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:

100 Bullets Vol. 10 Decayed Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 10 - Decayed
DC Comics - Vertigo
192 pages
$14.99 (2007) Trade Paperback
$49.99 (2013) Deluxe Edition Hardcover Vol. 4
ISBN 9781401209988

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

Reprints: 100 Bullets #68-75

Synopsis: A secret group called The Trust has ruled from the shadows for centuries and is made up of thirteen powerful families.  They employed a special team called the Minutemen to maintain order among the families and swiftly punish any members who got out of line.  Then The Trust betrayed the Minutemen and tried to have them destroyed, but instead they disappeared along with their leader Agent Graves.  Now Graves is back and recalling the Minutemen in order to exact revenge on The Trust.  Graves 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.

Augustus Medici comforts Megan Dietrich
after her near-fatal shooting

Sleep, Walker - Jack continues to street brawl in Atlantic City, but he's won too many bouts and no one wants to fight a sure thing.  A new fighter shows up and it could prove to be the fight he's been waiting for to stop him cold. The fighter?  Lono.  Meanwhile we get to see Agent Graves' rise to power as head of the Minutemen.  Augustus Medici gets closer to Megan Dietrich, who is nursing a scar after a failed assassination attempt.

A Wake - The house of Nagel has just lost its head and two heirs remain, but they're fraternal twins and a single successor must be chosen.  The Trust demands an answer.  Will Augustus Medici's plan to unify The Trust under one house be put into jeopardy or will he send his new warlord, Lono, to intercede?

Ronnie Rome is an enforcer for Mimo Pallidino and runs a tight ship.  His brother, Remi, is another story and is always trying to get some action on the side.  He causes all sorts of trouble and Ronnie is constantly defusing the situations.  The problem is Ronnie has a case with one hundred untraceable bullets and an untraceable gun.  Is he a former Minuteman that Graves is trying to awaken?

Amorality Play - Lono visits San Francisco where he remains one step behind Agent Graves.  This time Graves has given a briefcase to a young Chinese man who grapples with the choice to use it.

Pros: Azzarello's writing is solid and he delivers an interesting story, Risso's art remains excellent and he's a great visual storyteller, covers by Johnson are good (awesome trade cover BTW), the overall plot continues with some good side stories and a little history

The twins consider their potential future
as head of a house in The Trust - too
bad there can be only one

Cons: Not new-reader friendly, last story with the guy considering shooting someone was not my favorite

Mike Tells It Straight: Azzarello's crime noir masterpiece 100 Bullets reaches its tenth volume and the plot continues to thicken.  Lono is The Trust's new Warlord as appointed by Augustus Medici.  Graves continues to operate in the shadows, but what is his true purpose?  Writing and art are excellent in this volume.  It was a surprise to see Megan Dietrich after what happened in the last volume.  I'm not sure whose side anyone is on anymore and it's very exciting.

The usual disclaimer applies - this is the tenth volume of a series and readers should have some knowledge of the previous stories/characters in order to fully comprehend events.  A lot of old characters show up and interact with each other, but new readers will totally miss the significance.  The plot continues to progress with a few new characters and 'awakening' of others who have been around for a long time.  One of the best crime noir series out there and I'm looking forward to the closing chapters coming up (it lasted one hundred issues after all).  This particular volume was a worthy entry and the plot twists kept me interested.  Onward to the next chapter!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

100 Bullets Vol. 9 Strychnine Lives Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 9 - Strychnine Lives
DC Comics - Vertigo
224 pages
$19.99 (2006) Trade Paperback
$49.99 (2013) Deluxe Edition Hardcover Vol. 4
ISBN 9781401209285

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

Reprints: 100 Bullets #59-67

Synopsis: A secret group called The Trust has ruled from the shadows for centuries and is made up of thirteen powerful families.  They employed a special team called the Minutemen to maintain order among the families and to swiftly punish any internal fighting.  Then The Trust betrayed the Minutemen and tried to have them destroyed, but they disappeared along with their leader Agent Graves.  Now Graves is back and recalling the Minutemen in order to exact revenge on The Trust.

Benito and Megan Dietrich walk and talk

The Calm - Loop and Lono are out of prison and rolling hard.  Two former enemies, the pair are now teamed up at the request of the late Shepard.  They stop in Chicago to pick up another former Minuteman named Victor.  He's making time with the lovely wife of a neighbor who is planning bloody revenge.  Will the group fall headlong into a firefight?

