But just how popular is The Boys? Data analytics firm Parrot Analytics has provided exclusive information to Screen Rant, comparing The Boys to the first seasons of the various Marvel Netflix shows. This is pretty much a like-for-like comparison, given Marvel Netflix’s series were aimed at the same kind of demographic, and had a similar R-rating.

The Marvel Netflix Shows Followed A Traditional Binge Pattern

In order to understand the comparison, we first have to analyze the trends and patterns for Marvel Netflix. That begins with Daredevil season 1, which released in April 2015, and saw comparably low demand. It’s easy to understand why; back in 2015, streaming services weren’t well known for their original superhero shows, and frankly Daredevil was viewed as something of an experiment. It proved to be a hit, establishing Marvel Netflix as a discrete brand in its own right. Initial demand for Jessica Jones season 1 was higher, and according to Parrot, interest peaked with the first season of Luke Cage. Again, that makes sense; Luke Cage was marketed as something of a cultural event.

Marvel Entertainment’s SVP of Original Programming and Production, Karim Zreik, recently noted that each of these four series appealed to a different demographic. “Each show, for us, had a different demographic,” Zreik explained. “Each show is very specific. Women took to Jessica Jones, men took to Daredevil, young men took to Iron Fist because of the age of the lead character.” For all that’s the case, though, demand seems to have followed pretty much the same pattern for each series. It peaked in the week immediately after release, and then settled down to a base level within four to five weeks. This is actually a typical pattern for Netflix, who tend to drop every episode of a season at once, although it’s interesting to note that all four Marvel Netflix shows settled to a very similar base level. That suggests the base are the hardcore superhero fans, who’ll remain engaged long after a season has aired.

The Boys Doesn’t Fit The Pattern

The Boys, however, follows some very different patterns. Demand was already measuring as higher in the run-up to season 1’s release, and it then benefited from a strong marketing push in the final week. This was clearly a success, because according to Parrot, demand increased by a factor of three during that marketing campaign. This contrasts neatly with Netflix’s approach; the streaming giant didn’t really spend much money on marketing, trusting to the Netflix algorithm to recommend shows to viewers. As a result, there was no real pre-release bounce for a Marvel Netflix series due to advertising.

Of course, the obvious question is just why The Boys has proven to be so popular. In part, it’s simply because the show is just that good; showrunner Eric Kripke has put together a tremendous cast, and the scripts are tight and efficient. The Boys season 1 is only eight episodes in length, neatly avoiding all the pacing problems that were associated with Marvel Netflix’s 13-episode seasons. The release is also perfectly timed; the superhero genre is far more mainstream in 2019 than it was even in 2015, and superhero tropes have been absorbed into popular culture. The Boys subverts all these tropes in entertaining, original, and occasionally uncomfortable ways. The script adapts a classic comic book story, resetting it as a David-versus-Goliath narrative with a remarkable amount of heart. It’s an irreverent parody of countless Marvel and DC superheroes.

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The incredible demand for The Boys is an important reminder that there’s a lot more to comic book adaptations than just Marvel and DC. The original comics may be well-received, but they’re far less well-established as a brand than the likes of Daredevil or even Iron Fist. The Boys proves that a well-made, well-marketed superhero TV series inspired by a lesser-known brand can still compete - and even perform better than the inaugural seasons of the Marvel Netflix range.

More: No MCU? No Umbrella Academy Or The Boys