Customer Reviews

100 Bullets Vol. 1: First Shot, Last Call

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Brian Azzarrello's 100 BULLETS is the best, most intriguing and most well-thought-out comic book series currently in publication. It starts out seemingly as an episodic series of revenge stories but quickly becomes part espionage thriller and part conspiracy theory yarn. This TPB collects the first two story arcs, both of which are fairly well self-contained. I fully expect readers will find it enjoyable enough that many sequels will follow.

The basic premise is that a mysterious man by the name of Mr. Graves arrives in your life and presents you with a briefcase. In the briefcase is a gun, 100 bullets of completely untraceable ammunition and loads of evidence about the person who screwed you over and why. You're given the choice: use the bullets or not. It's up to you what to do from there. You'd think the answer would be obvious and the series would degrade into a Charles Bronsonesque revenge caper. Far from it. The decisions Azzarrello's characters make and how they go about plotting their revenge never fails to surprise.

The opening tale is about Dizzy Cordova, a Hispanic "girl from the hood," whose boyfriend and child were killed by crooked cops. She meets Mr. Graves and makes her decision about what she should do with this opportunity to "make things right."

Eduardo Risso's art is perfect for this series. He uses darkness and light for maximum effect and is excellent at communicating the emotions of the characters through subtle depictions of body language and facial expressions. I don't know who the Vertigo people at DC Comics found him, but this Argentine (I think that's his nationality) is a serious talent.

Having read 100 BULLETS for a year and a half now, I can say that I honestly have no idea where it's headed but that it's a non-stop thrill ride. Great street-level stories with real, in-depth characterization. Gamblers, hoods, assassins, backstabbing business people, bartenders, dirty cops, you name it. They're all in 100 BULLETS and you'll want to read each and every one of their stories.

This what might be called a "high concept" series in Hollywood lingo. A mysterious man in black shows up and gives you proof that a particular person has wronged you badly in the past, an untraceable gun, 100 bullets, and license to kill that person. What do you do? The answer isn't as simple as one might suspect, as the first two stories demonstrate. In the first one, we meet Dizzy, a Latina gangster just released from jail and bitter from the death of her man and her son in a drive-by shooting. Back on the streets of Chicago after a few years served, she's sad and seeking to live a straight life. But of course, you can't leave the gangster world behind that easily, and her brother's rise to prominence as a local gang-banger sucks her back in. It also doesn't help that the two cops the man in black fingered as having done the drive-by are in her face, giving her a lot of static. The art is pretty nifty stuff, perfect for the genre, with a great muted wash to the colors. The only lame part is that the women are all comic-booky, with huge breasts and bared midriffs -- pretty cheesy. The dialogue never really rings true, as all the "we got bidness", "knowhumsayin'" and "I ain't playin'" sounds more like something lifted from some tired film than it does real life. The characters are the familiar gangster hoodlums types and none are given any interesting nuances, nor does the story get interesting until the last few panels, which leave the door open for Dizzy to reappear later on in the series.

The second storyline is somewhat stronger, as we meet down and out Los Angeles bartender Lee Dolan. The man in black shows up and offers him the chance to get even with the woman who set him up on kiddie porn charges. It's a more far-fetched scenario, but somehow manages to work in a hard-boiled pulp way, as does Lee's character, a loner whose only conversations are with a stripper. Once again, the art is very assured and good, aside from an overabundance of bursting cleavage. The characterization is a little bit stronger, and the storyline just works a little better. There are some oddities here and there, such as the a strange murder and gun battle that takes place behind the characters at one point. A helicopter is blown out of the sky right next to them, but it's not clear why, nor is it clear why they don't notice. This is all perhaps a setup for another story somewhere else in the series, but interrupts the flow of Lee's story. These two stories collect the first five issues of the comic, and an eight-page story from an anthology rounds things off. The lighter side of the man in black's operation is shown in this, as a little old lady comes in to confess her murder, only to be turned away by the cops, who assume she's batty. Overall, it's not pitch perfect, but it definitely established a nice mood and I'm curious to read on to see what the larger motives of the man in black are.