Staring at the Son - Megan Dietrich is in town to meet with Augustus Medici, head of the Medici house and currently trying to unify The Trust under one house - his.  Megan is the head of her house and knows Augustus' son, Benito.  He's a former party-boy, rich kid who lived to bother his dad by misbehaving.  Benito has turned over a new leaf after a failed assassination attempt and wants to join the family business, but Augustus has some reservations.  Meanwhile Mr. Branch, a former reporter who uncovered The Trust and is an exile in Paris, comes to meet with Megan.  Also in town are Graves and restored Minuteman, Cole Burns.

Staying at the same hotel are Spain, his lawyer, and chihuahua Cookie.  Spain looks like a bad mutha and gets a bellhop named Tino to score some dope for him.  Tino gets it from his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend - a nasty drug-dealer named Bosco.  Tino is pissed because he has a kid with the girl, but figures Spain will tip him really well.  Tino and Spain end up painting the town and run into Bosco.  Fireworks fly when two badasses butt heads.  What happens when Branch suddenly gets a visit from Cole?  Will Megan side with Augustus even though it means her house becomes second-tier?

Spain is one badass muthafucka!

The Dive - Graves pays a visit to Jack who has become a street fighter waiting for the final fight to put him out of his misery.  Jack wants to give him back the case with the untraceable gun and one hundred bullets, but Graves won't take it.  He calls Jack out on trying to fool himself.  Will Jack grow a spine and put Graves in his place?

New Tricks - Lono tortures one of the people responsible for the assassination attempt on Augustus Medici.  Loop and Victor get to know each other while they hang out at a strip joint before a job.  What does Augustus want with Lono in light of the plan to unify The Trust?  How does Megan Dietrich figure into the scheme?

Loop stakes out Megan Dietrich

Love Let Her - Branch heads down to New Mexico to find Dizzy after Shepard's death.  He's not the only one as several more players converge on the same town.  Benito is there throwing money around to find her as well.  Wiley and Dizzy are both confused and wracked with guilt over what happened to Shepard.  Which side will they choose?

Pros: Great art by Risso, interesting covers by Johnson, Azzarello's writing is solid (no excessive amount of goofy puns), nice set of crime noir stories, cool side story and characters with Spain/Tino/Bosco, Lono is a cunningly evil bastard

Cons: Deep into the book's overall plot and not new-reader friendly at all, story with Jack and Graves was kind of lame and unrealistic (on Jack's part)

Mike Tells It Straight: This ninth volume of 100 Bullets keeps the story rolling and throws a few more curveballs at us.  Seems like the Minutemen are amassing, but the outcome of a final confrontation is totally uncertain.  What is Graves game?  I'm totally confused yet excited for the next installment.  Both writing and art are completely in sync in this volume.  Thankfully Azzarello lays off using too many puns to make the book sound more noir.  Spain was a hilarious character - he looked like Mickey Rourke with his wrinkled, leathery skin on top of tight muscles.  He's hell on wheels and gets Tino into all sorts of trouble.  The end of that particular story was a surprise!

Lono tortures some poor sucker

The usual disclaimer applies - this is the ninth volume of a series and readers should have some knowledge of the previous stories/characters in order to fully comprehend events.  A lot of old characters show up and interact with each other, but new readers will totally miss the significance.  The plot continues to progress with a few major twists and I'll definitely say the series is great if you like the crime noir genre.  This book is a solid entry in the series - maybe not the best due to the numerous storylines, but I've come too far to turn back and am looking forward to the next chapter!

TO BUY and Recommendations:

100 Bullets Vol. 8 The Hard Way Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 8 - The Hard Way
DC Comics - Vertigo
Softcover Trade Paperback
224 pages
$14.99 (2005)
$49.99 (2012) Deluxe Edition Hardcover Vol. 3
ISBN 9781401204907

Contributors: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Dave Johnson, Trish Mulvihill, and Clem Robins

Reprints: 100 Bullets #50-58

Synopsis: A secret group called The Trust has ruled from the shadows for centuries and is made up of thirteen powerful families.  They employed a special team called the Minutemen to police the families from harming each other, but betrayed and tried to destroy them.  The Minutemen and their leader Agent Graves disappeared.  Now he's back and putting the old band back together in order to serve a reckoning on The Trust.

Graves gives Wylie a briefcase

Prey for Reign - A crew hides out in a bar after a heist.  Too bad one of their number got left behind and the deal can't happen without him.  Now they wait to see if he shows up and one of them tells a story.  He tells of a group of powerful men who form a trust to rule the new world of America many centuries ago.  This man has a tattoo of a cross on the back of his hand and he is one cool customer.  He was visited by a man with a briefcase a few days ago.

