Hit-Girl #1

After the bloodbath from the first Kick-Ass series, little Hit-Girl tries to lead a normal life with her mother and stepfather. But the mafia never forgives and they sure as hell never forget and Hit-Girl is forced out of an early retirement. Mayhem ensues. Featuring Kick-Ass & Red Mist. This series takes place between Kick-Ass & Kick-Ass 2.

The Pros

Having read Kick-Ass, but not Kick-Ass 2 (which is perfect, because once I’ve read this series, I’ll read Kick-Ass 2) I know what to expect from Mark Millar. Over the top violence, gore & profanity (these are a few of my favourite things). I like the fact that Hit-Girl can take on a room full of bad guys with nothing but a sword, but can’t deal with the pressures of not fitting in & teasing from other girls at school. John Romita Jr’s illustrations are by far the best he’s ever done. With the help of Tom Palmer’s finishes and something called “ink washes”, the panels look like artwork on a canvas. Absolutely stunning.

The Cons

I’m only nitpicking here, but this is sort of a spoiler, but apparently Red Mist appears in Kick-Ass 2, so you know he’ll survive this series. Which raises the question, why didn’t Millar follow up Kick-Ass with this series?

The Outcome

Now this is just the first issue, but the bottom line is that if you’re a Millar freak like me, than you have to pick this up. Period. From Marvel Comics, Icon & Millarworld.