I missed out on the initial release for 100 Bullets, but I'm glad that I've taken up this first volume (First Shot, Last Call) and rectified that problem. Brian Azzarrello's 100 Bullets continues the long line of excellent mature comic titles from DC Comic's Vertigo line. Azzarrello's hardboiled, crime-thriller noir series brings to mind classic detective-noir works by Hammett, Spillane and Chandler. It's a more complex continuation of the hyper-noir series Frank Miller began with his Sin City series. I've heard people say that this series is better than Sin City and to some respect it is. The stories in each issue contained in this first volume (issues 1 through 5) are abit more complex in nature and execution. The five stories in this collected volume also laid the basic groundwork for what'll turn out to be one long-running series. But where Sin City's simplicity in its storytelling and artwork lay its strenght, it is in the complexities in the tales and the detailed, but economical artwork that 100 Bullets works best.

In First Shot, Last Call we're introduced to the gamemaster of the tale: Agent Graves. Looking like an ever-present government agent who has seen all that life has thrown at him and ready for more, Agent Graves picks a recently paroled Latino lass by the name of Dizzy Cordova with a proposition. He offers Dizzy an attache case with a gun and 100 bullets that're untraceable and definite proof that certain individuals caused her heartache and grief that's ruined her life. He only offers her the attache case, its content and the proof within. The choice is Dizzy's to make on what she should do with what's offered her. This set-up and premise is the beauty of 100 Bullets. The story's basically a morality tale of choices to be made by the characters. Will they use the offer to exact vengeance and get away with it scott-free, or will they refuse the offer and live on with their life. The hoice of revenge really doesn't bring back lost time and loved ones and only feeds the need for retribution. Agent Graves doesn't really force Dizzy's hand, but a supporting character knowledgable of the offer does, for his own agenda not yet known, prod, push and guide her to picking the more primal choice. Dizzy's choice in the end was both understandable and in the end inevitable.

The second story arc deals with Lee DOlan who also has had his life turned upside-down by people unknown to him. His life and family taken away by the stink of a child pornography accusation in the past. Agent Graves makes him the same offer of the attache case and its untraceable 100 bullets. Dolan's reaction to this offer is different from that of Dizzy's, but in the end his ultimate choice doesn't give him the same resolution and new life path that Dizzy made. It's a tribute to Azzarrello's great writing that the decision both Dizzy Cordova and Lee Dolan made were understandable when taken into context of their personalities and yearning to fix the problem that led them to their current state in their lives.

To complement Azzarrello's words perfectly were Eduardo Risso's artwork. It would be a misnomer to say that Risso's art style was minimalist like those of Frank Miller's woodcut-engraving style for Sin City or Mike Mignola's chiasroscuro-style for his Hellboy series. There's a sense of the minimalism in Risso's work, but he also adds in detail to his panels that give it a more cinematic look to it. The scenes were always drawn with a mind for action even when it's just people standing around. Risso has quite the filmmaker's eye in how he's drawn 100 Bullets which just adds to its noirish feel. The characters and environment were drawn not to scale and real-world proportion, but just enough not to look cartoonish. I would agree that there's an abundance for cleavage on the women drawn, but Risso doesn't do it gratuitously. Instead he uses this detail to showcase the sexuality of the strong female characters. It paints the female characters like Dizzy Cordova and Megan Dietrich with a sense of both strength and sensuality without pandering to the teenage boy demographic. Plus, he gives these ladies their own personality and character with how he draws them. Dizzy truly has the Latina sensual curves while Megan has the icy-cold Aryan beauty that serves her well.

100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call was a great discovery and a wonderful beginning to a very mature, intelligent and hardhitting comic series. Congratulations must got to its creator Brian Azzarrello for writing such great characters and memorable stories. I can't forget the work of his artist and partner-in-crime, Eduardo Risso. Risso's artwork has stamped themselves in my mind as the only way to see 100 Bullets in. Both Azzarrello and Risso complement each other well and I hope both continue to work with each other in this series for however long they decide to let it run. 100 Bullets is a great addition to the excellent line of comic titles that's been released by Vertigo. I see only great things to come from this duo.

If you could get away with murder -- would you have the balls to do it? That's the question that the often brilliant 100 BULLETS asks -- and its answers may surprise you.

The first collection of the DC Comics/Vertigo series 100 BULLETS, written by Brian Azzarello and drawn by Eduardo Risso, is a truly stunning read. Azzarello and Risso, who first worked together on another DC/Vertigo comic, JOHNNY DOUBLE, have created an utterly original work in this ongoing series, and it's a work worth taking note of.

Azzarello's talents are manifold, but perhaps his most remarkable skill is his flair for utterly realistic dialogue -- when you open 100 BULLETS, you'll swear that you'd been transported to wherever it is the action is set, be it a Hispanic barrio(as is the case in the first, three-issue story)or a ratty old bar (as is the case in the second, two-issue story). Every word spoken is absolutely perfect -- and, better yet, there's no unecessary or overly expository dialogue -- every word on the page fits and if it doesn't always explain everything, well, that's part of the grand design.

