100 Bullets Vol. 13 Wilt Trade Paperback Review + Final Series Thoughts

100 Bullets Vol. 13 Wilt
DC Comics - Vertigo
304 pages
$19.99 (2009) Trade Paperback
$49.99 (2013) Deluxe Hardcover Vol. 5
ISBN 9781401222871

Contributors: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Patricia Mulvihill, Clem Robins, and covers by Dave Johnson

Reprints: 100 Bullets #89-100 (of 100)

Synopsis: A secret group made up of thirteen crime families has ruled from the shadows for centuries.  They call themselves The Trust and they employed a special team, called the Minutemen, to maintain order among the families.  This form of check and balance kept The Trust's partnership intact and ensured their success all those many years.  Any family members who got out of line were summarily dealt with by the Minutemen, but eventually The Trust decided they could police themselves and the Minutemen were disbanded.  They disappeared along with their leader, Agent Graves.

Graves returned with a relentless agenda to restore the Minutemen and take revenge on The Trust.  He's known for testing people by providing them with the means to enact revenge on the person who is responsible for ruining their lives.  The means are a briefcase containing one hundred untraceable bullets, an untraceable gun, and damning evidence of the person responsible.  The rest is up to them!

Graves bares his teeth and shows an old
dog is still dangerous

100 Bullets - Graves has tried to restore the Minutemen, but was unsuccessful in bringing all of them back under his influence.  Lono is working for The Trust as their new warlord answering to Augustus Medici.  Several Minutemen joined him and stand opposite of Graves.  More than a few have died along the way.  Cole Burns is Grave's right hand, but he's having doubts about the mission.  What is Grave's true agenda?  Burns meets up with Jack Daw and Loop, but they've been running with Lono - will they shoot first and ask questions later?

Meanwhile Benito Medici feels like he's being left out by his father, Augustus.  He makes a deal with Lono, but can he trust the loose cannon, former Minuteman?  Megan Dietrich is involved with Augustus and seemingly agrees with his plan to unify The Trust under one house.  Rumors are flying that she'll marry him and the remaining families are agitated.  Graves has been cutting off heads left and right, but the remaining houses won't go down without a fight.  Their hired assassin, Slaughter, closes in on the Minutemen working both sides.  Who is his target and what is his relationship to one of the Minutemen in the line of fire?

Remi Rome tried to kill the head of the D'Arcy family and failed.  Now he gets a second chance to bring his own personal style of carnage to bear.  It's a total bloodbath as he takes on an army all by himself.  Will he succeed or die trying?  A meeting between The Trust and Graves is planned.  We finally learn the truth of his plans and just how far he's gone to get them accomplished.  Lono and Dizzy meet for the first time with sparks and kicks flying.  The final confrontation is upon us.  All the players are at the table and the cards being swiftly dealt are death sentences.  The fate of The Trust hangs in the balance.  Who makes it out alive!?

Pros: Azzarello ends the series with a 'bang' (literally) and all of the various plot threads are resolved, Risso's art is perfectly suited for this series, Johnson's covers continue to be solid, plenty of plot twists to keep the reader guessing, truly epic conclusion with almost non-stop action and lots of nasty surprises!

Jack Daw rarely loses his temper, but watch out when he does

Cons: Some of the plot resolutions weren't entirely satisfying, things happen fast and it can be a little hard to keep up (definitely gives the series opportunity for repeat readings), side stories detract from the main event - namely the final reckoning of The Trust and Agent Graves!, the series finally ends *sniff*

Mike Tells It Straight: Brian Azzarello's crime epic 100 Bullets finally reaches its fateful conclusion.  This final volume was an intense page-turner filled with tons of violence and resolution of all the various plot threads.  We learn Graves' true agenda, where he gets his attaches, and each character is put to the test before it all ends.  Things aren't going according to plan for any of the players and everyone is just trying to save themselves from the inevitable fallout.  This series has been an excellent read and I wasn't disappointed with the finale.  

Remi catches up with his Ma while getting
some downtime between jobs

I particularly liked seeing Lono put through his paces and being on the receiving end of a whole lot of punishment.  Cole Burns served as a conscience to Graves' atrocities over the years.  Dizzy was a treat and she played a truly special role in the ending.  I disliked Remi and Ronnie Rome, but their part in the ending was hilarious.  A few parts of the ending felt rushed and the side story was a distraction, but quite a worthy ending.  Azzarello finished everything up in grand fashion with a striking final scene.

Final thoughts on the series: Wow! What a roller coaster ride this 100 issues have been. It took me almost two years to finish the whole series (review for Vol. 1 First Shot, Last Call was in February 2012) and I'd say it was worth it. My first impression was lackluster as I couldn't stand Azzarello's attempts to write street vernacular and Graves' repetitive modus operandi with the attache.  The emerging story of The Trust grew on me and I'm really glad to have stuck it out to the bitter end.  The writing improved and the street vernacular did too.