Wylie Runs the Voodoo Down - Wylie was living in a deadbeat town and working for peanuts at a gas station in the middle of nowhere.  His life sucked and he couldn't care less.  Then a man named Shepard and a girl named Dizzy appeared.  He ended up going on a trip with them to New Orleans.  An old guy named Agent Graves gives him a suitcase filled with an untraceable gun, one hundred untraceable bullets, and information on how his life became so miserable.

Seems like he had a history in New Orleans and vague memories keep coming back.  He was in love, but something happened to the girl.  Dizzy tags along while Wylie tries to drown his sorrows.  The bar where they're drinking has a gnarled little black man playing the best trumpet you've ever heard.

Wylie befriends Gabe the hunchback trumpet player

Wylie and Dizzy get some fresh air and witness two men kill a girl across the river.  The men see them and they hide out.  Wylie runs into an old friend who's still in the game.  Shepard visits one of the families of The Trust to talk about Graves' return.  Things get hairy as Wylie's memories keep coming back.  Why does he keep remembering Shepard?

Coda Smoke - Lono and Loop are in prison, but they're not tearing each other apart quite yet.  Lono receives a phone call from Shepard who has startling news.  It's a major turning point for Shepard, Dizzy, Wylie, Lono, and Loop.

Pros: Same great art by Risso that we've seen throughout the series, Johnson's covers are very great, big reveal of Wylie's past, lots of Dizzy (she's hot), the origin of The Trust, powerful emotions and visuals in Wylie's story, the series makes a major progression and things get shaken up

Cons: Azzarello's dialogue has a few duds - where he's trying too hard to be noir or sprinkles in some puns

Mike Tells It Straight: This eighth volume of 100 Bullets has the biggest reveals and most powerful emotions yet.  'Prey for Reign' was the 50th issue and gives us the origin of The Trust.  Wylie's story gives the origin of both Wylie and the Minutemen.  I must admit Wylie was one of my favorite characters because of his humble and care-less attitude.  It didn't hurt Dizzy was involved in his stories too and she's a beautiful girl.  Wylie's memories return and it spells trouble for everyone around him.  He was better off forgotten in the desert.  The final story 'Coda Smoke' is a sleeper which will surprise readers and fans of Shepard.

We see the Minutemen prior to their betrayal

Azzarello's writing continues to be top notch - both pacing and plot twists.  He seems to add puns into the dialogue to make it sound more 'noir', but this volume is a little less thick.  Risso is an amazing storyteller and his art is highly expressive.  Covers by Johnson keep getting better.

The usual disclaimer applies - this is the eighth volume of a series and readers should have some knowledge of the previous stories/characters in order to fully comprehend it.  The story was powerful and emotional.  We get a lot of questions answered and the plot progresses.  I'm really looking forward to the next volume as things are getting deadly!



TO BUY and Recommendations:

100 Bullets Vol. 7 Samurai Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 7 - Samurai
DC Comics - Vertigo
Softcover Trade Paperback
168 pages
$12.95 (2004)
$49.99 (2012) Deluxe Edition Hardcover Vol. 3
ISBN 9781401201890

Contributors: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Dave Johnson, Clem Robins, Trish Mulvihill, and Zylonol Studios

Reprints: 100 Bullets #43-49

Synopsis: A secret organization called The Trust rules from the shadows and using a group called the Minutemen to maintain the balance of power within their ranks.  Then the Minutemen and their boss Agent Graves were targeted for assassination.  They survived, but went underground and Graves is slowly massing his forces to get revenge on The Trust.  He tests people with a briefcase filled with an untraceable gun, one hundred untraceable bullets, evidence of the person who ruined their life, and the promise they will be able to use the weapon with impunity from law enforcement.  Some have passed his test while others have failed or died under the pressure.

Do you think Lono's cellmate is sleeping?

Chill in the Oven - Loop is doing time in prison after getting picked up for murder.  He's toughened up on the inside and learned to survive among the hardcore criminal cliques.  Problem is he accidentally broke the #2 toughest inmate's larynx and sent him to the infirmary.  Once Nine Train gets back into population he's going to snuff Loop with a vengeance.  Loop's no dummy and he's become buds with the #1 toughest guy by tutoring him despite the guy being the head neo-Nazi in the joint.

