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100 Bullets, Vol. 1 #1-100 (1999-2009) #1
100 Bullets, Vol. 1: First Shot, Last Call
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
Collecting 100 BULLETS #1-5
128 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1999
166 people are currently reading
10199 people want to read
About the author
Brian Azzarello
1,289 books1,103 followersBrian Azzarello (born in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo. He and Argentine artist Eduardo Risso, with whom Azzarello first worked on Jonny Double, won the 2001 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story for 100 Bullets #15–18: "Hang Up on the Hang Low".
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 515 reviews
October 28, 2022
In plain sight or under darkness Agent Graves offers people the chance of revenge against the person who has wronged them, giving them the means and full immunity, even if the revenge results in murder! Latina gangster Isabel Dizzy Cordova just out of prison is given an opportunity, as is out-of-luck bartender Lee Dolan. What will they decide? Welcome to 100 bullets, an uncompromising look at urban decay and the compelling mystery that is Agent Graves! 8.5 out of 12.
2017 read; 2011 read
2017 read; 2011 read
April 20, 2018
Psst. Hey, Bunky! Yeah, you. I hear you’re in the market for a little revenge. What if I were to give you an untraceable gun and 100 shiny untraceable bullets? Just point it at the object of your ire and shoot. No punishment. No worries. Bang, bang and revenge is a dish best served fricassee, and nothing will be traced back to you. Capiche? Sounds too good to be true? Well…
This is square one for the acclaimed Azarello/Risso pulpy, morality tale. More episodic than what it later evolved into, this collection, originally published by Vertigo, a DC imprint, still packs a mean punch almost 30 years later.
Isabelle “Dizzy” Cordova has just gotten out of prison…
…her punishment weighs heavily on her, but not as heavy as the murder of her husband and son, enter Agent Graves with an offer…
She gets the opportunity to kill the policeman who killed her family with the above mentioned gun and bullets…
…but the decision and consequences aren’t so cut and dried.
The second episode reveals a bigger picture - that the over-arching story has more layers than just pointing and shooting – something the first few issues barely hinted at. It also proves that a story doesn’t end with taking revenge or choosing not to, sometimes that's only the beginning.
Bottom line : Graphic, gritty, profane and gut-wrenching, this is a must-read for anyone who thinks graphic novels are more than simply capes and cowls. Azarello has a knack for juggling multiple story lines and dark humor and his ear for dialogue and dialect is peerless. Risso provides a nice balance of violence and gore and stylized artwork.
This is square one for the acclaimed Azarello/Risso pulpy, morality tale. More episodic than what it later evolved into, this collection, originally published by Vertigo, a DC imprint, still packs a mean punch almost 30 years later.
Isabelle “Dizzy” Cordova has just gotten out of prison…
…her punishment weighs heavily on her, but not as heavy as the murder of her husband and son, enter Agent Graves with an offer…
She gets the opportunity to kill the policeman who killed her family with the above mentioned gun and bullets…
…but the decision and consequences aren’t so cut and dried.
The second episode reveals a bigger picture - that the over-arching story has more layers than just pointing and shooting – something the first few issues barely hinted at. It also proves that a story doesn’t end with taking revenge or choosing not to, sometimes that's only the beginning.
Bottom line : Graphic, gritty, profane and gut-wrenching, this is a must-read for anyone who thinks graphic novels are more than simply capes and cowls. Azarello has a knack for juggling multiple story lines and dark humor and his ear for dialogue and dialect is peerless. Risso provides a nice balance of violence and gore and stylized artwork.
December 15, 2023
I reread this because a student wanted our graphic novels/comics class to read it this term. I looked back at my original, admittedly quick and dismissive assessment of it where I thought it was an okay idea, and the execution of it more than competent, but I hadn't really cared. This was October 2012. So for his sake I reread it, September 2014, and more slowly, respecting his love of the series, and I felt pretty much the same way about it, but again, for his sake, will read on this time, as he suggests that I need to read 3-4 volumes before it hits its stride. iknow this is often the case, that you have to get a little deeper into any story.
The series premise is that some guy comes to people who have been wronged with a briefcase containing proof that they know the guy who done them wrong, and a gun, and 100 untraceable bullets, and assurance they will never be prosecuted. A revenge fantasy. And it's true, in volume 1 there are some surprises in how it all works out, and the art pays some tribute to Miller's Sin City, with big beefy boys and big busty broads, bold splashy artwork by Eduardo Risso.
The series premise is that some guy comes to people who have been wronged with a briefcase containing proof that they know the guy who done them wrong, and a gun, and 100 untraceable bullets, and assurance they will never be prosecuted. A revenge fantasy. And it's true, in volume 1 there are some surprises in how it all works out, and the art pays some tribute to Miller's Sin City, with big beefy boys and big busty broads, bold splashy artwork by Eduardo Risso.
December 8, 2022
What if someone completely screwed up your life irrevocably and someone came up to you and said here's an untraceable gun with a 100 bullets and irrefutable evidence that so and so is the culprit. Would you take revenge? That's the elevator pitch to the series. This first volume doesn't really expand on the premise more than that, although the series as a whole does get into the much larger picture of what's going on during it's 100 issue run. I read this years ago and decided to revisit it when this showed up on Hoopla as a Bonus Borrow.
The first arc features 2 stories. The first is about Dizzy. She's just out of prison when an Agent Graves appears and tells her 2 dirty cops were the actual people who murdered her husband and kid while she was in prison. Is this guy legit? Is this really what happened? That's what Dizzy has to determine. Then a bartender whose life was ruined by some malware on his computer gets a similar visit. Then the woman who did it to him walks into his shitty bar. Two similar stories with very different outcomes.
I still really dug this series on a reread. It's some hard-boiled noir. Risso's art is terrific. He's a master at using shadows to bring out dark and grimy settings. His oft-kilter framing does wonders to his art as well. His art is certainly eclectic but it always works for me. If you've even wondered if comic books can be more than superheroes and for adults, this is a great place to start.
The first arc features 2 stories. The first is about Dizzy. She's just out of prison when an Agent Graves appears and tells her 2 dirty cops were the actual people who murdered her husband and kid while she was in prison. Is this guy legit? Is this really what happened? That's what Dizzy has to determine. Then a bartender whose life was ruined by some malware on his computer gets a similar visit. Then the woman who did it to him walks into his shitty bar. Two similar stories with very different outcomes.
I still really dug this series on a reread. It's some hard-boiled noir. Risso's art is terrific. He's a master at using shadows to bring out dark and grimy settings. His oft-kilter framing does wonders to his art as well. His art is certainly eclectic but it always works for me. If you've even wondered if comic books can be more than superheroes and for adults, this is a great place to start.
January 6, 2022
Whoa!
This started fairly slowly, like a boxer testing distances with a jab, but then it hit me with a straight left and I didn’t even see the right hook coming in!
Writer Brian Azzarello and artist Edward Risso collaborate to bring us a very smooth noir crime story with several twists.
Agent Graves (I have a new nickname) visits Dizzy shortly after she is released from prison. While incarcerated her husband and baby were gunned down in a drive by shooting. Graves tells her the official story was wrong and he knows who really killed her family. Then he provides her with a handgun and 100 bullets that he says are untraceable and she has immunity to act as she will.
We follow Dizzy’s story to the end, learning along the way that maybe Graves has some strangely high connections. When we are then introduced to a second recipient of Graves’ assistance, we’re thinking OK, cool, each person will be given the opportunity for revenge, if they choose.
But Azzarello has a vicious right hook and can throw combinations and we are given a VERY interesting twist.
Let’s just say this is cool, cool, cool.
Recommended and I’ll be reading more of this series. The Vertigo single issues went 100 books, from 1999 to 2009, and these graphic novels collect them all.
This started fairly slowly, like a boxer testing distances with a jab, but then it hit me with a straight left and I didn’t even see the right hook coming in!
