Kick-Ass 2 - Hardcover

Mark Millar has been one of the key writers for Marvel Comics in the 21st century. His first major contribution to Marvel was with Ultimate X-Men. Next up was The Ultimates, a new rendering of the Avengers that was to continue building on the success of the Ultimate line. He and artist Bryan Hitch pulled it all off in spades: The Ultimates and its sequel, Ultimates 2, were ensconced at the top of the sales charts every month; what's more, they were critical successes, as well. Amid building a small library of Millarworld indie comic books -- including the titles Chosen and Wanted, the latter of which was turned into a Hollywood blockbuster starring Angelina Jolie -- he managed to write Civil War, the epic seven-issue miniseries that definitively reshaped the landscape of Marvel's heroes.

John Romita Jr. is best known for his extensive work with Marvel Comics from the 1970s to present day.

Bolstered by a successful movie adaptation and Millar’s talent for pushing the frontiers of superhero comics with bloody irreverence, the tale of a fanboy becoming a homemade superhero has spawned a sequel. As Kick-Ass’ mission inspires a community of similarly custom-crafted heroes, the Red Mist returns with a hideous revenge and plans to tear down the city, which fans of this summer’s Dark Knight Rises movie will find nihilistically familiar. Millar has left far behind the demented novelty of seeing an 11-year-old curse like a construction worker while dismembering mobsters and tumbled headlong into unapologetic apocalyptic carnage, as with the graphic murder of young children and the gang-rape of a teenage girl. His ear for dialogue and sharp eye for the nuances of contemporary culture as well as Romita’s artistic dynamism and flawlessly clean visual style make it all burn that much more painfully. Impossible to truly recommend, but given the talent on display, readers of hard-core adult comics deserve to determine the moral implications for themselves. --Jesse Karp