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{{Short description|2023 American comic book limited series}}
{{Short description| book limited series}}
{{Draft topics|literature|comics-and-anime}}
{{AfC topic|media}}
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{{Infobox comic book title
{{Infobox comic book title
<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->|image=|image_size=<!-- default 250 -->|alt=|caption=|schedule=|format=|limited=Y|ongoing=|1shot=|genre=|publisher=[[Millarworld]]<br />[[Image Comics]]|date=|startmo=July 19,|startyr=2023|endmo=|endyr=present|issues=5|main_char_team=Millarworld universe|issn=|writers=[[Mark Millar]]|artists=|pencillers=Pepe Larraz|inkers=|letterers=Clem Robins|colorists=Giovanna Niro|editors=|creative_team_month=|creative_team_year=|creators=|CEheader=|TPB=|ISBN=|subcat=|altcat=|sort=|addpubcat#=|nonUS=|TPB1=|ISBN1=}}
| title=Big Game
'''''Big Game''''' is an [[American comic book|American]] [[comic book]] [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]] written by [[Mark Millar]], drawn by Pepe Larraz and published by [[Millarworld]] and [[Image Comics]] on July 19, 2023.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Schreur |first=Brandon |date=2022-08-01 |title=X-Men's Pepe Larraz Joins Mark Millar for New Series, Big Game |url=https://www.cbr.com/x-men-pepe-larraz-joins-mark-millar-new-series-big-game/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>
| image=

| image_size=<!-- default 250 -->
The series is intended to be a direct sequel to ''[[Wanted (comics)|Wanted]]'' and the first [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover event]] in Millarworld's [[shared universe]], uniting characters from all its properties, in order to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the company.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Trent |first=John F. |date=2023-05-17 |title=Mark Millar Announces First Ever Millarworld Crossover Event 'Big Game' That Will Also Serve As A Sequel To 'Wanted' |url=https://boundingintocomics.com/2023/05/17/mark-millar-announces-first-ever-millarworld-crossover-event-big-game-that-will-also-serve-as-a-sequel-to-wanted/ |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=Bounding Into Comics}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2023-07-18 |title=Mark Millar and Pepe Larraz on their Massive New Crossover Event, Big Game |url=https://www.cbr.com/big-game-mark-millar-pepe-larraz-interview/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>
| alt=
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| schedule=
| format=
| limited=Y
| ongoing=
| 1shot=
| genre=
| publisher=[[Image Comics]]<br>[[Dark Horse Comics]] ([[Omnibus edition|omnibus]])
| date=
| startmo=July
| startyr=2023
| endmo=November
| endyr=2023
| issues=5
| main_char_team={{ubl|'''Protagonists:'''|[[Hit-Girl|Mindy McCready / Hit-Girl]]|[[Agent Galahad|Gary "Eggsy" Unwin / Agent Galahad]]|[[Prodigy (comics)|Edison Crane / Prodigy]]|[[Chrononauts (comics)|The Chrononauts]]|[[Barbara Gordon|Bobbie Griffin]] / [[Batgirl]]|[[Dave Lizewski|Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass / Codename: America]]|[[The Ambassadors (comics)|The Ambassadors]]|[[The Magic Order]]|'''Antagonists:'''|[[Wesley Gibson|Wesley Gibson / The Killer II]]|[[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|Matthew Anderson / Nemesis]]}}
| issn=
| writers=[[Mark Millar]]
| artists=Pepe Larraz
| pencillers=
| inkers=
| letterers=Clem Robins
| colorists=Giovanna Niro
| editors=Melina Mikulic<br>Sarah Unwin
| creative_team_month=
| creative_team_year=
| creators=
| CEheader=
| TPB=Big Game
| ISBN=978-153439-9112
| subcat=Image Comics
| altcat=
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| nonUS=
}}
'''''Big Game''''' is an [[United States|American]] [[Superhero fiction|superhero]] [[comic book]] [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]] written by [[Mark Millar]] and drawn by Pepe Larraz. Published by [[Image Comics]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 26, 2023|title=''Big Game'' #2 Review|url=https://majorspoilers.com/2023/08/26/big-game-2-review|access-date=August 26, 2023|website=Major Spoilers|last=Peterson|first=Matthew|language=en-US}}</ref> the series is a [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover event]] between the various properties of the [[Millarworld]] [[media franchise|multimedia franchise]] created by Millar and [[J. G. Jones]], and a direct sequel to ''[[Wanted (comics)|Wanted]]'', also serving as a direct [[prequel]] to ''[[Empress (comics)|Empress]]'' via the plot element of time travel. The series chronicles [[Wesley Gibson]] and his protégé [[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|Nemesis]]' campaign to assassinate the world's new superheroes, as [[Agent Galahad]] of [[Kingsman (franchise)|Kingsman]] and a now-mid-20s [[Hit-Girl|Mindy McCready / Hit-Girl]] take on the forces of Gibson's Fraternity of Super-Criminals.<ref>{{Cite comic |writer=[[Mark Millar]] |artist=Pepe Larraz |title=Big Game |volume=.1 |issue=TP |date=December 20, 2023 |publisher=[[Image Comics]] |location=[[Portland, Oregon]] |url=https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/big-game-tp |access-date=May 9, 2019}}</ref> The series, originally published between July and November 2023, will be published as a [[graphic novel]] by Image Comics in December 2023, and as an [[Omnibus edition|omnibus]] by [[Dark Horse Comics]] in 2024,<ref name=":N1" /> who will also publish a sequel, ''Nemesis: Rogues' Gallery'', later that year.<ref name=":N2" />


