Kick-Ass 2 #5 - Mobile Edition

Marvel Comics
Kick-Ass 2 #5
By Hervé St-Louis
November 27, 2011 - 17:18

Marvel Comics
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Writer(s): Mark Millar
Penciller(s): John Romita Jr.
Inker(s): Tom Palmer
Colourist(s): Dean White, Michael Kelleher
Letterer(s): Chris Eliopoulos
$2.99 US
Rating: M

Kick-Ass’ father is in jail and his safety is in jeopardy. The villains want to teach Kick-Ass a lesson and are planning something special for his dad. What can Kick-Ass do to save his dad?

This issue is even more predictable than the last one. Of course Hit-Girl gets involved, finally after swearing that she would not be a vigilante ever again. We know that next issue will promise the big finale where Hit-Girl will go toe to toe with that giant Russian bitch and someone will pay for all the mayhem. Millar just likes adding shock to shock. It feels that he wants people to say that his characters are all mother-fuckers that do the most despicable things. They have no values or restraints. And maybe that’s why they attack at Dave’s father’s funeral after having hung him in prison. Nothing is spared or hinted at. The pure shock is all on display. I don’t mind shock or gore, but when it does not advance the plot, it serves nothing.

The plot I have to say is useless by now. We all know how this story will end. It’s going to be messy and there will be even more gore, guts eyeballs and blood. So if this is your type of comic book, all I can say is that it’s the perfect comic for you. It will entertain you without asking to decode some underlying theme or literary motive. If there are any, it’s only by drawing a big conclusion on this entire exercise. I think I’m gonna stop trying to find anything redeeming and intellectual about Kick-Ass and invite you to yell with me FUCK YEAH!! This book fucking rocks! There I said it. I was entertained by the mindless violence and all I could say to describe this book to you is Fuck yeah, it rules. There’s no point bashing this book for what it’s not trying to be. It stopped being about how a real super hero would look in the real word and became another Nemesis where it’s all about bullets, blood and martial arts.

Romita Jr. Is back in shape this issue. Perhaps not having to draw the Avengers every month has freed him and allowed him to deliver more than bland sketches with too many lines. His composition is good here and the figures look fully formed. This is the Romita work that I like. The one that looks so easy for him to draw, that’s full of energy, but all you have to say when you look at it is say that it’s pure genius. It’s gory. He shows the piss and blood leaking down Kick-Ass’ dad’s body while being hung in jail. Not a cool pic to remember. But for what this comic book is about. It works.

Rating: 8/10