I'm amazed at how much Risso's artwork fit this series and how it evolved over the years.  He's a fantastic artist and his style just crystallized to sleek perfection.  I looked at the earlier issues compared to this final volume and just get blown away at the improvements.  I'm really looking forward to seeing his work on other characters.  I can't believe he put out 100 consecutive issues too!  That's a major accomplishment in this day and age.  He inked his own work which must have saved him time penciling, but it's still time-consuming stuff.  Johnson's covers were always pretty interesting and had a lot of range.

Alternate trade paperback cover

Azzarello's story works as a commentary on America as criminal paradise.  Founded by criminals for criminals (i.e. The Trust) just makes sense.  The Minutemen and new recruits are the hapless bystanders caught in the middle of the cycle of violence with no way out.  They're powerless like you and me, but doomed to repeat the endless loop with a new generation.  Azzarello and Risso created characters which captivated the reader.  I felt attached to my 'favorites' and would have liked to see some of them have different endings, but respect the need for drama and surprises in the story.

I highly recommend this series if you're looking for something relatively mature and far away from the standard crowded-universe superhero fare.  This series ran for 10 years (1999-2009) and became the successor flagship title for Vertigo (along with Fables 2002-current) after Preacher (1995-2000) ended (which in turn succeeded The Sandman running from 1989-1996).  I highly recommend reading all of those titles.  I'm looking forward to checking out the sequel mini-series 100 Bullets: Brother Lono out this year!


TO BUY and Recommendations:

100 Bullets Vol. 12 Dirty Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 12 Dirty
DC Comics - Vertigo
128 pages
$12.99 (2008) Trade Paperback
$49.99 (2013) Deluxe Hardcover Vol. 5
ISBN 9781401219390

Contributors: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Patricia Mulvihill, Clem Robins, and covers by Dave Johnson

Reprints: 100 Bullets #84-88

Synopsis: A secret group made up of thirteen powerful crime families has ruled from the shadows for centuries.  They call themselves The Trust and employed a special team, called the Minutemen, to maintain order among the families and ensure the success of their longstanding partnership.  Any family members who get out of line are swiftly dealt with by the Minutemen, but eventually The Trust decided they could police themselves and the Minutemen were redundant.  They disappeared and were thought dead along with their leader, Agent Graves.

Victor Ray does some dirty work

Now he has returned with a relentless agenda to restore the Minutemen and bring down The Trust.  He's known for testing people by giving them a briefcase containing one hundred untraceable bullets, an untraceable handgun, evidence of the person who has ruined their lives, and a guarantee no investigation will happen.  The rest is up to them.

The Lady Tonight - Sigmar Rhone is a powerful man who doesn't tolerate bullshit in his establishments.  When a wannabe 'gangsta' pop singer roughs up some of his customers then Sigmar's not too happy.  He just so happens to the head of a house in The Trust and knows how to deal with pests.  Agent Graves has stepped up his maneuvers against the heads of The Trust - can Sigmar's henchmen stand up to the Minutemen?  What new information is revealed about Augustus Medici, the man who wants to unify The Trust under one house?

Red Lions - Benito Medici is back in his father's house after spending time in Mexico with Wylie Times, Mr. Branch, and Dizzy Cordova.  The caper ended badly and Benito is still pissed his father has shacked up with Megan Dietrich, head of a house in The Trust and the same age as Benito.  He and Megan have always had a catty relationship where she thinks he's not man enough to run a house after his father, Augustus.  Now she's sleeping with Augustus and going along with his plan to unify The Trust.  When the three of them sit down for dinner sparks will fly!

The instructor for this women's self-defense group was brutally raped by
Lono in a previous issue.  Guess who shows up at her gym?

Meanwhile Lono and his crew of Loop Hughes and Jack Daw hit the gym.  Unfortunately a girl recognizes Lono as the man who raped her and killed her boyfriend.  She suffered emotionally ever since and plans to get her revenge  Will she be able to outsmart the brutally dangerous new warlord of The Trust?

Rain, In Vain - Graves keeps hitting members of The Trust and sends Victor Ray to get the job done.  He's an effective professional, but there's a personal job he wants to finish on the side.  A couple have committed an horrifying multiple-murder and kidnapped two kids.  Why is Victor Ray compelled to find them and what does he plan to do?

Two members of The Trust reminisce about
the late Sigmar's insatiable sexual appetite

The Blister - Remi Rome is sent to kill another head of The Trust, but meets with stiff resistance.  Can he pull off the job single-handedly?  His target has called back a retired killer and former Minuteman named Slaughter.  Send a devil to kill a devil, but what is Slaughter's connection to the current Minutemen lineup?

My Lonely Friend - Four friends are saying goodbye as one of them will soon head off to college.  Tragedy strikes seemingly at random, but that's the world we're living in.  Cole Burns takes Mr. Branch and meets up with Ronnie Rome to pick up the painting he was sent to Italy to procure.  Cole wants revenge against Remi, Ronnie's little brother, for killing a man he respected greatly.  Will he take it out on Ronnie?  Meanwhile Branch gets a visit from Echo Memoria who came back to the States with Ronnie.  What is her angle in all of this and can she be trusted?  Get ready for a shock ending!