== Premise ==
== Premise ==
In 1986, the villains banded together to end the threat of heroes on the Earth, [[brainwashing]] the planet into believing that they never were. In 2023, the rise of a new generation of heroes and their stories drives the leader of this Fraternity of Super-Criminals, [[Wesley Gibson|Wesley "The Killer II" Gibson]], to gather his forces, as well as his protégé [[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|Nemesis]], to kill this new generation before a new age of heroes can begin again.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 26, 2023|title=REVIEW: Image Comics' ''Big Game'' #1|url=https://www.cbr.com/big-game-1-review|access-date=July 26, 2023|website=[[Comic Book Resources]]|last=Pereira|first=Sergio|language=en-US}}</ref>
Around the Millarworld universe, heroes were defeated by villains; as a result, heroes were forgotten though history while villains rule the world in the shadows. Nowadays, [[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|Nemesis]] joins [[Wanted (comics)|Wesley Gibson and the Fraternity]], and they all decided to start a war with several heroes,—including [[Kick-Ass (character)|Kick-Ass]], [[Kingsman (comic series)|Kingsman]], [[Superior (comics)|Superior]], the Magic Order, Huck and the Night Club—believing they pose a threat to the villains' ''[[status quo]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-25 |title=BIG GAME Preview Shares Art from Kick-Ass vs Kingsman vs Wanted Crossover |url=https://screenrant.com/kick-ass-kingsman-wanted-crossover-big-game/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-16 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Why Mark Millar’s Next Big Series Is a Secret Wanted Sequel |url=https://www.cbr.com/mark-millar-series-big-game-wanted-sequel/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>


As [[Prodigy (comics)|Edison Crane]] and the [[time-travel]]ling [[Chrononauts (comics)|Chrononauts]] are recruited by former hero [[Barbara Gordon|"Bobbie Griffin"]] to face off against Wesley while the former is excavating the remnants of a [[prehistoric]] [[galactic empire]], [[Agent Galahad|Agent Gary "Eggsy" Unwin]] of [[Kingsman (franchise)|Kingsman]] rescues vigilante [[Hit-Girl|Mindy "Hit-Girl" McCready]] from Fraternity assassins, while former vigilante [[Dave Lizewski]] attempts to join the [[superhero]] team [[The Ambassadors (comics)|the Ambassadors]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 19, 2023|title=''Big Game'' #1 Review|url=https://www.superpoweredfancast.com/big-game-1-review|access-date=July 19, 2023|website=Superpowered Fancast|last=Generally|first=Deron|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Publication history ==
''Big Game'' is an American comic book limited series written by [[Mark Millar]] and drawn by Pepe Larraz, which unites twenty-four properties from [[Millarworld]] into one [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover event]]. The series is set after the events of ''Night Club, [[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|Nemesis Reloaded]], [[The Magic Order|The Magic Order 4]] and The Ambassadors''.<ref name=":0" /> According to Millar, it is also a direct sequel to ''[[Wanted (comics)|Wanted]]'', his first [[Creator ownership in comics|creator-owned comic book]] published by Millarworld and [[Top Cow Productions]].<ref name=":3" />


==Characters==
During an interview with [[SFX (magazine)|SFX Magazine]], Millar said, “Our books over the next few months lead into a crossover, which ties together all the Millarworld franchises. There are actually 24 franchises altogether if you count series like ''[[Kick-Ass (comics)|Kick-Ass]]'', ''[[Kingsman (comic series)|Kingsman]]'' and ''[[Hit-Girl|Hit Girl]]'', so we’re putting them in one mega-story, which brings all of them together.”<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Blum |first=Jeremy |date=2023-01-06 |title=Millarworld's 2023 Crossover Event Includes 24 Different Franchises |url=https://www.cbr.com/millarworld-2023-crossover-event-24-franchises-kick-ass-kingsman/ |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>
; Protagonists
* [[Hit-Girl|Mindy McCready / Hit-Girl]] – A 27-year-old vigilante and assassin who has been waging war on crime since she was 10-years-old, in ''[[Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years]]'', ''[[Hit-Girl (comic book)|Hit-Girl]]'', and ''[[Kick-Ass vs. Hit-Girl]]''.
* [[Agent Galahad|Gary "Eggsy" Unwin / Agent Galahad]] – A [[secret agent]] of the [[MI6]] offshoot Kingsman.
* [[Prodigy (comics)|Dr. Edison Crane]] – A billionaire and the smartest man alive, who often apathetically saves the world.
* [[Chrononauts (comics)|The Chrononauts]] – Dr. Corbin Quinn and Dr. Danny Reilly, the modern inventors of [[time travel]].
* [[Barbara Gordon|"Bobbie Griffin"]] – Formerly known as Barbara Gordon, the [[Batgirl]] of the [[DC Universe]], who survived the assassination and erasure of its heroes by the Fraternity under Gibson's father [[Deadshot]] in 1986.
* [[Dave Lizewski]] – A 31-year-old [[security guard]] and former [[police officer]] who was the vigilante Kick-Ass before retiring fifteen years earlier, who now aims to join [[The Ambassadors (comics)|the Ambassadors]] as "Codename: America".
; Antagonists
* [[Wesley Gibson|Wesley Gibson / The Killer II]] – Nemesis' mentor, the Secret Lord of Earth and leader of the Fraternity of Super-Criminals, who aims to wipe out the world's new superheroes as his father had once done in 1986.
* [[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|Matthew Anderson / Nemesis]] – Wesley's protégé and intended successor, an orphan [[Online youth radicalization|groomed]] to become a supervillain.
* The Fox – Formerly known as Selina Kyle, the [[Catwoman]] of the [[DC Universe]], an assassin and Wesley's wife, who was also his father's lover.
* King Morax – The [[emperor]] of the [[galactic empire]] ruling [[prehistoric Earth]], who aims to invade the future on learning of his empire's eventual end.
* Diabolos the Sorcerer – A techno-sorcerer and the newest chief [[lieutenant]] of the royal empire of King Morax, who invades the future on his behalf.
; Other
* [[The Ambassadors (comics)|The Ambassadors]] – A superhero team who recruit one person from each country as their "ambassadors", granting them artificial superpowers.
* [[The Magic Order]] – A secret group of five families of [[Magician (fantasy)|wizards]] entrusted to keep the world safe from supernatural and magical threats.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 3, 2023|title=Why the Magic Order Can't Stop ''Wanted''{{'}}s Fraternity|url=https://screenrant.com/big-game-millarverse-nemesis-magic-order-plot-hole|access-date=October 3, 2023|website=[[Screen Rant]]|last=Tardive|first=Ambrose|language=en-US}}</ref>
** [[Cordelia Moonstone]] – The heir to the Magic Order, frustrated by her inability to stop the Fraternity due to them not being a magical threat.
* [[Night Club (comics)|The Night Club]] – A superhero team consisting of teenage [[vampire]]s who wear masks to fight crime during the day.
* [[Huck (comics)|Huck]] – A kind-hearted superpowered countryman with an [[Intellectual disability|IQ of 75]] who is able to "track down anything".
* [[Starlight (comics)|Captain Duke McQueen]] – An elderly former space hero who once saved the universe.
* [[Superior (comics)|Simon Pooni]] – A wheelchair-bound teenager with [[multiple sclerosis]] who previously [[Deal with the Devil|sold his soul]] to transform into the superhero Superior.
* Valerie "Val" Lizewski – Dave's wife, who is deaf in one ear as a result of childhood [[polio]].