Writer Brian Azzarello and artist Edward Risso collaborate to bring us a very smooth noir crime story with several twists.
Agent Graves (I have a new nickname) visits Dizzy shortly after she is released from prison. While incarcerated her husband and baby were gunned down in a drive by shooting. Graves tells her the official story was wrong and he knows who really killed her family. Then he provides her with a handgun and 100 bullets that he says are untraceable and she has immunity to act as she will.
We follow Dizzy’s story to the end, learning along the way that maybe Graves has some strangely high connections. When we are then introduced to a second recipient of Graves’ assistance, we’re thinking OK, cool, each person will be given the opportunity for revenge, if they choose.
But Azzarello has a vicious right hook and can throw combinations and we are given a VERY interesting twist.
Let’s just say this is cool, cool, cool.
Recommended and I’ll be reading more of this series. The Vertigo single issues went 100 books, from 1999 to 2009, and these graphic novels collect them all.
February 13, 2019
A paroled ex-convict, mourning the violent murder of her family. A promising restaurateur, with a life destroyed by a false allegation. The mysterious 'Agent Graves' offers them an untraceable handgun and ammunition to seek revenge with guaranteed immunity. Will they accept his unusual offer?
This felt like Quentin Tarantino adapted an O. Henry story for a Twilight Zone episode. It had a certain amount of gritty and downbeat noir style, but the subject matter was also distasteful.
This felt like Quentin Tarantino adapted an O. Henry story for a Twilight Zone episode. It had a certain amount of gritty and downbeat noir style, but the subject matter was also distasteful.
February 19, 2014
If you were offered the chance to the kill the person who murdered your family or destroyed your life, and get away with it no questions asked: would you do it? That’s the offer Agent Graves, a mysterious man with an untraceable gun and 100 bullets, presents to Dizzy, a recently released Latina former gangbanger whose husband and baby were gunned down by corrupt cops, and Lee, a bartender whose happily married and prosperous life was destroyed by false paedophilia allegations.
Brian Azzarello’s morality story plays out convincingly and not entirely predictably. There is the usual “is this for real?” doubt going back and forth in the story over the odd situation Graves presents her with and, while Dizzy did do what I knew she was going to by the end of her arc, there was a surprise element thrown in that I didn’t see coming. Similarly with Lee’s storyline, you expect it to go one way and then it goes a different way and then ends in another way.
I don’t know anyone whose life is like Dizzy’s so can’t speak to the authenticity of the dialogue and values – it often felt a lot like parts of The Wire – but it didn’t seem fake. The conversation amongst the Latina characters given their socio-economic backgrounds seemed realistic.
Eduardo Risso’s art is as perfect as ever. There’s great use of shadows to accentuate characters’ entrances, the pages are imaginative with traditional panelling thrown out in favour of more dynamic layouts with backgrounds from one scene bleeding into another. The character designs are cartoonish and angular at times but in a way that’s visually appealing, eye-catching and memorable.
So why aren’t I raving about this book? It is decently written and well-illustrated. Except it never really drew me in. I read this understanding what was happening but I was detached and unaffected by the characters’ plights. This is probably because of the short-story format where each new 2 or 3 issue arc introduces a new setup and cast with the one constant being Agent Graves and his gun. Azzarello simply doesn’t have the space to build a world or develop a character, he has to jump in with broad strokes and hope it’s enough. It feels like a short story collection rather than a unified series in the same way other titles like Transmetropolitan or The Sandman are.
The concept itself seems fine but limited, at least based on this first book alone. Wronged person goes after bad guy, one of them dies, repeat. I can understand the potential of this in terms of the kinds of people this involves – gangsters, bankers, politicians, and their opposites, namely the downtrodden masses getting their cathartic comeuppance – but it still seems somewhat repetitive. Though maybe the concept changes and develops over time? I just don’t get the series’ direction (if it has one).
100 Bullets Volume 1 is a decent crime comic with really good art, and I can certainly appreciate the talent here, but this first book didn’t leave much of an impression. I’m glad I finally read something of this series, but it’s missing heart and a plot which doesn’t make me want to seek out the next volume in a hurry – though I will get to Volume 2 at some point, and that says something.
Brian Azzarello’s morality story plays out convincingly and not entirely predictably. There is the usual “is this for real?” doubt going back and forth in the story over the odd situation Graves presents her with and, while Dizzy did do what I knew she was going to by the end of her arc, there was a surprise element thrown in that I didn’t see coming. Similarly with Lee’s storyline, you expect it to go one way and then it goes a different way and then ends in another way.
I don’t know anyone whose life is like Dizzy’s so can’t speak to the authenticity of the dialogue and values – it often felt a lot like parts of The Wire – but it didn’t seem fake. The conversation amongst the Latina characters given their socio-economic backgrounds seemed realistic.
Eduardo Risso’s art is as perfect as ever. There’s great use of shadows to accentuate characters’ entrances, the pages are imaginative with traditional panelling thrown out in favour of more dynamic layouts with backgrounds from one scene bleeding into another. The character designs are cartoonish and angular at times but in a way that’s visually appealing, eye-catching and memorable.
So why aren’t I raving about this book? It is decently written and well-illustrated. Except it never really drew me in. I read this understanding what was happening but I was detached and unaffected by the characters’ plights. This is probably because of the short-story format where each new 2 or 3 issue arc introduces a new setup and cast with the one constant being Agent Graves and his gun. Azzarello simply doesn’t have the space to build a world or develop a character, he has to jump in with broad strokes and hope it’s enough. It feels like a short story collection rather than a unified series in the same way other titles like Transmetropolitan or The Sandman are.
The concept itself seems fine but limited, at least based on this first book alone. Wronged person goes after bad guy, one of them dies, repeat. I can understand the potential of this in terms of the kinds of people this involves – gangsters, bankers, politicians, and their opposites, namely the downtrodden masses getting their cathartic comeuppance – but it still seems somewhat repetitive. Though maybe the concept changes and develops over time? I just don’t get the series’ direction (if it has one).
100 Bullets Volume 1 is a decent crime comic with really good art, and I can certainly appreciate the talent here, but this first book didn’t leave much of an impression. I’m glad I finally read something of this series, but it’s missing heart and a plot which doesn’t make me want to seek out the next volume in a hurry – though I will get to Volume 2 at some point, and that says something.
March 26, 2008
So this wasn't as good as I had initially hoped. Don't let that stop you though - you need to read it to get into 100 Bullets, and once you do it just keeps getting better.
If you like crime drama and gritty noir-ish comics, this is for you. Premise goes like this: dude shows up with an attache with 100 untraceable bullets, a gun, and irrefutable evidence that somebody did something bad to you - the cause of your misfortune. He offers it to you, saying that whatever you chose to do with it, you'll get away with it, scott free. No police will hold you in custody.
What do you do?
And it goes from there. That alone might be compelling enough, but it turns out there's more going on (isn't there always?). Once you get into the storyline about what else is going on, it starts to get really good - but that's not until the second trade really.
If you like crime drama and gritty noir-ish comics, this is for you. Premise goes like this: dude shows up with an attache with 100 untraceable bullets, a gun, and irrefutable evidence that somebody did something bad to you - the cause of your misfortune. He offers it to you, saying that whatever you chose to do with it, you'll get away with it, scott free. No police will hold you in custody.
What do you do?
And it goes from there. That alone might be compelling enough, but it turns out there's more going on (isn't there always?). Once you get into the storyline about what else is going on, it starts to get really good - but that's not until the second trade really.
November 27, 2023
It’s big and its violent and a lot more than 100 bullets are shot before the ending of the saga. It won a lot of awards for its forceful, complex script and for its stylish artwork. I would go so far as to declare it should be required reading for those readers who claim to be fans of pulp fiction and classic noir, like me.
Yet ... I cannot honestly say that I liked the 100 Bullets series in its most basic concept: that of violence as a solution for personal and social problems. I don’t consider myself squeamish, and it’s not the explicit gore and violence that turned me off, neither is the gratuitous nudity much of a stumbling block. But I’ve had my fill of conspiracy theories in recent years from the news outlets.
I have the same problem with Quentin Tarantino movies: I hate to see so much undeniable talent used to glamorize violence and killers. I heard all the arguments that it’s done in an ironic way, that it is a sarcastic commentary on our gun culture, but I simply don’t buy it. These authors seem to me too focused on making it look edgy and trendy to swear constantly and to engage in coreographed, stylish mayhem. The John Wick franchise is another example of what rubs me the wrong way in this trend towards ultra-violent scripts with cool serial killers, all of it seasoned with a hefty dose of conspiracy theories about secret organizations.
I also know that the classic noir and the original pulps were violent and focused on the criminal mind, and I am willing to acknowledge my inconsistency in praising the classic and rejecting the modern. That is why all these stars on Goodreads are ultimately worthless as an objective measure of the quality of a book or comic, reflecting only one reader’s personal experience, tinged by his or her prejudices and expectations.
>>><<<>>><<<
I wrote here a lot about my own preferences, and too little about what the series is actually about. Brian Azzarello weaves here a true spider’s web of mystery and murder, a high concept series that looks planned from the beginning to cover 100 issues, and he remains in control of the numerous threads until the spectacular and deadly finale.
The first issues introduces Agent Graves, an elderly gentleman whose face seemed carved in stone with a permanent frown. He offer various people living on the edge a suitcase containing a gun, 100 bullets and a dossier explaining who is responsible for these person’s troubles. Graves promises immunity from law enforcement for whatever action the recipient might choose to take.
Who is Agent Graves and how he chooses the recipients of his grisly gift will be revealed gradually over the course of the series. How he can guarantee legal immunity is one of the conspiracy theories that are, in my opinion, poorly argued in the series, but I chose to ignore my misgivings about it in order to proceed with the story.
Without going into spoilerish details, it appears that there exists in our world [the series covers mainly US mainland, but it eventually goes across the ocean to Europe] a secret extra-governmental criminal organization comprised of XIII powerful families with a controlling interest in economic, government and law enforcement as well as in drug cartels and street gangs. Both Agent Graves and a certain Mr. Shepherd work for [or against] this organization known as The Trust.
Many of the people who receive the 100 bullets from Graves are former members of an elite group of enforcers for the Trust, a sort of samurai/ninja assassins, who guarantee secrecy and security for the families.
When this group of assassins led by Graves is disbanded, they become ronin and a danger for the families, who become engaged in a civil war for supremacy. Graves plays the role of arbiter or wild card, keeping his ultimate allegiance or goal close to his chest. All his former agents have been mysteriously brain washed, their memories erased until a trigger word is whispered in their ear [this was the second major stumbling block in my suspension of disbelief]
The series may often drift into side-stories and local background sketches with minor characters engaged in their own struggle or in their own private revenge stories, but the main driver of the plot is the allegiance of the ronin warriors to either Graves or to the Trust.
The number of characters and story-arcs is too big to describe in my single review for the whole series. The complexity of the spider web of conspiracies and secret identities and shifting alliances make me recommend reading the whole series twice: once in the dark, constantly wondering what the heck is going on, and a second time with a list of Minutemen and Trust members in front of you, so you can follow up on the origin stories and on the sudden jumps in the timeline.
Regardless of the attitude towards strong language and ultra-violent content of the readers, I believe everybody can appreciate the artwork of Eduardo Risso and the covers or pin-ups by Dave Johnson. I read the collected edition in five volumes, and I believe it’s better to have the whole story available like this for cross-reference.
I might read another Azzarello/Risso series down the line, just like I might watch another Tarantino movie, despite constant disappointments. The talent is there, but I don’t seem able to get enthusiastic about the treatment.
>>><<<>>><<<
A note on the number XIII, that is featured on almost every cover and in almost every episode of the series: for me this is a clear reference to the similar series XIII by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance : you have there an assassin whose memory is erased and who goes on a personal crusade against the secret organization that used to control him. I believe Azzarello should have acknowledged the inspiration more openly, and I also believe the Van Hamme run is a little better handled.
Other reviewers mentioned Sin City as a source of inspiration for the artwork, and I can see where they come from.
Yet ... I cannot honestly say that I liked the 100 Bullets series in its most basic concept: that of violence as a solution for personal and social problems. I don’t consider myself squeamish, and it’s not the explicit gore and violence that turned me off, neither is the gratuitous nudity much of a stumbling block. But I’ve had my fill of conspiracy theories in recent years from the news outlets.
I have the same problem with Quentin Tarantino movies: I hate to see so much undeniable talent used to glamorize violence and killers. I heard all the arguments that it’s done in an ironic way, that it is a sarcastic commentary on our gun culture, but I simply don’t buy it. These authors seem to me too focused on making it look edgy and trendy to swear constantly and to engage in coreographed, stylish mayhem. The John Wick franchise is another example of what rubs me the wrong way in this trend towards ultra-violent scripts with cool serial killers, all of it seasoned with a hefty dose of conspiracy theories about secret organizations.
I also know that the classic noir and the original pulps were violent and focused on the criminal mind, and I am willing to acknowledge my inconsistency in praising the classic and rejecting the modern. That is why all these stars on Goodreads are ultimately worthless as an objective measure of the quality of a book or comic, reflecting only one reader’s personal experience, tinged by his or her prejudices and expectations.
>>><<<>>><<<
I wrote here a lot about my own preferences, and too little about what the series is actually about. Brian Azzarello weaves here a true spider’s web of mystery and murder, a high concept series that looks planned from the beginning to cover 100 issues, and he remains in control of the numerous threads until the spectacular and deadly finale.
The first issues introduces Agent Graves, an elderly gentleman whose face seemed carved in stone with a permanent frown. He offer various people living on the edge a suitcase containing a gun, 100 bullets and a dossier explaining who is responsible for these person’s troubles. Graves promises immunity from law enforcement for whatever action the recipient might choose to take.
Who is Agent Graves and how he chooses the recipients of his grisly gift will be revealed gradually over the course of the series. How he can guarantee legal immunity is one of the conspiracy theories that are, in my opinion, poorly argued in the series, but I chose to ignore my misgivings about it in order to proceed with the story.
Without going into spoilerish details, it appears that there exists in our world [the series covers mainly US mainland, but it eventually goes across the ocean to Europe] a secret extra-governmental criminal organization comprised of XIII powerful families with a controlling interest in economic, government and law enforcement as well as in drug cartels and street gangs. Both Agent Graves and a certain Mr. Shepherd work for [or against] this organization known as The Trust.
Many of the people who receive the 100 bullets from Graves are former members of an elite group of enforcers for the Trust, a sort of samurai/ninja assassins, who guarantee secrecy and security for the families.
When this group of assassins led by Graves is disbanded, they become ronin and a danger for the families, who become engaged in a civil war for supremacy. Graves plays the role of arbiter or wild card, keeping his ultimate allegiance or goal close to his chest. All his former agents have been mysteriously brain washed, their memories erased until a trigger word is whispered in their ear [this was the second major stumbling block in my suspension of disbelief]
The series may often drift into side-stories and local background sketches with minor characters engaged in their own struggle or in their own private revenge stories, but the main driver of the plot is the allegiance of the ronin warriors to either Graves or to the Trust.
The number of characters and story-arcs is too big to describe in my single review for the whole series. The complexity of the spider web of conspiracies and secret identities and shifting alliances make me recommend reading the whole series twice: once in the dark, constantly wondering what the heck is going on, and a second time with a list of Minutemen and Trust members in front of you, so you can follow up on the origin stories and on the sudden jumps in the timeline.
