What would it look like to be a superhero in the real world? This is a question writer Mark Millar and artist John Romita Jr. explored in the famous Kick-Ass comic book series, originally published by Marvel Comics under the Icon Imprint, and later republished under Image Comics, between 2008 and 2019. The universe was expanded with two spin-off series, including one focusing on Hit-Girl. And it has been adapted by director Matthew Vaughn into a successful movie, followed by a less successful sequel.
But let’s go back to the beginning. Dave Lizewski is an ordinary New York teenage boy who loves superheroes. One day, he decides to cross the line, put on a costume, and become a vigilante. Soon enough, he discovers it’s very dangerous and way more real than what he reads in the comic book pages.
Despite the punch and the blood, his actions have some effects, inspiring others. And in his fight against crime, he meets the young Mindy McCready aka the ruthless Hit-Girl…
Kick-Ass Comics Reading Order
Kick-Ass Comics, The Dave Lizewski Years
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Kick-Ass in 2018, a new edition was released collecting the first part of the Kick-Ass story under the name “The Dave Lizewski Years”.
- Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years Book One
Collects Kick-Ass (2008) #1-8 - Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years Book Two
Collects Hit-Girl (2012) #1-5. Previously called kick-ass 2 Prelude: Hit girl or simply Hit-Girl - Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years Book Three
Collects Kick-Ass 2 (2010) #1-7 - Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years Book Four
Collects Kick-Ass 3 (2013) #1-8
Hit-Girl Worldwide
At the end of Kick-Ass, the pint-sized Punisher-meets-Polly-Pocket has left America behind and set off to serve justice around the world. These are her adventures, with each book told by a different creative team.
Season One
- Hit-Girl Volume 1: in Columbia
Collects Hit-Girl #1-4. By Mark Millar and Ricardo Lopez Ortiz. - Hit-Girl Volume 2: in Canada
Collects Hit-Girl #5-8. By Jeff Lemire And Eduardo Risso - Hit-Girl Volume 3: In Rome
Collects Hit-Girl #9-12. By Rafael Scavone and Rafael Albuquerque.
Season Two
- Hit-Girl Volume 4: The Golden Rage of Hollywood
Collects Hit-Girl Season Two #1-4. By Kevin Smith and Pernille Orum - Hit-Girl Volume 5: In Hong Kong
Collects Hit-Girl Season Two #5-8. By Daniel Way and Goran Parlov - Hit-Girl Volume 6: In India
Collects Hit-Girl Season Two #9-12. By Peter Milligan and Alison Sampson.
Kick-Ass: The New Girl
Kick-Ass is back but who is Kick-Ass? Ten years after the first Kick-Ass, Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. launched the new chapter in the Kick-Ass story with a new figure wearing that famous green and yellow spandex. Most of the story is written by Steve Niles and penciled by Marcelo Frusin.
- Kick-Ass: The New Girl Book One
Collects Kick-Ass #1-6. By Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. - Kick-Ass: The New Girl Book Two
Collects Kick-Ass #1-6. By Steve Niles and Marcelo Frusin. - Kick-Ass: The New Girl Book Three
Collects Kick-Ass #1-6. By Steve Niles and Marcelo Frusin. - Kick-Ass: The New Girl Book Four
Collects Kick-Ass vs. Hit-Girl #1-5. By Steve Niles and Marcelo Frusin.
After Kick-Ass
You have finished reading Kick-Ass and you ask yourself what to read now. We invite you to check out those other comic books:
- Nemesis – With artist Steve McNiven, Mark Millar asked this time what would it looks like if Batman was the bad guy. This is the story of a billionaire anarchist who causes chaos into the city.
- Jupiter’s Legacy – Another series by Mark Millar, this time with artist Frank Quitely, who takes a more close interest in the notion of superheroes family.
- The Boys – This is Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson deconstructing in their own way the superhero tropes before the television series loosely based on it became a hit for Amazon.
- Invincible – Also a popular (animated) television series on Amazon, Invincible is Robert Kirkman’s celebration and violent take of the superhero tropes.