By Mark Millar, John Romita Jr., Dean White & Michael Kelleher

The Kick-Ass saga finally reaches its ultimate conclusion! This special double-sized issue opens with Hit-Girl and Kick-Ass enacting their plan to take down the mob bosses and the crooked cops, the rest of the comic chronicles the outcome of this massive face-off. Sorry if this synopsis is a little vague, but I want readers to have the full experience.

This is the comic that burst into mainstream pop culture and kicked off the Millarworld universe; having high expectations for the ending of this long-running series would be a major understatement. Overall, the book feels like it is missing that certain je ne sais quoi that would make it truly memorable, but many people will be satisfied with this finale. Millar and Romita Jr. hit all the necessary points and give each character their due. Plus, there is plenty of action-packed gore, which has become somewhat of a staple for this title. The epilogue for Mindy and Dave feels right, Millar makes sure that his readers for all four series will be comfortable with where he leaves the two crime fighters. Mark has teased that this issue would show how the story ties in with the other Millarworld titles, this is what really had me excited.

The easter eggs were totally blatant, which certainly makes searching easier, but it almost comes off as internal for plugging the other series. There is a back-up story and a nod to events in the first issue that almost make-up for the execution of the Millarworld references.

The entire art team delivers dramatically in this swan song. There are  full-page shots, double full-page shots, and half-page panels; these artists aren’t playing around! Despite being a double-sized issue, Romita Jr. capitalizes on each panel to maximize  the emotion/action that the image calls for. The full-page shot of the final confrontation between Hit-Girl and Rocco Genovese is stunning – either Dean White or Michael Kelleher colored this page beautifully. It’s a very dynamic image showing the true physical strength of Mindy. There is another half-page shot that is a direct nod to Frank Miller’s work on Batman. Oh, and there is a kick-ass explosion…just check it out!

Kick-Ass may not end as impactful as many would hope, but it is appropriate and serves the characters well. I highly recommend reading the comic twice to be able to fully appreciate the content. Being the finale, fan or not, this issue needs to be bought! As one door closes, another opens…Let’s see where Mark Millar and company take us next in Millarworld!

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About The Author Erik Gonzalez

I was exposed to comics early on, one of my earliest vivid memories was picking up the entire run of Dark Horse’s Aliens vs. Predator(1990). Odd and perhaps morbid choice for a kid, I know...At the same time, I was immersed in the pop culture of the time which included, but not limited to: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and of course, Batman: The Animated Series. Upon reflection, it’s fairly evident why I’m such a zealous geek. My day job is in television operations, so basically I’m exposed to media at every turn, which is where I want to be! Writing comic book reviews is another outlet to convey my respect and fanaticism for the this graphic medium. I hope what I have to say will resonate with others and also spark heart-felt discussion. Simon Pegg said it best, “Being a geek is extremely liberating.”

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