Is the world ready for the further adventures of underage masked vigilantes Kick-Ass and Hit Girl?

"Kick-Ass," which pitted wannabe superheroes against a realistic, violent underworld, was released in 2010 and starred Aaron Johnson as the title hero, Chloe Moretz ("Hugo") as Hit Girl, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as nascent villain Red Mist and Nicolas Cage as Big Daddy. 

While the original wasn't the cash cow that Lionsgate anticipated, it turned a healthy profit and has earned a sizable cult following. A movie sequel has always been a possibility, but Mark Millar, who co-created the comic with artist John Romita Jr., suggests that part 2 is coming sooner than we thought.

He told the Daily Record that the "Kick-Ass" team, including producer-director Matthew Vaughn ("X-Men: First Class"), will reconvene this summer to begin production on the film -- tentatively titled "Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall" -- along with other collaborations based on Millar comics, including the dark supernatural tale "American Jesus" and the spy tale "Secret Service."  

“We shoot 'Kick-Ass 2' and 'American Jesus' this summer. Then Matthew and I have 'Secret Service,' which is a neddy James Bond," Millar explained. Exactly who "we" is is never clarified. 

While Vaughn owns the cinematic rights to "Secret Service" and Millar's "Superior," he also currently has his hands full prepping the sequel to last year's hit prequel "X-Men: First Class," which is likely a priority. So, Millar's comments must be taken with a grain of salt. 

Still, fans are ready for more.