Of course, Azzarello's skills aren't limited merely to dialogue; he's able to create a handful of truly fascinating characters in just a few pages -- from the mysterious and sinister Mr. Graves to the downtrodden and betrayed Dizzy to the framed and broken bartender man in the second story to the cool and mesmerizingly evil mainipulative woman in that story. And while both of the stories stand very well on their own, there are also hints of an overacring plot in the background, too.

I mustn't forget to praise the astonishing work of Risso, though. The book's amazing immersive qualities are due in no small part to his artwork, which captures everything from a dirty, dismal, gang-infested neighborhood to a corporate office with style to burn and loads of substance. His darkness-tinged artwork also adds substantially to the gritty, realistic feel of the comic. And, finally, Risso's art wouldn't look half as good as it does without Grant Goleash's stunning colors, which bring his pencil-and-ink artwork to stunning life.

This specific collection of 100 BULLETS (FIRST SHOT, LAST CALL, collecting the first five issues of the ongoing series and a short story from the Vertigo WINTER'S EDGE III anthology) also features Dave Johnson's stylish, angular cover artwork, an insightful introduction by comics legend Jim Steranko, and a back cover loaded with glowing praise from fellow comic writers. Don't be a fool and miss out on this brilliant series while it's still young -- this is one comic that never misses its mark.

Dizzy Cordova is a gangster serving time in prison. While shes locked up, her husband and infant son are killed in what is believed to be a vicious drive-by shooting, something that is typical in the neighborhood where the lived. After seven years, Dizzy is paroled and takes a bus home. Only she knows shes not going home for real because no one is there who really misses her. While on the bus, a man meets her and introduces himself as Agent Graves. He doesnt mention what hes an agent of. Only a few brief moments pass, then Graves mentions that what happened to Dizzys husband and son was terrible. He goes on to say that their murderers are still out there, and that theyre two crooked detectives. Dizzy cant believe what the old man says. Then, without batting an eye, Graves gives her a briefcase with a semi-automatic and what he promises are 100 rounds of untraceable ammunition. He tells her that she can have vengeance if she wants, and that no one will arrest her for shooting the men that killed her family because the bullets will keep her out of the hands of the law. Dizzy doesnt believe Graves for a minute, but she cant figure his angle. Later, at home, Dizzy finds that the old neighborhood is exactly the same except that everything has changed. She follows her brother and sees the hot car ring that hes part of. And the two detectives Graves said murdered her husband and her infant son arrest her. Caught with the pistol on her, Dizzy knows shes headed right back to prison for violating her parole. Only when the detectives run the pistol and the bullets, they find that they have to let her go. Dizzy cant believe this, and her brain starts working frantically. If Graves was right about the pistol and the bullets, what else was Graves right about? The answers surprise Dizzy as much as they put her in danger, and her life will change again because of violence and betrayal. Dizzys tale takes up the first three stories in the graphic novel. The last two stories in the volume belong to Lee Dolan, a down-and-out bartender in a dive. Lee was once a rising and promising restaurant owner. Then one day, kiddie porn was mysteriously found on his computer and the police were notified. During his stay in prison, unable to prove his innocence, Lee loses everything: his wife, his kids, the restaurant, and any hope for a future. That all changes the day a man who identifies himself as Agent Graves walks into the bar. Graves says he knows who set Lee up, and he leaves Lee with a briefcase containing a pistol and 100 rounds of untraceable ammunitionand a chance for revenge.

Brian Azzarello is an award-winning comics writer. Besides creating and writing 100 BULLETS, Azzarello has also done scripting chores on HELLBLAZER, STARTLING STORIES: BANNER, SPIDER-MAN, GANGLAND, CAGE, BATMAN, DEATHBLOW and JONNY DOUBLE. Eduardo Risso, listed as the co-creator of 100 BULLETS, has done work on the ALIENS property, BATMAN, TRANSMETROPOLITAN, WEIRD WESTERNTALES, and short pieces in several comics.