Regardless of the attitude towards strong language and ultra-violent content of the readers, I believe everybody can appreciate the artwork of Eduardo Risso and the covers or pin-ups by Dave Johnson. I read the collected edition in five volumes, and I believe it’s better to have the whole story available like this for cross-reference.
I might read another Azzarello/Risso series down the line, just like I might watch another Tarantino movie, despite constant disappointments. The talent is there, but I don’t seem able to get enthusiastic about the treatment.
>>><<<>>><<<
A note on the number XIII, that is featured on almost every cover and in almost every episode of the series: for me this is a clear reference to the similar series XIII by Jean Van Hamme and William Vance : you have there an assassin whose memory is erased and who goes on a personal crusade against the secret organization that used to control him. I believe Azzarello should have acknowledged the inspiration more openly, and I also believe the Van Hamme run is a little better handled.
Other reviewers mentioned Sin City as a source of inspiration for the artwork, and I can see where they come from.
August 12, 2018
Re-read - Aug 2018: I've actually read the first 9 volumes far, but I find I'm forgetting a lot of the important characters and plot points, especially the ones planted in earlier volumes. So, I decided to re-read the series and try to read all the volumes much closer together. I don't think I'll change my rating for this volume (the way women are drawn in this is so gross guys - I get it's going for a noir aesthetic, but just ugh, no), but revisiting these characters while knowing things that are to come was actually really fun!
*****
This was a fun noir-ish crime/mystery story. There's something about it that's almost nostalgic - it has that gritty and rough-around-the-edges feel of early Vertigo and late 90s/early 2000s comics. It was probably quite edgy for its time and I can't imagine there was much else like it on the market. In comparison to what's available now, I would say that this hasn't aged super well - there are much better noir/crime comics out there, but this is a fun ride nonetheless.
This first volume is almost like a collection of interconnected short stories, with the common thread being the mysterious Agent Graves, a gentleman who offers people who have been wronged a suitcase with a gun and a chance to exact revenge without consequence. It's an intriguing premise, but readers hardly see Mr. Graves in this first volume and because of the structure, you don't really get to know the characters he meets. However, it was a good taster and the ending left me intrigued and excited for more. The weakest aspect for me, personally, was the art. It seemed a bit dated to me, but I did appreciate how the rough, angular style suited the gritty story.
I have volume 2 checked out from the library - hopefully things will pick up a bit (though I've heard that this series doesn't really gain steam until the 3rd or 4th volume - I hope I don't agree with this assessment!)
*****
This was a fun noir-ish crime/mystery story. There's something about it that's almost nostalgic - it has that gritty and rough-around-the-edges feel of early Vertigo and late 90s/early 2000s comics. It was probably quite edgy for its time and I can't imagine there was much else like it on the market. In comparison to what's available now, I would say that this hasn't aged super well - there are much better noir/crime comics out there, but this is a fun ride nonetheless.
This first volume is almost like a collection of interconnected short stories, with the common thread being the mysterious Agent Graves, a gentleman who offers people who have been wronged a suitcase with a gun and a chance to exact revenge without consequence. It's an intriguing premise, but readers hardly see Mr. Graves in this first volume and because of the structure, you don't really get to know the characters he meets. However, it was a good taster and the ending left me intrigued and excited for more. The weakest aspect for me, personally, was the art. It seemed a bit dated to me, but I did appreciate how the rough, angular style suited the gritty story.
I have volume 2 checked out from the library - hopefully things will pick up a bit (though I've heard that this series doesn't really gain steam until the 3rd or 4th volume - I hope I don't agree with this assessment!)
October 19, 2011
Wrote 100 Bulleys up there by accident, now that's a premise!
Mysterious dudes hand out briefcases with a gun and 100 untraceable bullets in it to various low-lifes, giving them motive and opportunity to reek retribution on the peeps that done them wrong.
Solid premise, mediocre follow through. First story's in a Chicago barrio and suffers from various embarrassing stereotypes that I could live with, but has sort of an obvious ending. The art's okay (though not so great the artist should be signing his name on every page, as he does) and does a good job of portraying the bleakness of the environs, the stubby playground beneath the el and telephone poles, etc.
The second story, about a guy in a bar, started out great, with plenty of good zingers and believable characters not seen too much outside of Bukowski novels. But, again, the ending was ridiculous, and tied to whatever the overall "plot" of the series is (it's too early to tell here what that may be) so it just seems like an extraneous buzzkill. A likable-enough character is killed off for the sake of some overarching storyline I couldn't give a wet fart about.
I was hoping these comics would be quick, suspenseful jabs of moral ambiguity and the like. They are, but the overarching "buy the next ish!" storyline suffocates the good stuff and kills the whole thing for me.
Mysterious dudes hand out briefcases with a gun and 100 untraceable bullets in it to various low-lifes, giving them motive and opportunity to reek retribution on the peeps that done them wrong.
Solid premise, mediocre follow through. First story's in a Chicago barrio and suffers from various embarrassing stereotypes that I could live with, but has sort of an obvious ending. The art's okay (though not so great the artist should be signing his name on every page, as he does) and does a good job of portraying the bleakness of the environs, the stubby playground beneath the el and telephone poles, etc.
The second story, about a guy in a bar, started out great, with plenty of good zingers and believable characters not seen too much outside of Bukowski novels. But, again, the ending was ridiculous, and tied to whatever the overall "plot" of the series is (it's too early to tell here what that may be) so it just seems like an extraneous buzzkill. A likable-enough character is killed off for the sake of some overarching storyline I couldn't give a wet fart about.
I was hoping these comics would be quick, suspenseful jabs of moral ambiguity and the like. They are, but the overarching "buy the next ish!" storyline suffocates the good stuff and kills the whole thing for me.
June 21, 2023
I read these YEARS ago but decided to give it another go.
So first 3 parter is about a girl who gets out of prison and trying to figure out life. But once she does, she's handed a untraceable gun and told who killed both her husband and child. She wants to exact revenge, but she'd not such a bad person at heart, and tries to figure out through visiting her old "friends" what really happened. Second story is a bar guy's whole life was ruined years ago by being set up with pictures of children on his computer and he finds out who planted them there. He's also given the opportunity to go after the one who did it.
Both stories are solid looks into pieces of shit we know in life. A lot of it rides on the fact we as human seek revenge after being done wrong. And so it's easy to understand where both of these characters come from. Who's bad or good is very easily washed away with everyone being kind of a scumbag here. I will say I enjoyed the over the top cartoony art, made it more fun to read. And the pacing is solid, very quick. Stories are interesting enough.
The dialogue could use some work. Some feels forced as hell and stereotypical of characters based off their race. But I've come to basically except that from Azzarello, he has a tendency to do over the type stereotypes for any characters who aren't white.
A 3 out of 5.
So first 3 parter is about a girl who gets out of prison and trying to figure out life. But once she does, she's handed a untraceable gun and told who killed both her husband and child. She wants to exact revenge, but she'd not such a bad person at heart, and tries to figure out through visiting her old "friends" what really happened. Second story is a bar guy's whole life was ruined years ago by being set up with pictures of children on his computer and he finds out who planted them there. He's also given the opportunity to go after the one who did it.
Both stories are solid looks into pieces of shit we know in life. A lot of it rides on the fact we as human seek revenge after being done wrong. And so it's easy to understand where both of these characters come from. Who's bad or good is very easily washed away with everyone being kind of a scumbag here. I will say I enjoyed the over the top cartoony art, made it more fun to read. And the pacing is solid, very quick. Stories are interesting enough.
The dialogue could use some work. Some feels forced as hell and stereotypical of characters based off their race. But I've come to basically except that from Azzarello, he has a tendency to do over the type stereotypes for any characters who aren't white.
A 3 out of 5.
