The Boys Doesn't Even Remotely Show A-Train As Dark As Comic Books Did
If you hated A-Train after watching the show, you better not even consider checking out the original comic books.
The Boys, the dark Amazon Prime's hit series based on the comic books by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, has gained immense popularity for its satirical take on the superhero genre.
A-Train, the supe who starts the events of the show by killing Hughie’s girlfriend, is indeed a bad guy, but die-hard fans shared their opinion on Reddit, reminding us that he is much worse in the original comic book.
Let’s compare A-Train's portrayal in The Boys TV show to his counterpart in the original comics, highlighting the main differences.
In both the TV show and the comic series, A-Train possesses superhuman speed, but the comic version takes this power to a darker place. While the show hints at his reliance on a performance-enhancing drug called Compound V, the comics delve deeper into A-Train's addiction.
His need for speed drives him to use Compound V excessively, leading to severe consequences for innocent bystanders. This addiction amplifies his ruthlessness, making him more dangerous and unapologetic.
While the TV show portrays A-Train as a morally conflicted character, attempting to hide the accidental killing of Hughie's girlfriend, the comic version showcases his utter disregard for human life.
In the comics, A-Train ruthlessly barrels through bystanders, causing countless deaths, and then casually dismisses the consequences of his actions. His lack of remorse and empathy sets him apart as a truly malevolent character.
The TV show presents opportunities for A-Train to grow, making him display glimpses of remorse. Conversely, the comic version lacks any such redemption, making him a relentless force of evil.
Comic book A-Train is much more manipulative. A-Train uses his position of power to exploit others, both physically and emotionally. He manipulates his teammates and even allies to serve his own interests.
This level of calculated manipulation makes him a more sinister character, willing to betray anyone to maintain his own advantage.
It is also important to mention, as The Boys buffs point out, that almost every character on the show is not as evil as they are in the original source. And it actually makes sense because the creators couldn't fully capture all the craziness from the original comic, but they still managed to do a pretty decent job.
Source: Reddit