Adding gasoline to the fire is the newest inmate who's a familiar face to Loop - Lono, the toughest and meanest loose cannon inside or outside of the penitentiary.  Lono killed Loop's cousin and the two have history.  Not only is Lono gunning for Loop, but the crooked head guard Dirtz wants payback from Loop for making him look bad.  Now it's going to take more than fast-talking and luck to survive the world of hurt barreling down the road.  Can Loop survive or will he become another statistic?

Mikey and Jack get pulled over

In Stinked - Jack is a heroin addict who was visited by Graves and received a suitcase.  Nothing in his life has changed and he's still chasing the dragon on an ever-quickening downward spiral.  He hooks up with another junkie named Mikey and they visit Mikey's cousin Garvey who has a roadside exotic animal park.  Garvey is crooked as they come and sells the animals for sport on the side.  Jack finds an intoxicating kinship with the caged tigers, but Garvey has sold them to a group of gangsters for fur rugs.  Jack has nothing to lose - will he throw away his life to save the tigers with the gun Agent Graves gave him?

Pros: Resurgence of some great characters from earlier story arcs, excellent plot and writing by Azzarello, Risso's art is always solid, nice covers by Johnson, excellent story pacing, definitely a page-turner, Lono

Cons: Azzarello's dialogue has a few duds - where he's either trying too hard to be noir or drops in some puns, Lono

Mike Tells It Straight: Another fine installment of 100 Bullets brings back some old characters like Loop (from Vol. 3 Hang Up on the Hang Low) and smackhead Jack (from Vol. 4 A Foregone Tomorrow).  Loop's story is a nail-biter as he's up against a rock, a hard place, and a shiv in the back.  Not a whole lot of conspiracy theory in these stories, but pretty intense prison drama and off-beat crime noir.  Jack's story was good and I didn't know what to expect.  He's not a particularly likable character due to being a worthless junkie, but he starts to grow on you.

Don't ever play chicken with a caged
tiger.  They like to eat chicken

Azzarello's writing is great - excellent pacing and plot twists.  Seems his only weakness is dialogue and this volume has a few minor gaffs where it feels like he's trying too hard.  Risso's art is top notch and he's a wonderful visual storyteller.  Johnson's covers keep improving and capture the noir feel of the book.  

The usual disclaimer - this is the seventh volume in a series and readers must be familiar with the previous volumes to fully understand the stories.  Good follow up to the last collection (Vol. 6 Six Feet Under the Gun) which was six self-contained stories.  My only gripe is the plot doesn't really advance much, but the chess pieces are being moved around the board.  Damn entertaining and looking forward to the next volume.


TO BUY and Recommendations:

100 Bullets Vol. 6 Six Feet Under the Gun Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 6 - Six Feet Under the Gun
DC Comics - Vertigo
Softcover Trade Paperback
144 pages
$14.95 (2003)
$49.99 (2012) Deluxe Edition Hardcover Vol. 3
ISBN 9781563899966

Contributors: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Dave Johnson, Trish Mulvihill, Clem Robins, Digital Chameleon, Zylonol Studios, and introduction by Greg Rucka

Reprints: 100 Bullets #37-42

Synopsis: Six self-contained stories following various main characters:

Graves meets with Shepard

• On Accidental Purpose - Dizzy goes back to her old neighborhood and meets up with her old friends.  She has lost touch with them and they don't understand her vague explanations about what she has been doing for the past year.  Shepard and Graves meet to discuss their next steps (and chug cocktails)
• Cole Burns Slow Hand - Cole returns to visit Sasha, his former fiancee, who he walked out on when his memories returned from being a Minuteman.  He wants to patch things up, but it's been over a year  and she's righteously pissed
• Ambition's Audition - Benito accompanies his father down to Little Havana where Shepard checks in with him.  Benito despises his father and acts out to annoy him, but this time there might be an assassin in the crowd.  A turning point for Benito and his father
• Night of the Payday - Shepard hooks Lono up with a job and gives him a warning - "You've pissed off some powerful people - time to lay low".  Lono was never one to back down or take orders, but there's no more room for loose cannons in the game
• A Crash - Graves meets with a small group of dissenting family leaders from the Trust.  They don't agree with the head of the Medici family trying to consolidate power and they want to preserve their positions
• Point Off the Edge - Wylie gets a visit from Graves and a briefcase filled with an untraceable gun/bullets.  It's Wylie's chance to escape his boring mess of a life where he works at a miserable gas station in the middle of nowhere.  Will he take it?