August 21, 2012
Loved it. I don't know if they get into the background of Mr. Graves later in the series, but the premise of the first volume stood well all by itself. Two stories in this, the first is excellent if somewhat predictable, but after reading the second story the first felt almost like a red-herring setup, a way to tell you "yes, this book, like all other entertainment properties, is going to go pretty much the way you expect." The second story changed that perception, and even made the first story better although they are unrelated.
Excellent art, great story, I got my money's worth and more.
Excellent art, great story, I got my money's worth and more.
April 13, 2025
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 empathetic to 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 we'll settle for FIVE STARS because there are no fractions on Goodreads.
*********************************************************************
SECOND READING ON APRIL 12, 2025 . . . . .
“If A Stranger Offered You The Chance To Get Away With Murder . . . . . Would You Take It?"
100 BULLETS, VOLUME ONE stands as a testament to the potential of graphic novels to tell extremely compelling stories, a masterful combination of plot, dialogue and art that sets it apart. If you are a fan of crime comics (or just crime fiction in any format) this book belongs on your bookshelves.
There are not many graphic novels that I can read multiple times and still be entertained, excited, and find new things to marvel at. I lost count of how many times I have read the first volume of 100 BULLETS, but I never feel like the time invested was wasted. Any graphic novel, book, movie or video that does that deserves to be on a plateau. I’ve reviewed this book before, but now I feel it deserves to be elevated to a FIVE-STAR rating.
I came to that realization after another re-reading of Volume Two, which left me in awe. Even though I managed to collect all the volumes in this series (including the BROTHER LONO spin-off) I never ventured beyond Volume Two - - as if I was afraid of ruining a good thing. Is it possible to sustain this kind of excellence for that long of a series? It’s well past time for me to find out. I plan to get through the entire series in the next 30 days.
The premise is simple, but lends itself to dozens of possibilities. Seemingly random individuals who have one thing in common - - they have been wronged by another - - are presented with a suitcase containing the incriminating evidence as well as a gun and 100 rounds of untraceable bullets, and a promise of complete immunity.
Agent Graves is the gift bearer, a mysterious bald stranger who seems to know everything about the individuals he invites to obtain retribution by accepting the suitcase. We are later introduced to Agent Shepherd, who seems to appear whenever the selected individuals are having second thoughts about carrying out their vengeance.
Azzarello’s story is full of twists. It’s mysterious, street smart, and casts a glimpse into the vivid, gritty underworld of life. the dialogue seems authentic and raw. Risso’s art is worth multiple views - - inventive and expressive with incredible facial expressions, use of shading, images caught in mirror and shadows, single hue silhouettes, etc.
After reading Volume One, I wondered if Graves and Shepherd were God’s messengers, or angels - - working to carry out his justice since law enforcement failed to do so. Or was Graves sent by the devil, a tempter who maybe is tempered by Shepherd working on behalf of faith?
I don’t want to give away the storyline (I did some of that in my original review), but after multiple reading there are some scenes that may be foreshadowing hidden elements that will become plot points later. I’m going to note a few of them here, along with some fine examples of how Risso enhances everything with his choice of presentation.
Case in point: In the debut issue, the prison shower scene is elevated to another level of story-telling in the way that Risso visualizes it.
Issue #3: The angle of view as the church scene begins makes it seem like there is an inverted Christ-on-the-Cross. An omen?
Then, as the first story arc ends Isabelle “Dizzy” Cordova has conversation with Shepherd. Were her actions a test, and is she being auditioned for a later and maybe bigger role?
In the second story arc, Azzarello adds a twist just to let readers know that the endings will not be predictable. When Lee Dolan confronts the businesswoman who ruined his life, there are murders being carried out in an adjacent skyscraper, in the background and silently, without text or dialogue, by a Hawaiian-shirted hitman. I expect to see him in future issues, as I doubt this scene would play out just for the heck of it.
Volume One ends with a short story, reprinted from Vertigo’s WINTER’S EDGE anthology, taking place in a police station where a guilt-ridden grandmother confesses to a murder she committed with gun provided by Mr. Graves. Seems like the immunity lasts forever, as she is judged a crazy old lady and released. Mr. Graves lurks in the background, presenting his suitcase offer to an unhappy detective in another bit of fore-shadowing FIVE STARS for Volume One.
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 empathetic to 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 we'll settle for FIVE STARS because there are no fractions on Goodreads.
*********************************************************************
SECOND READING ON APRIL 12, 2025 . . . . .
“If A Stranger Offered You The Chance To Get Away With Murder . . . . . Would You Take It?"
100 BULLETS, VOLUME ONE stands as a testament to the potential of graphic novels to tell extremely compelling stories, a masterful combination of plot, dialogue and art that sets it apart. If you are a fan of crime comics (or just crime fiction in any format) this book belongs on your bookshelves.
There are not many graphic novels that I can read multiple times and still be entertained, excited, and find new things to marvel at. I lost count of how many times I have read the first volume of 100 BULLETS, but I never feel like the time invested was wasted. Any graphic novel, book, movie or video that does that deserves to be on a plateau. I’ve reviewed this book before, but now I feel it deserves to be elevated to a FIVE-STAR rating.
I came to that realization after another re-reading of Volume Two, which left me in awe. Even though I managed to collect all the volumes in this series (including the BROTHER LONO spin-off) I never ventured beyond Volume Two - - as if I was afraid of ruining a good thing. Is it possible to sustain this kind of excellence for that long of a series? It’s well past time for me to find out. I plan to get through the entire series in the next 30 days.
The premise is simple, but lends itself to dozens of possibilities. Seemingly random individuals who have one thing in common - - they have been wronged by another - - are presented with a suitcase containing the incriminating evidence as well as a gun and 100 rounds of untraceable bullets, and a promise of complete immunity.
Agent Graves is the gift bearer, a mysterious bald stranger who seems to know everything about the individuals he invites to obtain retribution by accepting the suitcase. We are later introduced to Agent Shepherd, who seems to appear whenever the selected individuals are having second thoughts about carrying out their vengeance.
Azzarello’s story is full of twists. It’s mysterious, street smart, and casts a glimpse into the vivid, gritty underworld of life. the dialogue seems authentic and raw. Risso’s art is worth multiple views - - inventive and expressive with incredible facial expressions, use of shading, images caught in mirror and shadows, single hue silhouettes, etc.
After reading Volume One, I wondered if Graves and Shepherd were God’s messengers, or angels - - working to carry out his justice since law enforcement failed to do so. Or was Graves sent by the devil, a tempter who maybe is tempered by Shepherd working on behalf of faith?
I don’t want to give away the storyline (I did some of that in my original review), but after multiple reading there are some scenes that may be foreshadowing hidden elements that will become plot points later. I’m going to note a few of them here, along with some fine examples of how Risso enhances everything with his choice of presentation.
Case in point: In the debut issue, the prison shower scene is elevated to another level of story-telling in the way that Risso visualizes it.
Issue #3: The angle of view as the church scene begins makes it seem like there is an inverted Christ-on-the-Cross. An omen?
Then, as the first story arc ends Isabelle “Dizzy” Cordova has conversation with Shepherd. Were her actions a test, and is she being auditioned for a later and maybe bigger role?
In the second story arc, Azzarello adds a twist just to let readers know that the endings will not be predictable. When Lee Dolan confronts the businesswoman who ruined his life, there are murders being carried out in an adjacent skyscraper, in the background and silently, without text or dialogue, by a Hawaiian-shirted hitman. I expect to see him in future issues, as I doubt this scene would play out just for the heck of it.
Volume One ends with a short story, reprinted from Vertigo’s WINTER’S EDGE anthology, taking place in a police station where a guilt-ridden grandmother confesses to a murder she committed with gun provided by Mr. Graves. Seems like the immunity lasts forever, as she is judged a crazy old lady and released. Mr. Graves lurks in the background, presenting his suitcase offer to an unhappy detective in another bit of fore-shadowing FIVE STARS for Volume One.
