Craving a quirky action-dramedy in the realm of John Wick and Peacemaker? Look no further than DC Vertigo’s new series End of Life from creators Kyle Starks and Steve Pugh. (That Peacemaker comparison is no coincidence. This is the same creative team behind 2023’s Peacemaker Tries Hard.) End of Life is the second new title in Vertigo’s relaunch. Vertigo, of course, is DC’s mature readers imprint that’s home to countless stories that defy genres and aren’t afraid to take crazy swings, and End of Life is no exception.
Imagine the High Table from John Wick, only with cult-like tendencies and animal personas. That’s pretty much End of Life’s “The Menagerie,” an “international cabal of animal-themed hit men.” They’re equal parts mysterious and weird as hell. Issue #1 opens by following a member of the Menagerie with a fresh bounty on his head, Eddie Stallion—can you guess from his name which animal persona he has? A heist gone right has led to Eddie breaking the Menagerie's most important rule: don’t mess with a region boss or their property. Now on the run, Eddie decides to go to the last place he’d want to be: a small town called Pluto. It’s home to another member of the organization, his own father… and, oh boy, let’s just say this relationship is complicated!
Eddie is an unlikable protagonist, to put it lightly. He’s rude, cocky, selfish, a womanizer and has a disregard for human life. He is “king asshole” according to his old man, and I am inclined to agree. When a main character isn’t likable, it creates a unique relationship between that character and the reader. You aren’t exactly rooting for him, but he’s fascinating to watch and you can't help but look forward to what situation he gets himself into next. And for whatever else Eddie is, he’s certainly funny. End of Life’s dialog is witty and the series features plenty of physical comedy expressed brilliantly through Pugh’s fantastic artwork. Tonally, Eddie’s himbo demeanor and self-centered attitude reminds me a lot of…well, Peacemaker.
And much like the Peacemaker TV series, I can see End of Life setting up a redemption arc for Eddie Stallion. Even though he is a hitman with a body count, he isn’t a lost cause. He does have potential. The silver lining when someone hits rock bottom is that there is nowhere to go but up. When faced with his own reckless decisions and forced to navigate his complicated relationship with his dad, he might come out of this a more empathetic person.
About halfway through the first issue, we see Eddie interact with a mother and her young son who run the local convenience store and gas station. While rude to the boy at first, Eddie does stop a couple of thugs from robbing them. It’s the first time we see him exhibit any sort of heroic tendencies in this story. I suspect that by the end, we might see his character development represented through his interactions with this family.
That’s if he survives. Within the first hour or so of being in Pluto, Eddie has no less than three guns pointed at his head. The first were by the two men trying to rob the convenience store. The third gun was wielded by his father. Talk about daddy issues. Moving back home to rehash the past and reconnect with an estranged parent has its own set of obstacles. Now add a criminal organization of over-the-top hitmen to the mix and you have pure chaos. And the convenience store assailants? These seemingly insignificant thugs work for a dangerous man who now has it out for Eddie. He’s basically collecting bounties as if they were Pokémon cards. And that’s to say nothing about the fact that Eddie’s father isn’t the only familiar face in Pluto. Is it possible Eddie could actually find love in the midst of all this madness?
Probably not, but you never know!
There is always something exciting about heists and assassins, and End of Life creates a unique and raunchy, yet grounded story that explores complicated familial relationships and childhood trauma. Eddie has been responsible for plenty of hits in his past. Let’s hope End of Life proves to be the latest.
End of Life #1 by Kyle Starks, Steve Pugh and Chris O’Halloran is now available in print and as a digital comic book.
Sami DeMonster writes about superheroes, horror and sci-fi for DC.com and reviews comics every week on social media. Follow her at @samidemonster on Instagram and Substack.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Sami DeMonster and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
