As it turns out,Marvel Cinematic Universefans actually have Garth Ennis’sThe Boysto thank for introducing a story beat before the MCU transformed it into a celebrated cliché. While Ennis’s comic is best known for subverting and satirizing existing superhero tropes, in the case of characters getting their arms cut off,The Boyswas ahead of the curve.
InThe Boys#63 – written by Garth Ennis, with art by Russel Braun – the character Frenchie’s arm is severed during a fight. Originally published in 2012,the issue precededIron Man 3, which began the trend of MCU characters losing their arms.
Interestingly,The Boys' version was inexplicably similar to the style that would later become a hallmark of theMCU’s use of the trope. That is, the lost arm sequence came as an unexpected twist during an especially intense fight scene.
The Boys Parodied A Major MCU Trend Decision – Before It Even Started
The Boys#63 – Written By Garth Ennis; Art By Russel Braun; Color By Tony Aviña; Lettering By Simon Bowland
It is worth noting that Garth Ennis made this same creative decision inThe Boysfirst, almost as a form of premptive parody.
According to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, the recurring “lost arm” motif was a deliberate tribute to theStar Warsfranchise. Every movie in the MCU’s Phase 2 –Iron Man 3(2013),Thor: The Dark World(2013),Captain America: The Winter Soldier(2014),Guardians of the Galaxy(2014),Avengers: Age of Ultron(2015), andAnt-Man(2015) – ultimately featured at least one hero or villain having their arm severed. Still, it is worth noting that Garth Ennis made this same creative decision inThe Boysfirst, almost as a form of preemptive parody.
The Boys Beat The MCU To The Punch On The “Severed Arms” Trope
Parody Is Give And Take
GivenThe Boys' satirical, anti-hero nature, the MCU’s Phase 2 and 3 severed-arm trope is exactly the kind of superhero absurdity thatEnnis would eagerly incorporate into his subversive storylineto mock the trivialities of the genre. However, in an ironic twist of foreshadowing,it was Ennis’The Boysthat first introduced the trope it would likely have parodied. Indeed, hadThe Boysbeen released during or after the MCU’s Phase 2, it almost certainly would have included the severed-arm trope.
“At Most, It Makes You Feel Better”: The Boys Creator Calls Out Pop Culture’s Obsession With Satire
Author Garth Ennis is best known for his superhero satire “The Boys,” but in an interview, he called it far from the “be-all and end-all” of his work.
What makes the severed-arm trope debuting inThe Boysbefore the MCU so entertaining is that Ennis clearly didn’t include it because he anticipated it becoming a trope. Rather, it’s the kind of over-the-top action that heightens the chaotic energy of a typical superhero scene. Naturally, theMCU later adopted and expanded on this tropein its own storytelling. The genius lies in howa satirical work likeThe Boysestablishes a trope so compelling that it’s eventually embraced by a mainstream entertainment giant — a target of its critique.
The Boys
The Boysfranchise is a satirical and dark superhero series based on the comic book by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. It explores a world where superheroes, or “Supes,” are corrupt, violent, and morally bankrupt, all controlled by the powerful corporation Vought International. The story centers around two opposing groups:The Boys, a vigilante team aiming to expose and defeat the corrupt heroes, andThe Seven, Vought’s elite team of Supes led by the ruthless Homelander.