Shepard meets with Lono

Pros: Great plot and writing by Azzarello, Risso continues to deliver quality art, Johnson's covers are pretty good, good set of stories with some major plot developments, won an Eisner award in 2002 for Best Continuing Series

Cons: Azzarello's dialogue can be a bit thick - "You may play your cards close to the vest...but you wear your heart on your sleeve.  And frankly, it's what's up it that has us concerned.", no nudity, didn't like the ending to Lono's story

Mike Tells It Straight: The sixth (get it, Six Feet Under the Gun?) collection of 100 Bullets gives us six self-contained stories (after the fifth volume was one long story Vol. 5 The Counterfifth Detective).  This installment is a nice combination of character-focused stories laced with generic crime noir (i.e. in the Graves story we get scenes of a young couple finding a crashed car with a dead man clutching the winning lottery ticket) and always continuing the deeper conspiracy plot of Graves vs. The Trust.

Cole surprises Sasha

Art by Risso is consistently excellent and covers by Johnson remain interesting.  Azzarello's writing is really good with plotting and pacing being his main strengths.  Dialogue continues to be a little spotty as the characters break down into cliched speech patterns (Cole's talk with Sasha was a prime example as he laid it on pretty thick).

The usual disclaimer - this is the sixth collection in a series and readers need to have read the previous volumes to fully understand the story.  It's a good collection of stories and actual events happen instead of just keeping the status quo (could have easily been a bunch of backfill stories with no plot development).  Looking forward to the next collection.


TO BUY and Recommendations:

100 Bullets Vol. 5 The Counterfifth Detective Trade Paperback Review

100 Bullets Vol. 5 - The Counterfifth Detective
DC Comics - Vertigo
Softcover Trade Paperback
144 pages
$12.95 (2003)
ISBN 9781563899485

Contributors: Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Dave Johnson, Trish Mulvihill, Digital Chameleon, and Clem Robins

Reprints: 100 Bullets #31-36

Synopsis: Milo Garrett is having a bad day.  He's in the hospital after getting his face rearranged (complete with a head covered in bandages), is a hard-luck/hard-drinking private dick who got stiffed on his last job, and just had a visit from an old guy named Agent Graves.  Now he has a briefcase filled with evidence of the person who mucked up his life, an untraceable gun, one hundred untraceable bullets, and a guarantee he won't be prosecuted if he uses any of it.

I loved this showdown at a coffee shop
between Milo and Lono

Things might just be looking up as Milo heads over to the art dealer who double-crossed him.  Nix that, someone got to the art dealer first and put him six feet under.  Now Milo has to use his usually liquored-up detective skills to trace the faint leads of an art theft back to the parties involved.  One happens to be a rich blonde named Megan Dietrich with a penchant for high-stakes double-dealing.  Another is a gorgeous Italian named Echo Memoria.

Unfortunately the third is a bruiser named Lono with a permanent finger on the kill switch.  Something just doesn't feel right about the whole caper and Milo can't seem to piece it together.  Strange memories are surfacing and he begins to question his very identity.  What secret could be buried behind the bandages and will it be too late to figure it out?

Pros: Good plot and pacing by Azzarello, excellent art by Risso, good covers by Johnson, collection is one single story (instead of a string of smaller stories), offbeat crime noir story starring a hardboiled detective, plenty of drinking and sex, nudity, Milo is a boob man, great reveal on Milo's secret, complicated ending

Cons: Dialogue and narrative were riddled with puns and it got old a few issues into the storyline, slightly confusing ending (probably on purpose though)

Echo meets up with Milo after another
hospital stay (seems to be a habit)

Mike Tells It Straight: The fifth (get it, Counterfifth?) collection of 100 Bullets and we get another full length story (the last one was Vol. 3 Hang Up on the Hang Low which won an Eisner).  Azzarello gives us his take on a very standard crime noir story featuring a hardboiled detective.  The main character's head is covered in bandages (reminiscent of The Unknown Soldier also by DC Comics) and all of the narrative/dialogue was essentially one long pun.  This style felt gimmicky and slows down the story as the reader must pause to decipher the puns each few seconds.  I didn't like it after a few issues and it kept up until the very last panel.  Whatever Azzarello was trying to accomplish I hope he never does it again.

Risso's art was awesome and Johnson's covers interesting - a solid visual entry.  This collection is fifth in the series and readers need to have read the previous volumes to fully understand the story.  I've got to say this collection is probably my least favorite so far due to the puns and the fact the story really doesn't progress much in terms of Graves or The Trust.  It was a decent crime noir story, but nothing special this time.  I'm moving on to the next volume and giving this one a courtesy flush.


TO BUY and Recommendations: