Customer Reviews

100 Bullets Vol. 3: Hang Up on the Hang Low

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This third TPB collects issues #15-#19 of the acclaimed Brian Azzarello/Eduardo Risso crime series. This is the longest story arc thus far in the series, focusing on a young man and his estranged father. The story opens at a murder scene on the streets of North Philadelphia, where Agent Graves reveals himself to the young man and offers him the famed attache and information on his father's whereabouts. Carlo and Daphne (the thug and cafe waitress couple from issue #8) visit from Miami as connections to the previous issues continue to appear. Fans of the first two volumes will almost certainly enjoy this one as well. I especially appreciated the references to Philadelphia throughout all five issues and the trip to see the Phillies game.

100 Bullets: Hang up on the Hang Low (Issues 15-19)
By Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso
Review by Patrick Meaney

Hang up on the Hang Low takes 100 Bullets in a new direction, using the basic premise as only a setup, and spending most of its time on the relationship between a father and son. This TPB does not do much to expand the mythology of the book's world, but it tells a strong standalone story.

The main relationship in this story arc is between Loop and his "Pops." Loop's father had left him before he was born, and, thanks to Agent Graves, Loop gets a chance to find out what his father is like. Their relationship is the core of the story, its essential to the arc that it works. Azzarello once again demonstrates his incredible skill in creating characters. Loop is well defined, and his relationship with his father is developed well. It seems legitimate, and realistic considering they don't know each other very well.

Once the relationship is set up, Azzarello destroys it. The second half of the arc is extremely well done, with Loop's rage coming through. What could have been a simple tale of revenge becomes an emotional journey, that is fulfilling when it comes to its conclusion.

The final issue ties a lot of things together. Lono returns, seeking vengeance on Loop's cousin, who assaulted him in Miami, back in Split Second Chance. What was a confusing background subplot comes to the foreground here, and nicely ties everything together, connecting Loop's story to the larger plot. One of Azzarello's greatest skills is his ability to turn silent background plots into major events in later issues. New readers aren't left out of anything, and long time readers get an added bonus.

Overall, this collection doesn't add too much to the overall story, but it's a great standalone. However, Hang Up doesn't reach the heights of the second book. There's nothing really wrong, but the ghetto story has been done before in the book, and it lacks the potent originality of some previous stories. It's still a great collection, and a thrilling read.

8 out of 10

This third TPB collects issues #15-#19 of the acclaimed Brian Azzarello/Eduardo Risso crime series. The art was great this one of the greast crime series ever.

This is a fairly compelling story about a father and son coming to terms with each other as the son, a nasty little gangbanger, is given the titular gun and his father's file and learns that his father is an old gangster who is part of the mafia. THe fact that both father and son are gansters gives this some resonance as well as the feeling that they are both ultimately doomed. The storyline in which the father tries to impart some lessons to his son as long as he's going to be in the life is pretty cool as the father is probably the least qualified to impart any lessons.

When the violence begins it doesn't end. While I can respect a book for showing violence as ugly and non-glamorous, the actual violence is too casual to really be believed. One wonders how these guys could have survived so long as criminals when they keep pulling out guns to start shooting whenever anything goes south.

By the end, agent Graves has basically messed with everyone's head in a mystery that I'm sure Azzarello teased out throughout the series and all that was gained by the characters is lost.

If you were given a gun and 100 bullets that were completely untraceable, would you use them? What if the man that gave them to you told you that anything you do with them would be completely above the law? Even if you were caught in the act, the Police would just let you go....

This is the premise behind 100 Bullets. Agent Graves gives people a chance for revenge against someone who did them wrong......but what's in it for him...?

Hang Up On The Hang Low is the story of "Loop" Hughes; graves gives him the chance to kill his father, who abandoned him as a child. Loop is soon caught up in his estranged Father's criminal lifestyle, and the Father and Son duo soon run afoul of the Mafia.....and the question lingers: Why does Mr. Graves want Loop's Dad dead?

The story of Loop and his Dad is a compelling one, but it's dragged down by the fact that Author Azarello tells us NOTHING about Graves and his motives. His backstory STILL hasn't been made clear, and the Epilogue relies heavily on knowledge you'd gain from reading the previous issues of the book, or the other trade paperbacks. I read them, but can't remember every little detail. The book needs to be more new-reader friendly. I'll keep reading though- I want to know what the story is with Graves....