End of Life #1 is Everything You Want from a Vertigo Revival (Review)

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The new DC Comics Vertigo line is off to a strong start with the release of End of Life #1. After a decade away and a previous attempt to relaunch that didn’t succeed, Vertigo has returned. Readers have been anticipating this revival since it was announced in 2024, and we learned at New York Comic Con last year who the talented creators would be guiding this new era for the imprint.

Kyle Starks and Steve Pugh, the creative team behind the DC Black Label miniseries Peacemaker Tries Hard! (2023), are a duo I’ve been excited about. While I’m looking forward to all the new Vertigo releases, this one especially caught my attention. I really loved their Peacemaker series, and the idea for this new story felt similar in tone. It’s about a hitman who’s forced to return to his roots in the Midwest – and it promises plenty of action and humor.

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

The comic End of Life #1, created by Starks and Pugh with colors by Chris O’Halloran and lettering/design by Becca Carey, centers around Eddie Stallion, a hitman working for a global group of assassins called the Menagerie. Eddie takes on what seems like a simple burglary, but quickly discovers the target is one of the Menagerie’s leaders – a major breach of their rules. By the time he realizes his mistake, the Menagerie has put a price on his head for violating their strict code.

Eddie returns home with only the possessions he carried, hoping to evade those pursuing him. Along the way, he gets into a fight at a gas station before reaching his father, George’s, house. Their relationship is strained, but being home begins to awaken something within Eddie, particularly when he reconnects with Sophie, a childhood friend now caring for George as his hospice nurse. However, Eddie is in serious danger, as numerous people – including a disturbed cartoonist – are actively trying to kill him.

End of Life #1 is an Amazing Start for Vertigo’s New Era

I recently reviewed End of Life #1, the first book from Vertigo’s new lineup, and I was really impressed. It delivered on everything I hoped for, building on the strengths of Peacemaker Tries Hard! from Starks and Pugh. The character Eddie Stallion is incredibly engaging. While he’s definitely a bit of a jerk, like their work with Christopher Smith, Stallion has surprising depth beneath his confident exterior and flashy style.

This book immediately plunges you into the action and expects you to keep up. It doesn’t spend time explaining things – you learn about the world, the characters, and the strange situations, like a former cartoonist now running a criminal organization, as the story unfolds. It’s a strong start to the series, providing enough information to understand the main concepts while still leaving you wanting more and eager to find out what happens next.

Pugh, O’Halloran, and Carey’s artwork truly shines in the book’s most imaginative moments. Whether it’s Stallion foiling a robbery or having a difficult conversation with his dad, the colors and layout of each page perfectly match the scene’s mood. Sometimes colors are vibrant, other times sound effects jump off the page – it all flows with the story’s rhythm, right up to the very end. I was genuinely surprised by how quickly I read it and was sad when it finished.

If you’re looking for a new Vertigo comic, I highly recommend checking out End of Life #1. It’s packed with exciting action, genuinely funny moments, and relatable characters, even with all the craziness surrounding Eddie Stallion. Considering Vertigo’s history, they needed to launch some compelling titles to stay relevant in today’s comic world, and End of Life #1 definitely delivers. I think it’s a great addition to the Vertigo line-up, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes.

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2026-02-18 17:42