July 6, 2022
I’ve heard of this older noir series that ran from 1999- 2009 with 100 issues, but never checked it out until now, which is surprising as I like darker stories. And it certainly lived up to the hype I had heard about it…
Dizzy Cordova is a young Latina recently released from jail who is mourning the death of her husband and infant son who were gunned down while she was away. While on the bus home Agent Graves sits next to her and gives her a briefcase with an unmarked gun and 100 bullets to exact revenge on those that killed her family. We get a lengthy look at her gang-infested neighborhood and the hard life she and other women are living, showing how few possibilities await Dizzy, and she finds out who betrayed her while she was in jail. We also get a shorter story about a bartender who was ruined by child-porn accusations, and Graves also gives him supplies to kill and tells him who is to blame.
The art by Eduardo Risso is very unique- characters at first seem like caricatures and the illustrations are very angular and dark-hued. But the urban decay is actually captured realistically and this art technique pays off in helping set the style for the entire series.
This review (plus V2) can be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2022/07/0...
Dizzy Cordova is a young Latina recently released from jail who is mourning the death of her husband and infant son who were gunned down while she was away. While on the bus home Agent Graves sits next to her and gives her a briefcase with an unmarked gun and 100 bullets to exact revenge on those that killed her family. We get a lengthy look at her gang-infested neighborhood and the hard life she and other women are living, showing how few possibilities await Dizzy, and she finds out who betrayed her while she was in jail. We also get a shorter story about a bartender who was ruined by child-porn accusations, and Graves also gives him supplies to kill and tells him who is to blame.
The art by Eduardo Risso is very unique- characters at first seem like caricatures and the illustrations are very angular and dark-hued. But the urban decay is actually captured realistically and this art technique pays off in helping set the style for the entire series.
This review (plus V2) can be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2022/07/0...
December 10, 2023
I'm glad I went back to give this series another... shot.
What starts off as a series of unconnected stories - a mysterious man calling himself Agent Graves gives people who have been wronged a chance at revenge. An attache with a gun, 100 untraceable bullets, and irrefutable evidence of the person(s) who did the harm. He tells them police will turn a blind eye to anything you do with the gun - and it's true!
Dizzy Cordova gets released from prison and meets Graves. Her husband and child were killed by gangsters who got killed by two cops... but Graves reveals it was the two cops who killed her family.
Lee Dolan is working at a pub and estranged from his family and lost his restaurant business after he was caught with CP that he had no idea about. Graves reveals it was a frame by a young powerful woman who has the power to manipulate digital systems like bank accounts.
What starts off as a series of unconnected stories - a mysterious man calling himself Agent Graves gives people who have been wronged a chance at revenge. An attache with a gun, 100 untraceable bullets, and irrefutable evidence of the person(s) who did the harm. He tells them police will turn a blind eye to anything you do with the gun - and it's true!
Dizzy Cordova gets released from prison and meets Graves. Her husband and child were killed by gangsters who got killed by two cops... but Graves reveals it was the two cops who killed her family.
Lee Dolan is working at a pub and estranged from his family and lost his restaurant business after he was caught with CP that he had no idea about. Graves reveals it was a frame by a young powerful woman who has the power to manipulate digital systems like bank accounts.
July 16, 2016
I heard nothing about this except that it's going to be a movie or series? And Tom Hardy.
Other than that, the story itself sound interesting and something I hadn't of heard before. The art style you get used to, though the in between chapters, the art is a little better.
The characters I'm not sure about. I was a little confused at first, but once you get reading, its alright. Overall, an interesting premise to a series I might read more from.
Other than that, the story itself sound interesting and something I hadn't of heard before. The art style you get used to, though the in between chapters, the art is a little better.
The characters I'm not sure about. I was a little confused at first, but once you get reading, its alright. Overall, an interesting premise to a series I might read more from.
March 26, 2024
4.5
Oh, I'm EXCITED for this series. Even the first volume is so meticulous and gripping. That art is SO my style, too. Perfect noir mixed with a loaded moral question might make for a favorite. What am I gonna do if every single Vertigo series I read is my favorite?
Oh, I'm EXCITED for this series. Even the first volume is so meticulous and gripping. That art is SO my style, too. Perfect noir mixed with a loaded moral question might make for a favorite. What am I gonna do if every single Vertigo series I read is my favorite?
January 15, 2012
'100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call' comprises two distinct arc's whose semblance of continuity is linked by the mysterious Mr Graves, a suitcase, 100 bullets, and a shot at redemption. The first arc focuses on newly free gang banger Dizzy - a female who owes her hatred to the lawmen responsible for murdering her young family. The story of Dizzy and life as a full-time banger, part time citizen had a lot of promise only to be quashed after three chapters (collected comics). I have no doubt 'First Shot, Last Call' would've been a 5 star read if the entire collection focused on Dizzy and her gang. This story had it all; corrupt cops, revenge, double crossing, violence, truth, family drama and mystery. A perfect bundle of noir served on a platter of vivid imagery and sparse dialogue. If only it were longer... The second half sees Lee Dolan, a bartender wrongly convicted for possession of child pornography given a chance to exact revenge on the person who set him up for the fall courtesy of Graves. Eventually the story turns to Megan Dietich, a woman who's all noir and perhaps one of the best written characters graphically depicted in the genre and one who looks set to play a much larger part in the 100 Bullets universe in forthcoming installments. I didn't predict the twist at the end of this one nor the ramifications of the Lee/Megan showdown on the broader series. Azzarello hints at much more than what's inked leaving the reader guessing and demanding more - precise, well executed writing complemented by Risso's dark and all too real art. 4 stars.
October 31, 2018
Φλασμπάκ 9 χρόνια πριν.
Ο τότε Μιχάλης μόλις έχει βρει την πρώτη του κανονική δουλειά και, επειδή ήταν δουλειά με ΠΑΣΟΚ πήρε τον πρώτο του μισθό και περιχαρής πήγε στα FNAC στο mall και σήκωσε όσους τόμους του έλειπαν από το 100 bullets...
Στη συνέχεια, στη μιάμιση ώρα που του έπαιρνε να πάει στη δουλειά κάθε πρωί διάβαζε και τη σειρά. Θες ό,τι δεν κοιμόταν καλά, θες ότι τότε ο ηλεκτρικός έκανε έργα και ήταν σκέτη ταλαιπόρια δεν είχε πολυκαταλάβει τί έπαιζε στη σειρά.
Πάμε τώρα στο παρόν, όπου ο Μιχάλης δουλεύει με ΣΥΡΙΖΑ, κοιμάται κανονικά και αποφάσισε επιτέλους να ξαναδιαβάσει το 100 bullets.
Ακολουθεί κριτική για ολόκληρη τη σειρά:
Το 100 bullets είναι ένα σκληρό Noir comic που στηρίζεται σε μία έξυπνη ιδέα: ένας άγνωστός σου δίνει μία βαλίτσα, με αποδεικτικά στοιχεία για μία αδικία που σου συνέβη, ένα πιστόλι και 100 σφαίρες - αν σκοτώσεις με αυτό η αστυνομία δε θα σε κυνηγήσει. Η πρώτη που λαμβάνει τη βαλίτσα είναι η dizzy, μία λατίνα που μόλις βγήκε από τη φυλακή με στοιχεία για το ποιοι σκότωσαν τον άντρα και το παιδί της όσο ήταν φυλακή.
Σύντομα όμως η σειρά αρχίζει να ασχολείται με το γιατί οι σφαίρες είναι αόρατες και με μία τεράστια συνωμοσία που ο Graves (ο άγνωστος με τη βαλίτσα) θέλει να εκδικηθεί; Δεν ξέρω ακριβώς αν το θέλει ή αν όχι, κυρίως επειδή, πολύ σύντομα, το κόμικ γίνεται ένα κουβάρι από νήματα πλοκής σχετικά με τη συνωμοσία, ενώ ταυτόχρονα σκάνε και μικροϊστορίες εγκλημάτων, που όμως καταλήγουν είτε σε νήματα πλοκής ή έχουν λίγη σχέση με τις 100 σφαίρες.
