What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedKick-Ass
Matthew Vaughn · Film · 2010
If you loved Kick-Ass, start with Misfits (Howard Overman, 2009) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Kick-Ass across media.
What hooked you in Kick-Ass was the way it strips away the glamorous veneer of heroism to reveal the messy, violent reality.
Books on the same thread
My Hero Academia
Kohei Horikoshi · Book · 2015
Explores: Underdog Story, Heroism, Legacy.
Just like the protagonist of Kick-Ass, the students here must navigate the harsh transition from ordinary life to the demanding world of professional heroics while facing significant social hurdles.
Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling · Book
Shares a thread with Kick-Ass: coming-of-age.
If the coming-of-age journey in Kick-Ass resonated with you, this story captures that same sense of a young person thrust into a larger, dangerous world while learning to fight.
Watchmen
Alan Moore · Book · 2009
Explores: Moral Ambiguity, Existentialism, Nuclear Anxiety.
Kick-Ass deconstructs superhero tropes, and this graphic novel serves as the ultimate blueprint for that approach, offering a deep, cynical examination of what masks and capes actually represent.
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
The heavy burden placed on a young person forced into a brutal, high-stakes conflict mirrors the dark, sacrificial path walked by the characters within the world of Kick-Ass.
Series on the same thread
The Boys
Eric Kripke · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Kick-Ass: Vigilantism.
Much like the vigilantes in Kick-Ass, this series strips away the polish of traditional superheroes to focus on the gritty, morally compromised reality of fighting back against systemic power.
Marvel's Daredevil
Drew Goddard · Series · 2015
Shares a thread with Kick-Ass: Vigilantism.
The grounded, street-level vigilantism seen in Kick-Ass finds a more serious, noir-inspired counterpart here, showing the physical and moral toll of cleaning up a city without any superpowers.
Misfits
Howard Overman · Series · 2009
Shares 2 threads with Kick-Ass: Superhero Comedy, Dark Comedy.
If you enjoyed the darkly comedic, chaotic energy of Kick-Ass, you will appreciate how these reluctant, flawed outcasts deal with the sudden, messy acquisition of their own unintended superpowers.
Invincible
Series · 2021
Shares a thread with Kick-Ass: Deconstruction of Superhero Tropes.
This series shares the deconstructionist DNA of Kick-Ass, exploring the brutal consequences and complex family dynamics that occur when a normal teenager suddenly enters a world of extreme violence.
Podcasts on the same thread
NerdCast
Jovem Nerd · Podcast
Explores: humor, satire, current events commentary.
The satirical lens applied to pop culture here mirrors the way Kick-Ass mocks the conventions of the genre, turning the serious nature of heroes into a target for commentary.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
Just as Kick-Ass finds dark humor in the absurdity of vigilante violence, this podcast uncovers the ridiculous, scandalous side of human behavior, proving that reality is often stranger than fiction.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Kick-Ass about a student with actual superpowers?
No, Kick-Ass is not about a student with superpowers. The main character, Dave Lizewski, is an unnoticed high school student who decides to become a superhero despite having no special abilities, professional training, or a meaningful reason for his choice.
Who is the main character in Kick-Ass?
The main character in the 2010 movie Kick-Ass is Dave Lizewski. He is a comic book fan and high school student who attempts to adopt the persona of a superhero without any prior preparation or existing powers.
Does Dave Lizewski have any training in Kick-Ass?
No, Dave Lizewski does not have any training in Kick-Ass. The story follows his attempt to become a superhero as an ordinary high school student who lacks both the combat skills and the superpowers typically associated with the hero archetype.
Is Kick-Ass a movie about a trained superhero?
No, Kick-Ass is not about a trained superhero. The film depicts Dave Lizewski, an ordinary high school student and comic book fan, who chooses to become a superhero despite having no powers, no training, and no significant motivation for his actions.