==Development==
During the series' announcement, Larraz said, "Since I started thinking about drawing American comic books, I always have wanted to work with Mark Millar. Who wouldn't? But what I could never have expected is to work on something that interlocks and pulls together so many series Mark has written. This is a huge privilege for me and I can't wait for you all to see it.”<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
In August 2014, following the conclusion of [[Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years – Book Four|Book Four]] of ''[[Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years]]'', [[Mark Millar]] revealed that the majority of his [[Millarworld]] work were set in the same [[Shared universe|shared]] [[fictional universe]], with the ending [[monologue]] of the series seeing [[Dave Lizewski]] make mention of the events of [[Wanted (comics)|''Wanted'']], [[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|''Nemesis'']], [[Kingsman (comics)|''Kingsman'']], and ''[[MPH (comics)|MPH]]'', and [[Superior (comics)|Simon Pooni]] from [[Superior (comics)|''Superior'']] cameoing, with Millar intended to one day write a crossover between the projects.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnston|first=Rich|author-link=Rich Johnston|url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/08/06/mark-millar-explains-how-all-the-millarworld-books-tie-in-together-wanted-kick-ass-jupiters-legacy-superior-nemesis-mph-supercrooks-and-more-but-no-news-yet-on-the-unfunnies|title=Mark Millar Explains How All The Millarworld Books Tie-In Together — ''Wanted'', ''Kick-Ass'', ''Jupiter's Legacy'', ''Superior'', ''Nemesis'', ''MPH'', ''Supercrooks'' And More — But No News Yet On ''The Unfunnies''|date=6 August 2014|publisher=[[Bleeding Cool]]|access-date=16 October 2019|archive-date=17 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015434/https://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/08/06/mark-millar-explains-how-all-the-millarworld-books-tie-in-together-wanted-kick-ass-jupiters-legacy-superior-nemesis-mph-supercrooks-and-more-but-no-news-yet-on-the-unfunnies|url-status=live}}</ref> By March 2015, Millar expressed interest in seeing this concept realised in a ''Hit-Girl/Kingsman'' feature film starring [[Hit-Girl|Mindy McCready / Hit-Girl]] and [[Agent Galahad|Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (originally London)]] together "in a big international adventure",<ref>{{Cite tweet|last=Millar|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Millar|user=mrmarkmillar|number=574622990744354816|title=@moiseschiu Eggsy and Hit-Girl on that poster in a big international adventure? It's a cool idea}}</ref> by September 2017 revealing that he had discussed this concept with [[Matthew Vaughn]].<ref>{{Cite tweet|last=Millar|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Millar|user=mrmarkmillar|number=909460754360864768|title=Just saying to Matthew [Vaughn wha]t a cool post-cred[its-scene it] would have been [in] HIT-GIRL ringing Eggsy's door-bell, [the] audience knowing imminent shit [is about] to go down.}}</ref> Following extensive [[development hell]], the crossover, ''Big Game'', was announced in May 2023, written by Millar, illustrated by Pepe Larraz, and serving as a direct sequel to ''[[Wanted (comics)|Wanted]]'' while pitting that series' protagonist [[Wesley Gibson]] and his protégé [[Nemesis (Icon Comics)|Nemesis]] against the heroes of the Millarworld,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boundingintocomics.com/2023/05/17/mark-millar-announces-first-ever-millarworld-crossover-event-big-game-that-will-also-serve-as-a-sequel-to-wanted|title=Mark Millar Announces First Ever Millarworld Crossover Event {{‘}}''Big Game''{{’}} That Will Also Serve As A Sequel To {{‘}}''Wanted''{{’}}|last=Trent|first=John F.|work=[[Bounding Into Comics]]|date=17 May 2023|access-date=17 May 2023}}</ref> in particular Hit-Girl and Eggsy,<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 18, 2023|title=''Big Game'': Mark Millar and Pepe Larraz on the Massive Crossover Event and ''Wanted'' Sequel|url=https://www.cbr.com/big-game-mark-millar-pepe-larraz-interview|access-date=July 18, 2023|website=[[Comic Book Resources]]|last=Pereira|first=Sergio|language=en-US}}</ref> spinning-out of the events of ''[[Nemesis Reloaded]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnston|first=Rich|author-link=Rich Johnston|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/mark-millar-image-comics-crossover-starts-in-todays-nemesis-reloaded/#google_vignette|title=Mark Millar's Image Comics Crossover Starts In Today's ''Nemesis Reloaded''|date=10 May 2023|publisher=[[Bleeding Cool]]|access-date=10 May 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> and leading into the events of ''Nemesis: Rogues' Gallery''.<ref name=":N1">{{Cite web|last=Weiss|first=Josh|title=Mark Millar Bringing ‘Millarworld’ Catalogue Over To Dark Horse Comics|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshweiss/2023/12/05/mark-millar-bringing-millarworld-catalogue-over-to-dark-horse-comics|access-date=December 5, 2023|date=December 5, 2023|website=[[Forbes]]|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":N2">{{Cite web|last=Salmon|first=Will|title=''Nemesis: Rogues' Gallery'' heads up the first wave of Millarworld titles coming from Dark Horse in 2024|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/nemesis-rogues-gallery-heads-up-the-first-wave-of-millarworld-titles-coming-from-dark-horse-in-2024|access-date=December 6, 2023|date=December 6, 2023|website=[[GamesRadar+]]|language=en}}</ref>


