Marvel Comics

Kick Ass #3

By Zak Edwards
Jun 14, 2008 - 0:46:01 AM

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Mark Millar
Penciller(s): John Romita Jr.
Inker(s): Tom Palmer
Colourist(s): Dean White
Letterer(s): Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Artist(s): John Romita Jr.
$2.99 US, $3.05 Canada

Kick-Ass is the biggest indie-comic sensation right now except for one problem, it’s a Marvel Comic. But in terms of a great idea getting some serious attention, Kick-Ass is it, and a great read to boot. Talking to some other, people, being a Mark Millar fan is not exactly commonplace, but I myself am a fan of his violent, controversial, and very socially and politically aware writing. Kick-Ass is all of this in one uncensored package. It’s definitely controversial and very, very violent, but, most importantly, it’s back on track after last issue’s sophomore slump.

And the blood. Oh, the blood!

Millar has found a structural formula for Kick-Ass that is working for right now. The first half deals with the real-life of our Hero, Dave, and a reflection on being a super-hero while the latter puts Dave into his scuba-suit/costume and, through his incredibly stupid exploits, sets up for the next issue’s reflection. The formula could be argued to exist in many comic books besides Kick-Ass, but it works for a series dedicated to taking the science out of science-fiction (and yes, I know that leaves us with fiction) because of the its fresh and unforgiving approach, just as a real-life super-hero would be. The shocking final few pages proves that Millar has an agenda besides getting Romita Jr. to draw copious amounts of blood and gore. Being Kick-Ass, that’s apparently the name of the masked hero, is starting to have serious consequences on the world around Dave, and that is what this issue is about. The narration almost takes a step back, focusing on the social impacts of Kick-Ass on places as small as Dave’s high school and as big as America. It is in this issue where Millar shows why he was chosen to write something like Civil War and why Superman: Red Son was such a success; he understands how the world works and can manipulate that knowledge into thoughtful pieces. This issue is the best so far in a series that potentially has a great future ahead of it.

John Romita Jr. likes blood and gore, made obvious by the cover, but this makes the action sequences at the end of the series difficult to look at. Millar created a sequence at the end not to be enjoyed, something Romita Jr. reflected perfectly in his pencils. Romita also does a great job of showing Dave’s messed up injuries, somplete with swollen jaws and bandaged faces. His art works for both halves of Dave’s life, depicting real-looking people in a story where reality is the point.

9.5/10 Even better then the first issue, Millar puts his strengths to full use