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The folks at IGN have debuted for new character posters from the upcoming Lionsgate release Kick-Ass, from director Matthew Vaughn and the mind of Wanted writer Mark Millar. This comic property, now highly anticipated due to a wicked-cool showing at the San Diego Comic-Con this year, will star Nicolas Cage, Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as average folks (mostly kids) who dress up as superheros and take on crime. Well, sort of.

The new round of posters shows off the characters in costume. And when put together — seen above — they spell out the film’s title and the most likely pun that critics will use if the film succeeds with its plans to delight audiences with mayhem: Kick-Ass kicks ass. Get it?

Alas, here are the posters and some character descriptions. Click any of the posters to see the larger versions at IGN.

First up is Davi Lizewski (Johnson), the central character of the film. He’s no superhero, nor is he particularly smart or strong. In fact, he’s not extraordinary at all. He just wants to be a hero. So he dawns a scuba suit, ski mask and wields a pair of clubs as he takes on crime. Sure, he gets beaten quite badly (and stabbed) several times along the way, but that won’t stop this determined youngster from upholding justice.

Next is Hit-Girl (Moretz), an acrobatic junior assassin who will slice and dice anyone who gets in her way. She’s only 11-years old, but that doesn’t stop her from delivering the pain when it comes time.

Big Daddy (Cage) is the father of Hit-Girl, a dubious character who has raised his only daughter to be a ruthless vigilante. His plans are more complex than those of his youthful daughter and her newfound friend Kick-Ass, as he’s looking to get even with a crime boss who killed his wife.

Finally, we have Red Mist (Mintz-Plasse), a new hero who emerges in the aftermath of Kick-Ass’ debut. He’s a little stoner who becomes a participant in Kick-Ass’ mission, ever close but always plotting with his own underlying motivation.

There’s more than just a little bit to be excited about here. I’ve read several reader reviews from various sites, as well as the ones that a few of our readers have sent in, and I couldn’t be more pumped to see this film finally hit the big screen. From what I’ve heard, Matthew Vaughn has captured perfectly the razor’s edge that Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. gave this story when they inked it, and we will all be delighted when it finally drops.

Kick-Ass hits theaters on April 16, 2010.