The world of The Boys.
The largest billboard in Times Square was looping a massive, highly provocative advertisement.
On the screen, several ordinary people who had been frail or disabled instantly bulged with muscle and took flight after being injected with a vial of deep-blue liquid.
Accompanied by stirring background music, a line of gilded, three-dimensional lettering filled almost half the night sky:
"The age of Superheroes for all has officially arrived! Vought Compound V-make your dream of becoming a Supe come true!"
Under the cover of commercial packaging, Compound V, once Vought International's most closely guarded secret, had now been placed squarely on the shelves of capitalism, becoming a miracle drug that the wealthy and fanatics around the world flocked to obtain.
Beside that billboard, another enormous LED screen displayed a frozen image of Homelander's signature, perfect smile, as though measured out with a ruler.
Wearing his Stars and Stripes cape, he gave the American public a thumbs-up on the screen. Beneath his false, sunny smile lurked arrogance and sickness that he was straining to suppress.
Meanwhile, an emergency news bulletin was playing on television:
"...A historic moment! According to the latest vote count from Congress Hill, the young congresswoman from New York State, Victoria Neuman, has officially been elected the next vice president of the United States by an overwhelming margin! She is also the first vice president in American history to openly declare her full support for legalizing Compound V..."
On the television screen, Neuman stood at a podium in a sharp business suit, offering a poised, charming smile to countless flashing cameras.
Just then, a sudden barrage of gunfire and screams erupted nearby.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
More than a dozen New York police officers huddled behind the doors of their patrol cars, desperately pouring fire into