Way back in 1999 and long before the MCU dominated the box office, audiences had another set of unpolished superheroes to watch on the silver screen.

Mystery Men was an oddball feature, perhaps a gem way ahead of its time. Directed by Kinka Usher (best known for his commercial work), and written by Neil Cuthbert (who penned Hocus Pocus), the quirky flick did poorly at the box office, despite its star-studded cast and original concept. However, over the years the movie has spawned a bit of a cult following.

Originally a loose adaptation of characters from the Flaming Carrot Comics series created by Bob Burden, it even had its own short-lived comic following the film. From its average Joe heroes to bizarre villains and plenty of garish costumes all throughout, it’s no wonder the film has charmed its way into pop culture history and adoration.

Coincidentally, another set of makeshift antiheroes has graced the screen in more recent years. Amazon’s The Boys went from a relatively unknown property to one of the platform’s most popular series, with a recent spin-off announcement solidifying the show’s impressive success. Adapted from the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, the series immediately made waves thanks to its stellar cast, snarky demeanor, overblown violence and its mockery of modern superhero culture and lore.

Related: The Boys Pulls No Punches Against the DCEU OR the MCU

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So what do these two groups of DIY heroes have in common? Amusingly, they have a number of entertaining parallels. One of the more prominent likenesses between the two titles is the commentary on the commercialization of the superhero, specifically the almost eerie parallels between Mystery Men’s Captain Amazing (Greg Kinnear) and The Boys’ Homelander (Antony Starr), alongside his other Vought-American sponsored peers.

Captain Amazing’s visage is the epitome of corporate sponsorship, with his uniform littered in brand logos much like a NASCAR driver. Homelander’s overall attire is far more subtle in its appearance, revised to perfection thanks to countless focus groups recruited by Vought. Both dashing heroes have an all-American, Clark Kent vibe on the exterior, but their motives are far from goody two shoes. Captain Amazing is more of a himbo with his concern focused on ratings and looking good, going so far as using his alter ego to release the main villain, Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush), from being institutionalized so he has a worthy opponent again. Homelander’s demeanor is far more sociopathic and sinister, with a deeper inclination toward violence and apathy toward those who he is supposed to be protecting. This sentiment takes an even darker turn in the second season of The Boys, with his power over The Seven and influence with Vought being threatened. Both Superman wannabes are egotistical, seemingly driven less by what qualities typically signify a hero, and more so by what makes them look best to citizens and sponsors alike.

Related: The Boys: Homelander's Mistake Is Reminiscent of Batman v Superman

Another set of characters bear strikingly similar appearances and demeanors, but don’t you dare compare one of them to a Supe. Mr. Furious (Ben Stiller) in Mystery Men is overall a calm, albeit cynical, member of the team. His superpower is that he can get incredibly angry, channeling his rage to overpower his enemies. It’s a continual struggle for him to master throughout the film, but in an almost Incredible Hulk-like fashion, is able to save the day by defeating Casanova Frankenstein toward the end of the film. Meanwhile, the head honcho of The Boys, Billy Butcher, seemingly exists in a constant state of snarky fury. Far from a superhero, Butcher works alongside his crew to conquer Vought, with him cathartically taking down every Supe he can get his paws on along the way. While Butcher’s quest is a bit more selfish and diabolical compared to that of Mr. Furious and company, he ultimately is working to try to save society from the clutches of The Seven, despite the team being marketed as the good guys. The Boys have certainly met their matches time and again, but continue to seek justice toward the corporation that has wronged many in their group.

Related: Two of The Boys' Best Lines (So Far) Were Ad-Libbed

Both groups ultimately seek to hold evildoers accountable, and in their own unique way, accomplish that.  Mystery Men and The Boys take audiences for a ride that spells out the absurdity of the world of the superhero, emphasizing that despite those with god-like powers seeming invincible, they are actually all too flawed and human like the rest of us. They both also highlight themes of how the underdog can take down the giant, time and again, especially by working together. While sadly Mystery Men doesn’t have a sequel on the horizon (yet), the quirky film is certainly worth a rewatch. Meanwhile, The Boys continues to go strong with its renewal for a third season and spin-off in development in the near future. So rest assured, Billy Butcher and friends will still be around to keep arrogant superheroes in check.

Mystery Men stars Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, William H. Macy, Greg Kinnear, Janeane Garofalo, Paul Reubens, Kel Mitchell, Wes Studi and Geoffrey Rush.

Amazon Studios' The Boys stars Karl Urban as Billy Butcher, Jack Quaid as Hughie, Laz Alonso as Mother's Milk, Tomer Kapon as Frenchie, Karen Fukuhara as the Female, Erin Moriarty as Annie January, Chace Crawford as the Deep, Antony Starr as Homelander, Aya Cash as Stormfront and Simon Pegg as Hughie's dad. New episodes of Season 2 release Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.

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