One of most anticipated films of 2010 is Matthew Vaughn’s big screen adaptation of ‘Kick-Ass’, which is set to explode onto screens nationwide on April 16, 2010. The film stars Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloë Moretz, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Clark Duke, and Lyndsy Fonseca.
The film is based on the bestselling comic book series by Mark Millar (Wanted) and legendary comic book artist John Romita Jr. If you haven’t heard of it yet, you soon will as it will surely be one of the biggest action flicks of the year. So what is it all about? It’s simple; We all fantasized about being a superhero at some point but we just don’t have the cajones to take that leap. That is exactly what happens to comic book nerd, Dave Lizewski who dons a homemade superhero costume and hits the streets to fight crime as “Kick-Ass”. As you might imagine, cleaning up the streets as an average guy with no superpowers proves to be quite a challenge. You will surely find yourself on the wrong end of a beatdown. He meets up with Big Daddy and his daughter Hit Girl, a pair of superheroes – also with no powers – who fight evil with guns, knives, bombs and fists. They find themselves up against a brutal mob boss who is out for their blood.
Just in time for the film’s release comes an epic behind the scenes look at both the film and the comic from Titan Books. When you open the book for the first time, it becomes evident that Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie is not your typical movie tie-in book. In reality, nothing about ‘Kick-Ass’ is conventional. For example, Mark Millar was still in the process of sketching the comic book when he approached director Matthew Vaughn about helming the project. Perhaps that is what makes this book so unique as it has a very organic feel as the reader sees the project grow from the inkling of an idea to a full blown major motion picture.
As soon as you crack the first page, you will see that the book is bursting from at the seams with lavish illustrations, preliminary sketches, production notes and vivid photos that spring off the page — a plus for any fanboy! Mark Millar’s commentary is superb as he seamlessly blends tales from his childhood and early career alongside the origins of the characters, their development and a look at almost every aspect of these very intriguing characters. The behind-the-scenes look doesn’t end there as there are also appearances by artist John Romita Jr., director Matthew Vaughn, screenplay co-writer Jane Goldman, and actors Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass), Nicolas Cage (Big Daddy) and Chloe Moretz (Hit-Girl), each lending a healthy contribution. Personally, I find this intriguing because rarely are you given the opportunity to get inside the heads of the artists involved on a project of this scale that isn’t just fluff. The quotes, script snippets, correspondences and reflections on the project are edgy, revealing and honest. When a companion book like this one is jam-packed with unique content from the creators, cast and crew, it really makes the journey of bringing the characters from the printed page to the big screen come to life before your eyes. The unique style and composition used here gives the reader a taste of all the characters and personalities involved but most importantly, will remove all doubt that ‘Kick-Ass’ is just “another superhero movie”.
Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie sets the bar high for future movie property tie-ins, and provides a great jumping off point for those intrigued by what will surely prove to be one of the biggest hits of 2010. Be sure to order you copy of Kick-Ass: Creating the Comic, Making the Movie at this location >
RATING: 4.5/5
Check out the official site for the film at www.kickass-themovie.com.
Jason Price founded the mighty Icon Vs. Icon more than a decade ago. Along the way, he’s assembled an amazing group of like-minded individuals to spread the word on some of the most unique people and projects on the pop culture landscape.
