Filthy Rich (Vertigo Crime) [Hardcover]

Brian Azzarello (Author), Victor Santos (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: August 25, 2009 | Series: Vertigo Crime

Richard "JUNK" Junkin has always lived on the edge of trouble. A former professional football star who's career was cut short by injury (and gambling problems), he now finds himself selling cars in New Jersey, dreaming of what-might-have-been and lusting after his boss's unbelievably spoiled, unbelievably sexy and unbelievably rich daughter, Victoria.

So when the boss asks him to be her personal bodyguard as she tears up the New York City club scene, he leaps at the chance. But before long Junk becomes more of a lapdog than a chaperone, doing all of Victoria's dirty work...up to, and including, murder.

This is the story of FILTHY RICH--the story of a disgraced man with a chip on his shoulder whose best years are behind him, dropped in the middle of a group of over-privileged rich girls ruthlessly competing with each other. For the love of a filthy rich girl (that he knows in his heart won't redeem him), he'll do whatever it takes because he just can't resist the hell of a ride she takes him on...in the fast lane. Without any brakes.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up–Richard Junkin is a former pro-football player turned used-car salesman after blowing out his knee during a key play. Unfortunately, he is too honest to be a good salesman and consistently loses customers. His boss offers him a new opportunity: to be his daughter's personal bodyguard. Caring only for the New York club scene and making headlines to embarrass her father, Victoria doesn't make Junk's new job easy. It doesn't take him long to fall hard for her, and she takes full advantage of his good nature. The story takes a dark turn when Junk catches a man attempting to rape Victoria and kills him. The two get ensnared in a delicate web of violence and intrigue as they try to keep the murder a secret. Azzarello has created an authentic noir world in which the characters are not only out for themselves, but also out to get everyone else. Santos's black-and-white artwork mixes a simplified but realistic look with the heavy shadows reminiscent of Frank Miller's work, creating a gritty, dangerous feel throughout. Fans of hard-edged crime fiction along the lines of George Pelecanos and Joseph Finder will find the territory familiar but still thrilling as Junk learns that the only way he can survive in this heartless world is by becoming more cutthroat and manipulative than anyone else. Violence, drug and alcohol use, and graphic portrayal of sexual situations make this a title for mature readers.–Matthew L. Moffett, Pohick Regional Library, Burke, VA
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Review

"Absolutely haunting...you will be blown away." - Ain't It Cool News (on Joker) "Terrific and disturbing." - The Village Voice (on Joker) "An ink-dark crime series about consequence-free revenge." - New York Times Style Magazine (on 100 Bullets) "100 Bullets delivers a barrage of non-stop thrills." - counterculture.co.uk" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo; First Edition edition (August 25, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401211844
• ISBN-13: 978-1401211844
• Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5.8 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #949,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian Azzarello has achieved both huge sales and acclaim with his comic 100 Bullets, and has also recently completed a run on Hellblazer, and Marvel's Cage. Lee Bermejo is the illustrator of Superman/Gen 13, and has contributed pin-ups to 100 Bullets and WildC.A.T.S.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the scenery. January 27, 2010

By Robert P. Beveridge HALL OF FAMEVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Brian Azzarello, Filthy Rich (Vertigo Crime, 2009)

Brian Azzarello is one of the new kings of noir, and as such, any release of his should be hailed. And as a Brian Azzarello title, Filthy Rich, the first stand-alone piece of his I've read, is deserving of all the usual praise. Not so, unfortunately, the Victor Santos art with which the story was paired. I get what Santos was trying to do here--noir is a genre that feeds on murk--but too many of Santos' characters are a little too abstract, resulting in a number of them looking alike. This gets confusing in crucial scenes. (Amusingly, I was put in mind of certain shojo titles, most notably Fruits Basket, more than once because of this. As a codicil, Fruits Basket would have been so much better with ruined football players, guns, and rich heiresses.) Eduardo Risso, working with Azzarello, showed decisively that noir can be done with distinctive characters in 100 Bullets; someone forgot to give Santos the memo. ***

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Filthy noir September 24, 2009

By N. Durham HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

You like noir? Then you'll like Filthy Rich, part of a new line of hardcover crime/mystery graphic novels from Vertigo. Written by celebrated 100 Bullets creator Brian Azzarello, Filthy Rich finds ex-football star turned car salesman Junk recruited by his boss to oversee his socialite party animal daughter Vicki, and she sure enough has some big plans for Junk. Azzarello weaves an intriguing story to be sure, twisty enough to hold your interest. The black and white artwork from Victor Santos is very reminiscent of Frank Miller's Sin City work, so much so that some panels almost appear like they're outtakes from one those books. All in all, Filthy Rich is a quick and fun read that is definitely worth your time if noir tales are your thing.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Ill-fated attraction August 25, 2009

By Jon Repesh

Format:Hardcover

With this second installment in the new Vertigo crime series, confusion and apprehension are indeed key elements, but not in the stimulating manner one might expect. This of course is nothing new to crime dramas. Just try deciphering The Big Sleep. With movies though, it's normally a case of sloppy editing, graphic novels cannot use that defense. For a purported crime suspense tale, the first half of the book is basically devoid of either, instead comprised predominately of obviously essential but overly excessive characterization, with only minor plot setup occurring with nary a twist or turn to be found. The pages however are still turning rapidly, but not in anxious anticipation of exhilarating events, but impatient exasperation over a paucity of events. We are introduced to the main protagonist, a regular stand up guy with past aspirations of playing pro football until an undisclosed scandal and devastating knee injury prematurely ended that dream. His personality is a case of paradoxical extremes, at times an affable, secure ladies man, at others a bitter, insecure professional man, making him difficult to empathize with despite his former hardships, many of which were brought on by himself. Unbeknownst at the time, buried deep inside is a bubbling cauldron waiting to explode, when along sashays the fateful spark, a sexy and seductive woman who happens to be the boss's daughter. By the time the story's first dramatic plot development transpires, it comes out of nowhere and makes little sense, leaving the reader slightly dumbfounded with only more contradiction to come. From that point on, the lead characters change personalities and motivations more often than Harvey Dent, ultimately leading to a perplexing finale inspiring comparisons to the turbulent and ambiguous ending to Taxi Driver, right down to the very last panel. Brian Azzarello's writing is solid as usual, although considering the subject matter it lacks his normally nuanced crime patois. It doesn't really fit the noir genre, with the only correlation being bits of internal monologue reminiscent of voice over narrations from older movies. Azzarello's reputation has been firmly established in this area, due to his lengthy 100 Bullets run and his superb Batnoir tale Broken City. After the underachieving Dark Entries, this unexceptional followup is regretfully not the auspicious start that Vertigo had in mind when they launched this highly anticipated series.