100 BULLETS: FIRST SHOT, LAST CALL is an excellent addition to the crime noir field. Azzarello has a real feel for characters that are bent, twisted, and banged up from having hard lives and bad experiences. No one in the books seems to be truly evil, just as no one seems to be truly good. Dizzy Cordova is a heroine, but shes also flawed, having to make her way back from the darkness she once embraced and thought was normal in her life. Lee Dolan is also a sympathetic loser figure. Lee had it all, but as his story reveals, he also had a jones for sex and hookers that was either lurking within him or playing itself out on the computer searching for porn sites. The mean streets and the harsh cities that Azzarello plays his stories out against ring as true organisms. His language is of the street, of the poorly educated, a shortsighted, and yet street-smart individuals who are predators and the prey, and quite often turn out to be both. Combined with Rissos artwork, the graphic novel appears real, like opening a book to a street scene in the seamier side of the city where no one goes after dark. Risso makes the characters unique, just as he makes his city part of the atmosphere of the tension and the action of the story. The mix of the two character-driven stories in this opening opus of what so far has turned out to be four graphic novels is a great choice. Dizzy and Lee are characters that, though flawed and never what a reader will want to be, somehow reach past the barriers of social restraint and make the audience want to take them under their wing at least for the duration of the stories. The stories dont end happily. Thats purely for fairy tales. But the stories do end right, probably the only true way they could end and be faithful to the world, the character, and the situations Dizzy and Lee find themselves in.

The graphic novel is enthusiastically recommended to any fan of noir crime stories, whether in novels, movies or comics, whether of the 1950s or of todays world. 100 BULLETS: FIRST SHOT, LAST CALL is also recommended for people who have never read comics, or havent read them since they were for kids. This collection isnt meant for kids; they are for the comic-reading adult audience that can appreciate really graphic tales of blood, violence, and heart laced with guilt, fear, and adrenaline.

Brian Azzarello, 100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call (Vertigo, 2000)

Brian Azzarellos' new series 100 Bullets starts with First Shot, Last Call, which introduces the world to the mysterious Agent Graves, a man who goes around offering a gun and one hundred untraceable bullets to people who have been wronged and posing the question: if you could get away with murder, would you?

As a result, so far, the only character going between stories is Graves (though both the end of the first story and the very end of the book seem to say that such will not always be the case); this is not necessarily a bad thing, because some of the characters who form the meat of each story are apt to get on your nerves. The dialogue, especially, is apt to get a touch cheesy at times. But usually not for more than a couple of panels at a time. Besides, 100 Bullets is not about dialogue. Like all good noir, it's about soul-searching combined with relentless, ugly action. And there is more than enough of both to go around here.

A fine beginning to the series. *** ½

The premise of a gun that can never be traced and a crime that has ruined a person's life is very interesting. So what will that person do once they have the gun and the information on the criminal? The two main stories in this first volume have very different outcomes but they are both filled with the question of revenge. How far can you take it? Do you trust in the goodness of people? If someone has destroyed your life, do they dserve mercy or only death?

These are interesting questions raised by this series. I'm not sure if they are answered in future volumes, but this one seems a little too eager to throw stereotypes at us. The loser bartender, the femme fatale, the Hispanic gang banger with delusions of Don Corleone. The storylines are also a little cliche. The man with the gun gives it to the person affected and that person goes through some consternation before finding out exactly what happened. I'm not too sure about these confessional moments. They seem a little pat. Sure, who wants to go on just the evidence presented by the guy with the gun, but the way the evidence is confirmed seems a little too easy.

I like the premise. This book is an interesting start but there is so much more potential than what is offered in this particular volume.

This is volume 1 of the fine noir series that is 100 bullets. This volume collects the first five issues of this ground breaking crime series by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, it also includes the winter's edge 3 short story. We get introduced to the mysterious agent Graves, who worked for a secret crime orginization called the trust, we also meet dizzy cardova who just comes out of prison, she feels that she caused the death of her husband and child. In this volume you'll expect to meet characters who play a major role in the series. Overall this title is worth checking out, but the series gets better with each volume that follows, still this is a great debut for the ongoing series that will come to a coclusion at issue 100.

When I first read 100 bullets I thought it was one of the most original concepts that I ever read. There are two stories here where the first gives you the feel of the premise and the next story leans in to grab your total attention. It's great for reading something in a half-hour sit in. Risso's art is always up to par and Azzarello's crime noir scripts are nothing short amazing. They're a dream team and this is a great start for better things to come. Highly recommended to all especially for true believers that could use a little fix of crime noir at it's finest....

Not the earth shattering comic that I was expecting. While the art was good and the premise is interesting, there were parts of each of the stories that just didn't fly. Don't know that I will pay to read what follows.