Ghost is incorporeal, which protects her from damage. There's a downside, though, in that she's also visible to everyone, keeping her from being used effectively as a spy. Beyond that, she can't interact with objects, meaning that she's essentially just there without much ability to do anything. Even worse, she still gets hungry but can't consume food, just for one final kick in the pants. It isn't even close to an ideal existence, but finding out that this is a condition her parents forced upon her by injecting their child with Compound V, makes living as an apparition unbearable.
When the depression turns to anger, just existing is no longer an option. Ghost is quick to convince her other super-powered friends to join her on a killing spree. This is a young, resourceful woman with a vicious side, even though she can't indulge personally in that. Watching Ghost put her intangible hand atop one that is actually committing the murder says all anyone needs to know about the character. Unsatisfied with life, death and revenge are the only things that can console her now.
Boombox
Not every superpower is super useful, but some cause outrageous side effects and permanent changes, making the recipients of those changes undesirable. In the episode "An Animated Short Where Pissed-Off Supes Kill Their Parents," viewers are introduced to quite a few ridiculous characters that lost the lottery when it came to special abilities, but no one stands out as much as Boombox. This man's head transformed into a speaker, and no one seems to be asking how it's powered. If he could play an assortment of things over the device, Boombox may have at least found some work in the entertainment industry, but the one thing that comes out of him is "Only Wanna Be with You" by Hootie & the Blowfish.
Boombox isn't completely useless, as he loves to work out and use his non-super strength when the chance arises. However, his violent tendencies are best executed by turning the volume on Hootie & the Blowfish all the way up. When he does, eardrums are blown, eyes eventually pop, and there is always a mess to clean. It may seem sad that he's used more to set a catchy pop song to a brutal and gory set of events, but at least that makes him memorable.
Denis Fletcher
It isn't often we get to meet new Vought International employees who handle things outside of marketing the heroes and ensuring they're protecting the company investments. However, others have less far glamorous jobs that put them in charge of projects that don't work out as expected. Sometimes, when a couple agrees to inject their newborn with Compound V to see what kind of superhero they can make, it doesn't always work out. Often, they no longer want to keep the kid. That's when it becomes Denis' problem.
If a parent isn't satisfied with their results, Denis is the Vought International employee who puts the child in an out-of-the-way assisted living home while helping the deadbeat adults move, wiping away the evidence of their messy abandonment. His top priority is not letting those gifted children find their mothers and fathers. Like many other employees of the mega-corporation, Denis doesn't appear to have much of a soul.
Sun-Hee
Some people will do anything to save their loved ones, even if it involves attacking a security guard and breaking into a megacorporation's lab to steal some superpower serum. John isn't willing to let his wife go just yet, so he risks everything to buy her some more time. Sun-Hee is dying of cancer, and she has accepted that it is her time to go, even if John hasn't. When the blue liquid hits her veins, though, it goes a little too deep, granting Sun-Hee life while giving the disease an unnecessary supercharge. Maybe John should have had her drink it instead.
This episode shows an interesting way of how a situation like this can go from bad to worse and why not every problem should be solved with Compound V. The stolen substance is, of course, tracked down, meaning the older couple would have had to fight no matter what. However, now the cancer has left Sun-Hee's body, with no other urge but to destroy and consume. Thankfully, it starts with the enemy soldiers first. Though her husband wants to leave this new mess for others to deal with and hide, so the pair can enjoy the time they have left, Sun-Hee is a caring and responsible person who can't do that, no matter what the cost. She's a strong character, even though she only has a few lines.
Boyd Doone
"Boyd in 3D" is a tale of caution about how some things are better left as is and to trust in your natural abilities. Be yourself. It's also a solid message against signing up for experimental tests run by companies that don't care about anyone other than their profit margins. If we rearrange the letters in Boyd, it spells body, and he's not comfortable with his. The cute girl with the boyfriend troubles will never fall for him, especially if he keeps tripping when trying to be smooth and making excuses to interact with her. So what's the answer? Be a better version of Boyd.
After a quick pep talk from a couple of scientists and an application of completely safe and absolutely non-addictive moisturizer cream, Boyd looks like a new, hunkier man and gets the girl. Things escalate more when his new squeeze, Cherry, finds the ointment and makes herself a little hotter and a lot friskier as well. Then we see a rise and fall for the new star couple, who spend their fifteen minutes on the top and then come crashing back down when there's trouble in paradise. Both of them are guilty of getting lost in their phones, engrossed in the social media attention, and being distant. However, it's Boyd who gets greedy and is caught bagging another catch. That's when the violence starts, first with the paparazzi, then with each other, once the miracle solution runs dry. In this case, looking pretty on the outside exposes the darker insides.
Sky
It's hard being the new girl in town, especially for someone who's a little awkward. A desire to fit in sees Sky being abused by her current so-called friends, but when she's roped into being the one to buy drugs, things start getting strange and awesome. As the episode's title suggests, these events lead her and a new pal to be "BFFs," but Areola isn't the type of friend one might expect, even for the weird kid. She's a turd. Although Sky doesn't think the Compound V she gets from the dealer works at first, she realizes that it has brought Areola to life in a shocking discovery. However, the young girl eventually realizes that the real source is her, as she can now control feces. That's right — Sky can make sentient excrement, or in simpler terms, is a poop-summoner.
Just after she's had time to bond with Areola and give her a makeover, a superhero comes to reclaim Vought's property and study the talking turd. This doesn't sit well with Sky, who isn't willing to give up the best friend she just made (literally), and viewers see just how resourceful she is. Sky is loyal to those who truly care for her and finds out that in the right situation, she is quite powerful. After a final confrontation with her pursuer and ditching her old friends, she's happy and surrounded by new ones. No one has ever looked so pleased to be in a room full of feces.