Pros: Azzarello's writing remains compelling in this volume, Risso's art perfectly matches the story, Johnson's covers are solid and interesting, a lot of subtle events happen and are resolved, brutally violent

Cons: Complicated storylines with a lot of nods to past events (which readers may have forgotten), a couple stories are duds and didn't feel natural (like the Lono confrontation with his former rape victim)

Remi cuts loose

Mike Tells It Straight: 100 Bullets nears its inevitable conclusion and this series of one-shots ups the stakes as Graves begins to openly move against The Trust.  It's a complete bloodbath from start to finish as the body count rises.  Azzarello and Risso are perfectly in sync and show they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.  I felt the range of stories were slightly hit or miss, but enjoyed the overall plot's progression.

Readers must be familiar with all of the prior issues or be hopelessly lost.  I've read them all and was still struggling to connect all the dots.  I recommend having the prior issues/volumes handy to reach back and find the past stories for some of the returning (and obscure) characters/plotlines.  The last volume is going to be a page-turner and I can't wait!


TO BUY and Recommendations:

100 Bullets Vol. 11 Once Upon A Crime Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 11 - Once Upon A Crime
DC Comics - Vertigo
190 pages
$12.99 (2007) Trade Paperback
$49.99 (2013) Deluxe Hardcover Vol. 4
$49.99 (2013) Deluxe Hardcover Vol. 5
ISBN 9781401213152

Contributors: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Patricia Mulvihill, Clem Robins, and covers by Dave Johnson

Reprints: 100 Bullets #76-83

Synopsis: A secret group called The Trust has ruled from the shadows ever since the founding of the New World.  They are made up of thirteen powerful families and employed a special team, called the Minutemen, to maintain order among the families.  Any members who get out of line through vicious in-fighting get swiftly and summarily dealt with by the Minutemen.  Until The Trust betrayed and tried to have them destroyed.  It didn't stick and they disappeared along with their leader, Agent Graves.  He has returned with a relentless agenda to restore the Minutemen and wipe out The Trust.  He is known for testing people by giving them a briefcase containing one hundred untraceable bullets, an untraceable handgun, evidence of the person who has ruined the briefcase recipient's life, and a guarantee no investigation will happen.  The rest is up to them.

Wylie contemplates his next move with Dizzy

Punch Line - Lono and his crew of Victor Ray, Jack Daw, and Loop Hughes enjoy some short-lived downtime.  Graves is anxious to reactivate and acquire all of the Minutemen still out in the cold so he can prepare for the final confrontation with The Trust.  He has Cole Burns and the recently returned Remi Rome in his corner, but needs to pick up Wylie Times and Dizzy Cordova.  These two are hiding out in Mexico with former journalist, Mr. Branch, and Benito Medici, Augustus Medici's son.

We get another flashback to the end of the Minutemen in Atlantic City and who they were before the reset button got pushed.  Now these two groups of deadly killers are headed for an inevitable showdown.  Wylie is quite possibly the deadliest Minuteman and he's decided to stop playing the game.  Will Graves let him and Dizzy go after investing so much time in them?  A traitor is revealed and the bullets fly, but who will survive?

A Split Decision - In the aftermath of the showdown Graves tries to pick up the pieces and get his plan back on track.  Lono recovers Benito and tries to figure out why he survived.  Dizzy assumes her new role and the wheels start turning on the final act.

Branch and Benito bet on cock-fighting

Tarantula - Ronnie Rome is in Italy trying to recover the stolen painting from Echo Memoria.  She's a beautiful and confusing woman.  Poor Ronnie doesn't know which way is up as he falls into a complicated trap.  Does Echo even have the painting?  Ronnie runs into another guy named Claudio who says he bought the painting from Echo, but is he telling the truth?  It's a Roman holiday and Ronnie is caught in the middle.  Can he figure it out before ending up dead?  We also learn Shepard's origin and how Graves recruited him all those many years ago.  How a white kid with enough game at street ball almost made it, but ended up working for Graves' spookshow.

Pros: Azzarello's writing is complex and suspenseful, big events and secrets revealed in this volume, Risso's art is better than ever, great covers by Johnson, keeps us guessing

Cons: Absolutely not new-reader friendly, plot can be a bit confusing (guess it makes the reader think and pay more attention), the events in this volume pissed me off

Mike Tells It Straight: The crime noir opus of Azzarello and Risso continues with this 11th volume.  I can honestly say this volume pissed me off incredibly, but I grudgingly admit to enjoying it nonetheless.  If you've come this far into the series then you'll know exactly what I mean.  The showdown between Lono's crew and Wylie's band is a major plot twist.  It had me reeling for days and I read the Italian caper starring Ronnie Rome in a daze afterwards.  Can't say I liked the story with Ronnie and Echo, but I enjoyed Shepard's origin which included an unexpected bit of information.

Ronnie searches for Echo and the painting in Italy

100 Bullets is a great series and this volume brings us closer to the inevitable conclusion.  Much credit to the creators for making me care so much about the characters and being torn up when they eventually reach their fateful ends.  New readers must start at the beginning of this series to fully appreciate the stories/characters.  I got hooked after the first few volumes and now it seems like a lifetime has passed until the ending.  The characters truly feel alive and have progressed throughout the series.  Only two more volumes until the end and it's going to be messy!

TO BUY and Recommendations: