It’s no secret that I am a big Kyle Starks fan and after the stellar work on Peacemaker Tries Hard!, I have also become a Steve Pugh fan as well. The stories with a blend of action or horror and dark comedy such as End of Life, an action hitman thriller with a touch of dark humor that brings a bit of levity to the story, are those what work best for me.
Professional hitman Eddie Stallion has messed up. He’s accidentally robbed the Raven, a high-ranking boss of the international cabal of assassins the Menagerie, of which Eddie is a member… or he was. Now with a price on his head, Eddie chooses to hide in the one place everyone knows he’d never go… the small midwestern town of Pluto, home of his estranged father and known hard-ass George Stallion. Looking for safe harbor, Eddie instead finds his resentful father dying of cancer, old friends looking to collect that bounty, Menagerie assassins who have wandered into town, a cancelled newspaper comic-strip creator turned local crime lord, and oh yeah, his childhood first love, too.
Not only does Starks craft a super intense heist-thriller-comedy, but you get a bit of family drama tossed into the mix. It’s just proof of Starks’ versatility when it comes to writing unique stories. While I Hate This Place falls more into the horror genre, End of Life had me thinking of that series in terms of the blend of dark humor and another genre, this time more action.
It’s this family drama that really sets the story apart from the crowd. Returning home to your dad, who has previously kicked you out, and doesn’t want you around is tough enough, but to find out he is dying of cancer just adds another level to the already thrilling story.
The action within the pages of End of Life is perfectly executed by Pugh. However, it’s not just the intense thrilling moments that Pugh captures so well, it’s also the emotion, excitement, and surprise on each characters faces that makes the visualizations so seamless. Plus, the colors from Chris O’Halloran bring the artwork to another level.
What happens in the premiere issue is just enough of the tale that it leaves me wanting more in such a good way. What the freaking hell is going to happen next? Is Eddie going to be able to free himself? What will the relationship between Eddie and his dad become, now that he has learned of his diagnosis? And what fresh hell is in store with his old friends looking to collect on the bounty? Not to mention his childhood first crush back in his life.
End of Life by Eisner-nominated writer Kyle Starks and illustrator Steve Pugh is an action-packed hitman thriller with just the right about of dark humor. The premiere issue lays a sweet foundation with so many unanswered questions that has me eagerly awaiting the next issue. Another must-read comic from Starks and Pugh.
End of Life #1 hits local comic shops on February 18, 2026 from the Vertigo imprint at DC Comics.
End of Life #1 Covers