== Reception ==
==Reception==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Issue
!Issue
!Release date
! date
!Critic rating
!Critic rating
!Critic reviews
!Critic reviews
!Ref.
!Ref.
|-
|-
|#1
|1
|July 19, 2023
| 2023
|9.4/10
|9.4/10
| 4
| rowspan="2" |4
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Game #1 Reviews |url=https://comicbookroundup.com:443/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)/1 |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=ComicBookRoundup.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Big Game #1 Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)/1|access-date=2023|website=ComicBookRoundup.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|-
|#2
|2
|August 23, 2023
| 2023
|9.6/10
|./10
| 6
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Game #2 Reviews |url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)/2 |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=ComicBookRoundup.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=''Big Game'' #2 Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)/2|access-date=December 11, 2023|website=ComicBookRoundup.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|-
| 3
|Overall
| September 2023
|{{n/a|}}
|9.5/10
|9.5/10
|8
|
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Game (2023) Reviews |url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023) |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=ComicBookRoundup.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Big Game Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)|access-date=2023|website=ComicBookRoundup.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
|}
|
| 4

| October 2023
== Collected material ==
| 9.6/10
{| class="wikitable"
| 4
!Title
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=''Big Game'' #4 Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)/4|access-date=December 11, 2023|website=ComicBookRoundup.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
!Material collected
!Pages
!'''Publication date'''
!ISBN
|-
|-
| 5
|''Big Game''
| November 2023
|
| 9.9/10
* ''Big Game'' #1–5
|152
|
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=''Big Game'' #5 Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)/5|access-date=December 11, 2023|website=ComicBookRoundup.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
|December 26, 2023
|-
|{{ISBNT|1534399119|978-1534399112}}
| Overall
| {{n/a|}}
| 9.4/10
| 20
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=''Big Game'' (2023) Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/image-comics/big-game-(2023)|access-date=December 11, 2023|website=ComicBookRoundup.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
|}
|}


