We’re only a few weeks into the new DC Comics’ Vertigo line, and already we’re getting another banger in the form of End of Life #1. Yes, after a years-long absence and a revival that failed to launch back in 2018 before the imprint was discontinued altogether, the Vertigo line is back. Ever since the revival was announced back in 2024, readers have been waiting eagerly to see what this new incarnation would have in store. And at last year’s New York Comic Con, we finally discovered the amazing talents that will be bringing Vertigo into a new chapter.
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Two such talents are Kyle Starks and Steve Pugh, a pair that DC Black Label fans may recall did the miniseries Peacemaker Tries Hard! back in 2023. I’ve got my eye on all the new and upcoming Vertigo books, but I have to admit, this one piqued my interest the most. I absolutely adored this duo’s work with their Peacemaker series, and the premise of this story sounded like it was taking a cue from that book. So what happens when a hitman has no other choice but to go back home to the Midwest? Lots of action and laughs.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
| Incredibly funny dialogue and characters | Maybe not for fans of more serious Vertigo books |
| Great balance of action and humor | Moves at quick pace for those not ready for it |
End of Life #1 is a Hilarious, High-Octane Story with Heart
Starks and Pugh are joined by Chris O’Halloran on colors, with Becca Carey providing lettering and additional design. End of Life #1 follows a hitman named Eddie Stallion, a member of an international cabal of assassins known as the Menagerie. Stallion fills in on a burglary job, but what he’s unaware of is that the target is one of the Menagerie’s upper bosses, a serious no-no in their secret society. Unfortunately, by the time Eddie realizes it, the Menagerie has put out a bounty on him for disrespecting their very serious zero-tolerance policy.
With nothing else other than what he brought to the job, Eddie heads back home in the hopes the Menagerie won’t look for him there. He gets into a scuffle at a nearby gas station before heading to his father, George’s, house. It’s tense back home as George and Eddie do not get along. But being back starts to stir things in Eddie, especially when he reconnects with his childhood friend, Sophie, who’s now George’s hospice nurse. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing on multiple fronts as everyone, including a deranged cartoonist, is out to kill Eddie.
End of Life #1 is an Amazing Start for Vertigo’s New Era
End of Life #1 is the first book from the new Vertigo line that I’ve gotten the chance to review, and I am happy to say that this comic was pretty much everything I was hoping for. I was hoping that Starks and Pugh would lean into what worked with Peacemaker Tries Hard! and thankfully, they did. Eddie Stallion is an incredibly captivating character. Yes, he’s a complete jackass, but much like how the creative team did Christopher Smith, Stallion has a lot of nuance beneath the flashy clothes and cocky smile.
This is the kind of book that throws you straight into the chaos and kind of forces you to learn along the way. From how the Menagerie operates, to the complex relationship between Stallion and his father, to the odd presence of a canceled cartoonist-turned-crime boss, the brisk pace of the book doesn’t waste time on hand-holding the reader. But it’s nothing that a reader can glean from the context. It’s a very well-constructed first issue, giving readers just enough information to get the big ideas while holding back on the things they really want to know.
And of course, we have to talk about the amazing work Pugh, O’Halloran, and Carey do in some of the book’s more creative scenes. From Stallion stopping robbers at a gas station to his tense argument with his father, the colors and page design shifts depending on what’s needed from the scene. Colors pop or onomatopoeia becomes bolder and louder than in other scenes. Every shift feels right and goes along with the tempo of the book, right until the final page. Seriously, I was shocked by how quickly I got through it and hated when it was over.
If you haven’t tried any new Vertigo books yet, I strongly suggest End of Life #1. It’s got great action scenes, it’s incredibly funny, and the characters feel real, even among all the weird chaos that follows Eddie Stallion. With a reputation like Vertigo’s, it needed to come out with some seriously strong titles that proved there was a place for the imprint in the modern-day comic space. I feel pretty confident in saying that End of Life #1 is a worthy addition to the Vertigo legacy, and I expect great things from the rest of the series.
What did you think of End of Life #1? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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