While promoting End of Life at Emerald City Comic Con, Kyle Starks teased that the third issue would introduce a character named “Big C*ck”. Given that this is a Vertigo title, you’d expect something incredibly raunchy, but Big C*ck is merely a massive man wearing a rooster’s head…who can only say “Big C*ck”. It’s utterly ridiculous, absolutely out of pocket, and fitting for the world that Starks and Steve Pugh are crafting.
So how does Big C*ck enter the picture? He, like the other members of the Menagerie, wants to kill Eddie Stallion. Big C*ck was also set on Eddie’s path thanks to the forces of disgraced cartoonist turned crime lord Richard Smiley. Turns out that Eddie’s antics have caught Smiley’s attention, and he’s less than pleased. Meanwhile, Eddie has to deal with something far more terrifying than chicken-headed assassins: the fact that his father is dying.
This is the real trick of End of Life: behind all its crude humor and gritty violence, it manages to emotionally hit readers when they least expect it. Despite the fact that Eddie and his dad are on less than cordial terms (if you can call a man trying to shoot his own son’s head off “cordial), it’s clear that losing his father is weighing heavily on the former hitman. He tries to bury his feelings behind a devil-may-care attitude or pointed insults, but people can tell. Sophie, Eddie’s old crush and his dad’s hospice nurse, perfectly sums it up by saying that people see their parents as indestructible, and watching them die is a major blow.
DC
Lest you think End of Life #3 is all heartfelt moments, the back half of the issue is packed with the violence this series excels at. The highlight of Pugh’s work is the battle between Eddie and Big C*ck, who, thanks to the “big” part of his name, is able to take an insane amount of punishment. Getting shot, set on fire, and thrown through a window doesn’t slow him down, as he lurches forward like a chicken-headed Terminator. I also love that Pugh showcases Eddie using most of his environment. Is he in a diner? Use the silverware and anything that’s not nailed down as a weapon. At a gas station? Use a pump and lighter to torch his foe? In the woods? He can take weapons from the assassins who tried to kill him!
End of Life #3 also boasts a nice mix of colors, as Chris O’Halloran uses different hues to suit the environment. While the issue begins in near-darkness, it soon brightens once Eddie flips on the lights in his dad’s house. The gas station is lit with a soft yellow glow. The forest carries shades of dark green and tan, as if it’s hiding some dark secrets. Color often sets mood in a comic, and the darker hues seem to point to Eddie’s conflicted state of mind.
End of Life #3 brings some surprisingly emotional moments to the table, but never loses the black comedy or the violence that’s made it a standout in Vertigo’s new slate. Big C*ck is definitely a contender for most memorable character of 2026, as I dare any comic creator to come up with something that outlandish.
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