== References ==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{Millarworld}}
{{Millarworld}}
{{Image Comics}}
{{}}
{{Kick-Ass & Hit-Girl}}
{{Kingsman}}
{{Mark Millar}}
{{Mark Millar}}
{{DC Multiverse}}
{{Batgirl}}


[[Category:Comics by Mark Millar]]
{{Draft categories|
[[:Category:Comics by Mark Millar]]
[[Category:Comics ]]
[[Category:Dark Horse Comics titles]]
}}
[[Category:Kick-Ass (franchise)]]
[[Category:Kingsman (franchise)]]
[[Category:Batgirl]]

Revision as of 15:42, 11 December 2023

Big Game
Publication information
PublisherImage Comics
Dark Horse Comics (omnibus)
FormatLimited series
Publication dateJuly – November 2023
No. of issues5
Main character(s)
Creative team
Written byMark Millar
Artist(s)Pepe Larraz
Letterer(s)Clem Robins
Colorist(s)Giovanna Niro
Editor(s)Melina Mikulic
Sarah Unwin
Collected editions
Big GameISBN 978-153439-9112

Big Game is an American superhero comic book limited series written by Mark Millar and drawn by Pepe Larraz. Published by Image Comics,[1] the series is a crossover event between the various properties of the Millarworld multimedia franchise created by Millar and J. G. Jones, and a direct sequel to Wanted, also serving as a direct prequel to Empress via the plot element of time travel. The series chronicles Wesley Gibson and his protégé Nemesis' campaign to assassinate the world's new superheroes, as Agent Galahad of Kingsman and a now-mid-20s Mindy McCready / Hit-Girl take on the forces of Gibson's Fraternity of Super-Criminals.[2] The series, originally published between July and November 2023, will be published as a graphic novel by Image Comics in December 2023, and as an omnibus by Dark Horse Comics in 2024,[3] who will also publish a sequel, Nemesis: Rogues' Gallery, later that year.[4]

Premise

In 1986, the villains banded together to end the threat of heroes on the Earth, brainwashing the planet into believing that they never were. In 2023, the rise of a new generation of heroes and their stories drives the leader of this Fraternity of Super-Criminals, Wesley "The Killer II" Gibson, to gather his forces, as well as his protégé Nemesis, to kill this new generation before a new age of heroes can begin again.[5]

As Edison Crane and the time-travelling Chrononauts are recruited by former hero "Bobbie Griffin" to face off against Wesley while the former is excavating the remnants of a prehistoric galactic empire, Agent Gary "Eggsy" Unwin of Kingsman rescues vigilante Mindy "Hit-Girl" McCready from Fraternity assassins, while former vigilante Dave Lizewski attempts to join the superhero team the Ambassadors.[6]

Characters

Protagonists
Antagonists
  • Wesley Gibson / The Killer II – Nemesis' mentor, the Secret Lord of Earth and leader of the Fraternity of Super-Criminals, who aims to wipe out the world's new superheroes as his father had once done in 1986.
  • Matthew Anderson / Nemesis – Wesley's protégé and intended successor, an orphan groomed to become a supervillain.
  • The Fox – Formerly known as Selina Kyle, the Catwoman of the DC Universe, an assassin and Wesley's wife, who was also his father's lover.
  • King Morax – The emperor of the galactic empire ruling prehistoric Earth, who aims to invade the future on learning of his empire's eventual end.
  • Diabolos the Sorcerer – A techno-sorcerer and the newest chief lieutenant of the royal empire of King Morax, who invades the future on his behalf.
Other
  • The Ambassadors – A superhero team who recruit one person from each country as their "ambassadors", granting them artificial superpowers.
  • The Magic Order – A secret group of five families of wizards entrusted to keep the world safe from supernatural and magical threats.[7]
    • Cordelia Moonstone – The heir to the Magic Order, frustrated by her inability to stop the Fraternity due to them not being a magical threat.
  • The Night Club – A superhero team consisting of teenage vampires who wear masks to fight crime during the day.
  • Huck – A kind-hearted superpowered countryman with an IQ of 75 who is able to "track down anything".
  • Captain Duke McQueen – An elderly former space hero who once saved the universe.
  • Simon Pooni – A wheelchair-bound teenager with multiple sclerosis who previously sold his soul to transform into the superhero Superior.
  • Valerie "Val" Lizewski – Dave's wife, who is deaf in one ear as a result of childhood polio.

