End Of Life #1
Marcell Hines
Recap
Professional hitman Eddie Stallion has messed up. He's accidentally robbed the Raven, a high-ranking boss of the international cabal of assassins the Menagerie, of which Eddie is a member... or he was. Now with a price on his head, Eddie chooses to hide in the one place everyone knows he'd never go... the small midwestern town of Pluto, home of his estranged father and known hard-ass George Stallion. Looking for safe harbor, Eddie instead finds his resentful father dying of cancer, old friends looking to collect that bounty, Menagerie assassins who have wandered into town, a cancelled newspaper comic-strip creator turned local crime lord, and oh yeah, his childhood first love, too.
Kyle Starks and Steve Pugh, the team behind Peacemaker Tries Hard! , present the story of a man-child assassin with some very grown-up problems. As Eddie grows more attached to the people of Pluto, he'll have to step in to solve those problems the only way a hitman knows how!
Review
Eddie Stallion is an excellent hitman, but he’s also an enormous asshole with an ego the size of Texas. When that bravado puts him on the radar of the leader of an international ring of assassins , he finds himself on the run with the price on his head. When his getaway brings him back to his hometown, Eddie might find that old ghosts might prove more dangerous than any mercenary.
Vertigo continues its revival with the third book in its line. End of Life in it’s opening feels like the beginning of an action comedy movie from the late aughts; packed with plenty of blood, violence, inappropriate jokes, and swearing. When Eddie arrives back home in Pluto is when the story slows down to give us more insight into our very unlikable yet entertaining protagonist. His layers are slowly pulled back and start to reveal just how much trauma hides beneath the snark and womanizing. This is shown through an introduction to both his hard-nosed father, George, and his first love, Sophie.
Kyle Starks creates an entertaining narrative throughout, but mileage may vary on how much you will be able to tolerate Eddie as a lead. The comedic dialogue hits like it’s supposed to but the more slower moments also land as intended. There is a hidden depth to these characters that is sure going to be fun to explore as the story moves forward.
On the artistic front, Steve Pugh and Chris O’Halloran make a fairly effective duo in this opening issue. Pugh’s pencils are energetic and expressive with a few dynamic panels, while O’Halloran’s colors highlight the high octane dangers of the city, as well as the muted (yet no less fraught) atmosphere of the town of Pluto. It’s a nice feast for the eyes.
Final Thoughts
End of Life #1 is a solid opening for what promises to be fun, violent, raunchy, and even somber series with fun characters and high stakes backed by strong art.
End of Life #1: Home is Where the Hate Is
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 8.5/108.5/10
- Color - 8/108/10
- Cover Art - 9.5/109.5/10
