When a film adaptation of a comic book goes into pre-production only a few months after the first issue was released, it isn’t hard to imagine that there might be something to the book’s concept. Published only a month before the movie’s premiere, the first eight issues of “Kick-Ass” have been collected into a hardcover volume and the characters and action within leave a lot for the film to successfully translate.
The world Mark Millar has created in “Kick-Ass” is one based out of the writer’s own childhood. As a teenager, Millar had the same desire to be a superhero as his young character but never went through with it for the fear that he would be beaten to death in no time. Geeky protagonist, Dave Lizewski, is Millar’s attempt to live out his fantasy but with the dream comes the real world to try and choke the life right out of him.
“Kick-Ass” follows a rather simple plot. Dave, wanting more excitement out of life, decides to don a modified swimsuit and become a superhero like in his favorite comics, despite his lack of superpowers.
His first night on patrol Dave is beaten within an inch of his life and sent to the intensive care unit.
Yeou Chiou, a junior in physics, finds the idea of real people fighting crime as hard to swallow as Millar himself did. “The closest thing to a superhero with no powers is Batman and he’s rich. These kids wouldn’t be able to fight crime; they’d probably get killed,” Chiou said.
Herein lies the reason “Kick-Ass” stands out from the crowd. Just because Dave dons a costume and works out a little, it does not mean he immediately becomes a one-man death machine. Even through the end of the book, Dave is consistently beaten, tortured and humiliated.
As Dave, given the name Kick-Ass, goes down the bloody path to fame as the world’s first public superhero, he comes face-to-face with ruthless thugs, adoring fans and other new heroes inspired by his bravery. Unfortunately, fame also gains the attention of the local crime boss John Genovese and the underground crime fighters Hit-Girl and Big Daddy.
It would be unfair to reveal more of the plot, but Kick-Ass’ life only gets worse as the story proceeds.
What truly connects the reader to the main character, however, is the excitement and wonder Dave experiences, even after numerous beatings. Be it comparing Big Daddy to the Punisher of the Marvel Universe or having fun on a team-up with Red Mist, one of the heroes he has inspired, Dave’s joy epitomizes the idea of a dream come true.
Conversely, when he ends up in the hospital or rushes into a burning building, he is appropriately scared. In this way, readers can feel connected to Kick-Ass in a way they cannot with Superman or Wolverine; he is still a human boy in over his head. This level of emotional connection is one rarely achieved so easily in superhero comics.
Main characters aside, the supporting cast is just as strong as the eponymous hero. Dave’s school friends are little more than sounding boards against which to bounce jokes but they add a great deal to the books funnier scenes.
More impressive are the superheroes Kick-Ass meets after becoming famous. Red Mist acts as a rival-turned-ally with whom Dave can have a fun time. Big Daddy, meanwhile, becomes an idol, someone Kick-Ass can learn to fight like.
The breakout character of the book, as well as trailers of the film, however, is Hit-Girl. Still a child, yet well trained in the art of killing, the purple-haired heroine contributes the largest percentage of the story’s final body count.
Elizabeth Hyde, a freshman in animal science, finds Hit-Girl’s performance throughout the book to be the most entertaining. “Even though she is a little girl, she has a strong personality and never seems to be afraid of anything. It’s easy to connect with her, despite the fact that she’s killing criminals,” Hyde said.
Furthering the connections readers make with the characters is the evident love of popular culture that Dave has. Jokes referencing “Heroes,” the Spider-Man film series and even “Nova” make it obvious that this is a comic fan’s comic, first and foremost, all about a geeky kid living an otherwise normal life.
Complimenting Millar’s writing is the artwork of John Romita Jr. A mainstay of Marvel, Romita Jr. manages to capture the emotions Dave experiences effortlessly and makes the violence pop off the page equally well. “Kick-Ass” is a bloody book, no doubt, but the artwork adds a layer of beauty that makes each violent moment a marvelous sight to see.
Altogether, the “Kick-Ass” graphic novel manages to pull readers in with a balanced mix of strong characters, smart dialogue and beautiful artwork. With a critically and commercially successful comic series to follow, the film version of “Kick-Ass” has a great deal of hype to live up to.
Regardless of having read the series or not, many students are excited by the film’s premise. Jonathan Edwards, a freshman in creative writing, feels the movie will speak to something in most people.
“It’s a premise every comic book nerd has thought about at least once. Who hasn’t wanted to dress up in garish clothes and fight for the cause of universal justice at some point?” Edwards said.
Already, the trailers show diversions from the source material. A larger amount of comedy seems to have been written in, as well as new scenes expanding on the histories of Hit-Girl and Big Daddy. Still, advanced reviews praise the film’s loyalty to the source material’s spirit.
Similar to the graphic novel, young actress Chloe Moretz has already gained notoriety for her portrayal of the violent and vulgar Hit-Girl and is likely to remain as much of a scene-stealer in the film as in the graphic novel. Aaron Johnson and Nicolas Cage also appear to be well cast.
Finally, Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s casting as Red Mist gives the young actor a chance to escape from the shadow of his role as McLovin in 2007’s “Superbad.” His handling of the role will show if he is capable of depth not yet seen in his short career.
Fans of the series and action film buffs alike will soon be able to see if the comic book series translates well to the silver screen. In the meantime, the graphic novel provides a quick and fun read that deserves a look before the movie’s premiere.
“Kick-Ass” is set for release April 16, 2010.