Development

In August 2014, following the conclusion of Book Four of Kick-Ass: The Dave Lizewski Years, Mark Millar revealed that the majority of his Millarworld work were set in the same shared fictional universe, with the ending monologue of the series seeing Dave Lizewski make mention of the events of Wanted, Nemesis, Kingsman, and MPH, and Simon Pooni from Superior cameoing, with Millar intended to one day write a crossover between the projects.[8] By March 2015, Millar expressed interest in seeing this concept realised in a Hit-Girl/Kingsman feature film starring Mindy McCready / Hit-Girl and Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (originally London) together "in a big international adventure",[9] by September 2017 revealing that he had discussed this concept with Matthew Vaughn.[10] Following extensive development hell, the crossover, Big Game, was announced in May 2023, written by Millar, illustrated by Pepe Larraz, and serving as a direct sequel to Wanted while pitting that series' protagonist Wesley Gibson and his protégé Nemesis against the heroes of the Millarworld,[11] in particular Hit-Girl and Eggsy,[12] spinning-out of the events of Nemesis Reloaded,[13] and leading into the events of Nemesis: Rogues' Gallery.[3][4]

Reception

Issue # Publication date Critic rating Critic reviews Ref.
1 July 2023 9.4/10 4 [14]
2 August 2023 8.8/10 6 [15]
3 September 2023 9.5/10 4 [16]
4 October 2023 9.6/10 4 [17]
5 November 2023 9.9/10 2 [18]
Overall 9.4/10 20 [19]

References

  1. ^ Peterson, Matthew (August 26, 2023). "Big Game #2 Review". Major Spoilers. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  2. ^ Mark Millar (w), Pepe Larraz  (a). Big Game, vol. .1, no. TP (December 20, 2023). Portland, Oregon: Image Comics. Retrieved on May 9, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Weiss, Josh (December 5, 2023). "Mark Millar Bringing 'Millarworld' Catalogue Over To Dark Horse Comics". Forbes. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Salmon, Will (December 6, 2023). "Nemesis: Rogues' Gallery heads up the first wave of Millarworld titles coming from Dark Horse in 2024". GamesRadar+. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  5. ^ Pereira, Sergio (July 26, 2023). "REVIEW: Image Comics' Big Game #1". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Generally, Deron (July 19, 2023). "Big Game #1 Review". Superpowered Fancast. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  7. ^ Tardive, Ambrose (October 3, 2023). "Why the Magic Order Can't Stop Wanted's Fraternity". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  8. ^ Johnston, Rich (6 August 2014). "Mark Millar Explains How All The Millarworld Books Tie-In Together — Wanted, Kick-Ass, Jupiter's Legacy, Superior, Nemesis, MPH, Supercrooks And More — But No News Yet On The Unfunnies". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  9. ^ Millar, Mark [@mrmarkmillar] (March 8, 2015). "@moiseschiu Eggsy and Hit-Girl on that poster in a big international adventure? It's a cool idea" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Millar, Mark [@mrmarkmillar] (September 17, 2017). "Just saying to Matthew [Vaughn wha]t a cool post-cred[its-scene it] would have been [in] HIT-GIRL ringing Eggsy's door-bell, [the] audience knowing imminent shit [is about] to go down" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Trent, John F. (17 May 2023). "Mark Millar Announces First Ever Millarworld Crossover Event 'Big Game' That Will Also Serve As A Sequel To 'Wanted'". Bounding Into Comics. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  12. ^ Pereira, Sergio (July 18, 2023). "Big Game: Mark Millar and Pepe Larraz on the Massive Crossover Event and Wanted Sequel". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  13. ^ Johnston, Rich (10 May 2023). "Mark Millar's Image Comics Crossover Starts In Today's Nemesis Reloaded". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 10 May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Big Game #1 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "Big Game #2 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  16. ^ "Big Game #3 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  17. ^ "Big Game #4 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  18. ^ "Big Game #5 Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  19. ^ "Big Game (2023) Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved December 11, 2023.

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