Δεν ξέρω αν θυμάστε τα X-files και το πόσο χαοτική ήταν η πλοκή με την εκεί συνωμοσία (ιδίως στις σαιζόν γύρω από την πρώτη ταινία) αλλά το ίδιο παίζει κι εδώ - χωρίς να έχεις 2 πρωταγωνιστές που να σου δίνουν αίσθηση της προοπτικής. Αντίθετα, έχεις ένα τσούρμο από χαρακτήρες με ελάχιστη προσωπικότητα (κάποιοι αλλάζουν κυριολεκτικά προσωπικότητα μέσα στο στόρυ - και ναι, αυτό είναι κομμάτι της πλοκής) που απλά κάνουν πράγματα και έρχονται αποκαλύψεις που δε βγάζουν νόημα - κυρίως επειδή σε σημεία σκάνε φλασμπακ που δεν καταλαβαίνεις ότι είναι φλασμπακ. Αφήστε που αυτό που μας πούλησαν ως σκληρό νουάρ είναι γεμάτο με τυπάδες που θα έκαναν τον John Wick να κλαίει σε μία γωνία για το πόσο κατώτερός τους είναι.
Στις καλύτερες στιγμές του (πχ στους τόμους 1,3,5,7 που εστιάζουν σε ιστορίες ατόμων) το κόμικ είναι ΚΑΤΑΠΛΗΚΤΙΚΟ με ιστορίες γεμάτες ένταση, συναίσθημα και ανατροπές, αλλά και μία διεισδυτική ματιά στον υπόκοσμο, το περιθώριο και στους ανθρώπους του. Συνολικά είναι ένας μεταμοντέρνος αχταρμάς, λίγο sin city, λίγο X-files, λίγο the wire λίγο John Wick.
Θα δείτε όμως ότι έχω βάλει καλά αστεράκια σε όλους τους τόμους. Και αυτό δεν είναι μόνο επειδή το γράψιμο είναι "καλό" αλλά επειδή το σχέδιο είναι ΕΞΑΙΡΕΤΙΚΟ. Στυλιζαρισμένο, με βαριές σκιές, ενδιαφέρουσες οπτικές γωνίες και εκφραστικούς χαρακτήρες που (συνήθως) τους ξεχωρίζεις, όσο δύσκολο κι αν είναι...
Από τα μισά περίπου της σειράς, που αλλάζει ο colourist, το οπτικό αποτέλεσμα είναι απλά ΑΠΙΣΤΕΥΤΟ.
Συνολικά, όπως και σε πολλά κόμικ, αρκεί να κάνεις 5 πολύ καλά τεύχη για να σε δοξάζουν ως κλασικό. Το 100 Bullets έχει πολύ περισσότερα από 5 καταπληκτικά τεύχη (τόμοι 1, 3 και 7) σαν σειρά όμως είναι τραβηγμένη από τα μαλλιά για να βγάλει 100 τεύχη με ένα ακατανόητο στόρυ και ένα αντικλιμακτικό τέλος.
Ο τότε Μιχάλης μόλις έχει βρει την πρώτη του κανονική δουλειά και, επειδή ήταν δουλειά με ΠΑΣΟΚ πήρε τον πρώτο του μισθό και περιχαρής πήγε στα FNAC στο mall και σήκωσε όσους τόμους του έλειπαν από το 100 bullets...
Στη συνέχεια, στη μιάμιση ώρα που του έπαιρνε να πάει στη δουλειά κάθε πρωί διάβαζε και τη σειρά. Θες ό,τι δεν κοιμόταν καλά, θες ότι τότε ο ηλεκτρικός έκανε έργα και ήταν σκέτη ταλαιπόρια δεν είχε πολυκαταλάβει τί έπαιζε στη σειρά.
Πάμε τώρα στο παρόν, όπου ο Μιχάλης δουλεύει με ΣΥΡΙΖΑ, κοιμάται κανονικά και αποφάσισε επιτέλους να ξαναδιαβάσει το 100 bullets.
Ακολουθεί κριτική για ολόκληρη τη σειρά:
Το 100 bullets είναι ένα σκληρό Noir comic που στηρίζεται σε μία έξυπνη ιδέα: ένας άγνωστός σου δίνει μία βαλίτσα, με αποδεικτικά στοιχεία για μία αδικία που σου συνέβη, ένα πιστόλι και 100 σφαίρες - αν σκοτώσεις με αυτό η αστυνομία δε θα σε κυνηγήσει. Η πρώτη που λαμβάνει τη βαλίτσα είναι η dizzy, μία λατίνα που μόλις βγήκε από τη φυλακή με στοιχεία για το ποιοι σκότωσαν τον άντρα και το παιδί της όσο ήταν φυλακή.
Σύντομα όμως η σειρά αρχίζει να ασχολείται με το γιατί οι σφαίρες είναι αόρατες και με μία τεράστια συνωμοσία που ο Graves (ο άγνωστος με τη βαλίτσα) θέλει να εκδικηθεί; Δεν ξέρω ακριβώς αν το θέλει ή αν όχι, κυρίως επειδή, πολύ σύντομα, το κόμικ γίνεται ένα κουβάρι από νήματα πλοκής σχετικά με τη συνωμοσία, ενώ ταυτόχρονα σκάνε και μικροϊστορίες εγκλημάτων, που όμως καταλήγουν είτε σε νήματα πλοκής ή έχουν λίγη σχέση με τις 100 σφαίρες.
Δεν ξέρω αν θυμάστε τα X-files και το πόσο χαοτική ήταν η πλοκή με την εκεί συνωμοσία (ιδίως στις σαιζόν γύρω από την πρώτη ταινία) αλλά το ίδιο παίζει κι εδώ - χωρίς να έχεις 2 πρωταγωνιστές που να σου δίνουν αίσθηση της προοπτικής. Αντίθετα, έχεις ένα τσούρμο από χαρακτήρες με ελάχιστη προσωπικότητα (κάποιοι αλλάζουν κυριολεκτικά προσωπικότητα μέσα στο στόρυ - και ναι, αυτό είναι κομμάτι της πλοκής) που απλά κάνουν πράγματα και έρχονται αποκαλύψεις που δε βγάζουν νόημα - κυρίως επειδή σε σημεία σκάνε φλασμπακ που δεν καταλαβαίνεις ότι είναι φλασμπακ. Αφήστε που αυτό που μας πούλησαν ως σκληρό νουάρ είναι γεμάτο με τυπάδες που θα έκαναν τον John Wick να κλαίει σε μία γωνία για το πόσο κατώτερός τους είναι.
Στις καλύτερες στιγμές του (πχ στους τόμους 1,3,5,7 που εστιάζουν σε ιστορίες ατόμων) το κόμικ είναι ΚΑΤΑΠΛΗΚΤΙΚΟ με ιστορίες γεμάτες ένταση, συναίσθημα και ανατροπές, αλλά και μία διεισδυτική ματιά στον υπόκοσμο, το περιθώριο και στους ανθρώπους του. Συνολικά είναι ένας μεταμοντέρνος αχταρμάς, λίγο sin city, λίγο X-files, λίγο the wire λίγο John Wick.
Θα δείτε όμως ότι έχω βάλει καλά αστεράκια σε όλους τους τόμους. Και αυτό δεν είναι μόνο επειδή το γράψιμο είναι "καλό" αλλά επειδή το σχέδιο είναι ΕΞΑΙΡΕΤΙΚΟ. Στυλιζαρισμένο, με βαριές σκιές, ενδιαφέρουσες οπτικές γωνίες και εκφραστικούς χαρακτήρες που (συνήθως) τους ξεχωρίζεις, όσο δύσκολο κι αν είναι...
