End of Life #1
Author : Kyle Starks
Artist : Steve Pugh
Colourist : Chris O’Halloran
Start of a Life Cycle : Issue #1 Summary
End of Life #1 dives straight into the characters of this story arc, wasting no time getting into the details that are going to prop up this narrative. Kyle Starks sets the tone of this story with a shoot first, ask questions later kind of vibe—it fits perfectly with the main character, Eddie Stallion.
Born With A Bang: Issue #1 Review
WARNING SPOILERS!
Born Yesterday
End of Life #1 is one of the newest releases from DC Vertigo, and it does exactly what it was meant to do, which is catch my attention as a reader. It is brash, it is crude, and it is certainly meant for a mature audience. This is my first time reading a title by Kyle Starks. My research showed that he had written Peacemaker Tries Hard! in 2023. I could see why that was rated so highly based on my reading of End of Life #1.
I loved the way Starks opens this story. It is in the middle of a mission, with the main protagonist, Eddie Stallion, panicking because he has made a huge mistake. This beginning had all of the hallmarks to grab the attention of a reader right off the bat. The way Starks writes the dialogue of Eddie Stallion is a very direct indication of his personality, which was excellent for me as a reader. I do not know this guy, so it gives me a clear window into who he is. He is a brazen, disrespectful, and dumb assassin.
He is a hitman and part of a syndicate called The Menagerie. I just found out that name means zoo, and that is why each assassin has an animal codename, hence, Eddie Stallion. I am a fan of the character of Eddie already. Starks has made him that dumb, lovable type that will infuriate me, make me laugh, and also make me hang my head in shame.
End of Line
Kyle Starks was direct to the plot point. Eddie has a Menagerie Kill Team after him with a huge bounty on his head. I loved the way Starks set this up. Some of my favorite movies are where you start in the middle of something, and you are walked back to the events that led to that scenario. That is what Starks does, and it is a brilliant hook for the reader. I was paying attention to every detail to make sure I was understanding the full picture.
Starks compounds the dumb nature of Eddie by filling us in on his current job. He is looting a house full of cash, diamonds, jewels, and the lot. However, it happens to be the home of a fellow member of the Menagerie, The Raven, who is the Head of the East Coast.
Now Eddie has to go on the run before he is hunted down. This leads to a cash-paid bus ticket, minimal supplies taken, and a trip to the middle of nowhere.
Daddy Issues
Even though End of Life #1 comes across as very brash and crude with all of its swearing and shooting, Starks writes the biggest moment of the issue by leading us up to it with a subtle message right in the beginning of this story. During the home robbery, one of the guys mentions that Eddie's father was a part of the Menagerie as well. Eddie cuts him off very quickly. I did pick up on this, and it was great that Starks recalled it to set up what might be the underlying narrative in this story arc.
To get away from being chased by a gang of hitmen, Eddie goes to the last place he thought he would find himself in. It is also the last place the Menagerie would look, which is the house of his father. What you learn is that Eddie was kicked out and has not spoken to his father for years. These were years wasted on Eddie being an idiot and being rude during Christmas.
Events that we have all fallen prey to occur here. The partner of the father of Eddie gave him a hand-knitted scarf, and he called it names and hurt her feelings. Add to that the pride of Eddie, and he could not simply apologize to his father and his partner. This left him and his father with no contact in the last three years. Think about how much can happen in three years. People can go that long, or even longer, without talking to their own parents and family.
The dialogue written by Starks between Eddie and his father is short, aggressive, and akin to two people who ironically are exactly the same. This leads to butting heads rather than taking a second to listen to each other. As my mother taught me, you have two ears and one mouth. Eddie then finds that in the last three years of being out of his father's company, the partner of his father has passed away. Furthermore, his father now has cancer. As a reader, this shows me that Starks is telling a deeper story about time, connections in your life, and how pride can be the downfall of you.
End of Life #1 ends really well. We get introduced to the childhood sweetheart of Eddie, who is the hospice nurse for his father. What a contrast this provides. Sophie is a nurse, and Eddie is a hitman, which is more great writing from Kyle Starks. I am really looking forward to how this story progresses and how the characters in it develop in End of Life #2!
Art of Life
Not only does the storytelling attract me as a reader, but the artwork from Pugh and O’Halloran fits the vibe set by Starks. The story is set in the modern day, but through the coloring of O’Halloran, I got this 80s Miami Vice vibe. It goes hand in hand with the shoot first, ask questions later personality of Eddie Stallion. I am digging the coloring from O’Halloran. It is more than the Miami Vice energy it gives off. It also gives a crooked feel, which I think will be a personality of the storytelling.
My favorite page from End of Life #1 is right after Eddie figures out that he is helping rob the home of The Raven, who is a member of the Menagerie and Head of the East Coast. The colors are almost psychedelic, giving off the feel that this is how the messed-up brain and thought process of Eddie works. Also, I love the way Pugh captures the nonchalant demeanor of Eddie when he kills two of the robbers to cover his tracks. Even after only the first issue, the awesome artwork does a great job of helping me understand Eddie as a character with his facial expressions. It builds a crazy, fast-paced world with the gnarly coloring of O’Halloran.
Conclusion & Rating
End of Life #1 is born with a bang, with Kyle Starks starting this story with all gas and no brakes. I loved how he started the issue off in the middle of a tense scene, and then walked me as a reader back through the series of events that led to that moment in the present. This narrative choice ensures that the stakes are felt immediately, and it creates a compelling hook that demands the attention of the reader from the very first page
If you want shooting, swearing, and a sleezy protagonist who is going to make you love them on one page, question them on the next, and hate them thereafter, then this is going to be a super fun read. I hope that Starks keeps the energy going, as he left End of Life #1 with a great ending. I am looking forward to what happens next with the father of Eddie, meeting his seemingly childhood sweetheart, and, of course, how he is going to get rid of the killing team that is after him.