i gotta say, i don’t like Millar.  i’m not talking as a person, i don’t know the guy, never met him, but he’s great in interviews and such and actually seems like a cool dude, but the work has never done anything for me. I almost didn’t pick this up.  but i’m glad I did. This book did exactly what the title said. It kicked @$$! In a big way. Millar finally showed he could write a character, something he hasn’t done yet, and dialog. (Except for the F bomb. WTF? Learn a new adjective.) the main kid is fleshed out in such a way that makes him instantly identifiable and relatable. the story moves fast and even though it’s an ongoing story, this issue has a beginning-middle-and end… and the end is perfect.

And then there’s the art. John Ramita Jr. WOW. Love this guy. He’s the only reason I picked this thing up, I’ll buy almost anything with him on art. (yes, even WWH. ouch.) And maybe it says something to the fact that the only other Millar story I could even stand was ENEMY OF THE STATE. And I’m not a big wolverine guy. i stopped buying spiderman after Ramita left. the energy was gone from the art. that to me is Ramita’s strength, the energy. every panel, every angle, chosen for a reason, to keep the energy and pace of the story moving forward. (he is the anti Mike Mingola, another of my favorite’s, who slows everything WAY down.)

All in all, this book did everything it set out to do and went from being an meh, to a can’t wait.