Graphic Novel Review: 100 BULLETS, VOLUME ONE

100 BULLETS, VOLUME ONE: FIRST SHOT, LAST CALL graphic novel by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (DC Comics/Vertigo, February 1, 2000) 128 pages, trade paperback. ISBN #  9781563896453 

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

In this dark and intriguing trade paperback, the mysterious Agent Graves approaches ordinary citizens and gives them an opportunity to exact revenge on a person that has wronged them. Offering his clients an attaché case containing proof of the deed and a gun, he guarantees his "clients" full immunity for all of their actions, including murder. In these opening chapters, Dizzy Cordova, a Latina gangbanger who has just finished a prison sentence, is given the chance to avenge her family's murders, and a downtrodden bartender receives the opportunity to exact revenge against the woman that ruined his life.

Collecting 100 BULLETS #1-5

My Four-And-One-Half Star Review . . . . .

I just began reading this for the third time. I read the individual debut Issue #1 when it was first released almost 25 years ago, was impressed, but bookmarked the remaining issues for a future purchase (time and budget reasons). Then, I bought the first trade paperback in 2002 after receiving a strong recommendation from a comics friend. I was sufficiently impressed to pre-order the remaining volumes and stockpile them for a future read. Now, I'm finally getting around to that. 

I've only read the first three-issue story arc so far, but if this continues I'll rank it among my all-time favorite crime comics, on the same lofty plateau as Ed Brubaker's CRIMINAL (and other series by him) as well as THAT TEXAS BLOOD series by Chris Condon. 

The premise lends itself to a multitude of possibilities and storylines. Azzarello's dialogue is street-smart (although some of the slang terms are a little outdated) and the scenes are gritty and vivid. Risso's art is marvelous to view - - facial expressions, use of shading, images caught in mirrors and shadows, use of single hue silhouettes - -fantastic!

The opening story of "Dizzy" is grim and depressing. Even though she's not a model person, it's easy to feel empathy for her situation. The story was full of surprises and twists. Mr. Graves and Mr. Shepherd are mysterious. Why do they know so much about these characters? Why do they expect them to always take the suitcase and complete the mission? Are they God's messengers, or angels? I've been told this series gets even better as it moves forward. This was a near-Five Star read for me, so I can't wait to see where this goes.

The second story, "Shot, Water Back" is even grimmer than Dizzy's story, in a sleazy way. I did not expect the ending which provided quite a twist. There is someone else who knows about the presence of Mr. Graves in these incidents. The plot thickens. 

The first trade paperback wraps up with a short story from the VERTIGO:WINTER'S EDGE anthology where an older woman walks into the police precinct and confesses to an unsolved murder from years before. You guessed it, she was given the gun with untraceable bullets by Mr. Graves. A future storyline may be foreshadowed in the conclusion of this. 

So far, why these random individuals are visited by Mr. Graves is not completely clear. What they all have in common is that they have been wronged by another or others in one way or another. (Murder, planted evidence against them, slumlord negligence, etc). 

An amazing beginning. I'm looking forward to more surprises. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS, but I may be raising that to FIVE STARS before I finish this series.  Fantastic covers o on the single issues by Dave Johnson.