Από τα μισά περίπου της σειράς, που αλλάζει ο colourist, το οπτικό αποτέλεσμα είναι απλά ΑΠΙΣΤΕΥΤΟ.
Συνολικά, όπως και σε πολλά κόμικ, αρκεί να κάνεις 5 πολύ καλά τεύχη για να σε δοξάζουν ως κλασικό. Το 100 Bullets έχει πολύ περισσότερα από 5 καταπληκτικά τεύχη (τόμοι 1, 3 και 7) σαν σειρά όμως είναι τραβηγμένη από τα μαλλιά για να βγάλει 100 τεύχη με ένα ακατανόητο στόρυ και ένα αντικλιμακτικό τέλος.
October 5, 2009
100 Bullets was a monthly comic book. Reading it that way was like plucking your pubes one-by-one, because the overall story arc was so complex that it makes 'Lost' look like an episode of 'According to Jim.' EVERYTHING matters in 100 Bullets, and my little brain couldn’t keep track of things on a monthly basis. So I stopped reading it monthly, waited for the series to finish and picked up all 13 collected editions, planning to read it all in one sitting, more or less.
A two week ‘one-sitting’ later, does it all make sense?
Hell if I know.
I THINK it does. I THINK that every single panel, every single detail was placed for a reason, even going back to the first issue. I THINK that this is one of the most meticulously-plotted stories ever. But until I get my second wind and read it another time with knowledge in my back pocket, I won’t know for sure. Whether all the pieces add up, whether everything plays out properly is sorta beside the point anyway.
What matters is how awesome everything is leading up to the climactic volumes. The first half of the 100 Bullets saga is made up of a series of shorter morality plays that can be taken on their own merit or folded into the bigger picture. On their own, they’re mostly top-notch short stories (especially V.7, Samurai). Some totally stand on their own, some benefit quite a bit in the long run. All of them are beautiful, from the pace and cadence of the writing to the straight-up sexy art.
Volumes 9-13 aren’t even worth bothering with if you aren’t totally on board. They’re like trying to jump into Arrested Development with season 3. You might appreciate some of the bits, but mostly you’d be lost.
At the very least, these are worth checking out because no one – NO ONE – draws boobies like Eduardo Risso. And there are lots of boobies.
A two week ‘one-sitting’ later, does it all make sense?
Hell if I know.
I THINK it does. I THINK that every single panel, every single detail was placed for a reason, even going back to the first issue. I THINK that this is one of the most meticulously-plotted stories ever. But until I get my second wind and read it another time with knowledge in my back pocket, I won’t know for sure. Whether all the pieces add up, whether everything plays out properly is sorta beside the point anyway.
What matters is how awesome everything is leading up to the climactic volumes. The first half of the 100 Bullets saga is made up of a series of shorter morality plays that can be taken on their own merit or folded into the bigger picture. On their own, they’re mostly top-notch short stories (especially V.7, Samurai). Some totally stand on their own, some benefit quite a bit in the long run. All of them are beautiful, from the pace and cadence of the writing to the straight-up sexy art.
Volumes 9-13 aren’t even worth bothering with if you aren’t totally on board. They’re like trying to jump into Arrested Development with season 3. You might appreciate some of the bits, but mostly you’d be lost.
At the very least, these are worth checking out because no one – NO ONE – draws boobies like Eduardo Risso. And there are lots of boobies.
August 17, 2015
Eh, it was okay? 2.5 stars
I picked this up just to see if it could change my mind on Azzarello. I wasn't a big fan of his Wonder Woman story but I feel like I need more than that before I just write him off entirely. Unfortunately, 100 Bullets hasn't really changed my mind.
The basic premise, at least for this first volume, is that there is a (presumably) government agency that offers certain down on their luck people a chance for revenge. An agent shows up and offers a briefcase containing proof of the person who is responsible for whatever their shitty situation is, an untraceable gun and 100 bullets. It's up to the recipient to decide if they want to pull the trigger on that gun given that there will be no repercussions. The first half focuses on a young Latina woman whose husband and son were killed in a driveby and on a man accused of pedophilia and who has lost everything that mattered to him.
As a crime story, 100 Bullets honestly isn't bad. It's dark, brutal and has some pretty decent writing. But after reading Brubaker, it just didn't really impress me in the same way. I never really connected with either of the characters so I didn't really care what happened to them at the end of their little stories. It is an interesting premise so I'll be curious to see what Azzarello does with it in the following volumes.
I didn't fall in love with this first volume but I'll hold off on judgement on Azzarello until I've read the rest of the series.
I picked this up just to see if it could change my mind on Azzarello. I wasn't a big fan of his Wonder Woman story but I feel like I need more than that before I just write him off entirely. Unfortunately, 100 Bullets hasn't really changed my mind.
The basic premise, at least for this first volume, is that there is a (presumably) government agency that offers certain down on their luck people a chance for revenge. An agent shows up and offers a briefcase containing proof of the person who is responsible for whatever their shitty situation is, an untraceable gun and 100 bullets. It's up to the recipient to decide if they want to pull the trigger on that gun given that there will be no repercussions. The first half focuses on a young Latina woman whose husband and son were killed in a driveby and on a man accused of pedophilia and who has lost everything that mattered to him.
As a crime story, 100 Bullets honestly isn't bad. It's dark, brutal and has some pretty decent writing. But after reading Brubaker, it just didn't really impress me in the same way. I never really connected with either of the characters so I didn't really care what happened to them at the end of their little stories. It is an interesting premise so I'll be curious to see what Azzarello does with it in the following volumes.
I didn't fall in love with this first volume but I'll hold off on judgement on Azzarello until I've read the rest of the series.
December 24, 2012
A strange man approaches you and offers you a briefcase. You've been gravely wronged in the past, and the briefcase contains absolute proof of who wronged you, a gun, and 100 untraceable bullets. What do you do?
And that's the main point of 100 Bullets, putting a series of characters into that situation and giving them the choice. And being flawed people who are dealing with a dramatic revelation, they make flawed choices. Azzarello was good at that, making these people and their decisions believable. And since the storylines are short overall (2 or 3 issues each, in this trade) you won't be stuck with a story if you can't get into it. I do understand that the series eventually moves away from the anthology feel to an overarching storyline, and there are hints of it here. I'm interested to see where this is going.
The art is filled with dark, dramatic shadows, which suits the story. It's not something I normally like much, but it makes sense here.
And that's the main point of 100 Bullets, putting a series of characters into that situation and giving them the choice. And being flawed people who are dealing with a dramatic revelation, they make flawed choices. Azzarello was good at that, making these people and their decisions believable. And since the storylines are short overall (2 or 3 issues each, in this trade) you won't be stuck with a story if you can't get into it. I do understand that the series eventually moves away from the anthology feel to an overarching storyline, and there are hints of it here. I'm interested to see where this is going.
The art is filled with dark, dramatic shadows, which suits the story. It's not something I normally like much, but it makes sense here.
August 14, 2019
I still hold to the four stars I gave this the first time I read it. I recently bought the whole series so felt the first installment deserved a reread before I dived in. It was a bit muddled. The idea is a good one, and especially topical right now.
Someone who has been horribly wronged is approached by Agent Graves, given a briefcase of irrefutable proof and a gun with 100 bullets. Untraceable. If the bullets are found at a crime scene the investigations stops. What would you do?
What the receiver of the gun and bullets would do and why is enough for a lot of volumes. I think the real story, however, is going to be who is this Graves.
Someone who has been horribly wronged is approached by Agent Graves, given a briefcase of irrefutable proof and a gun with 100 bullets. Untraceable. If the bullets are found at a crime scene the investigations stops. What would you do?
What the receiver of the gun and bullets would do and why is enough for a lot of volumes. I think the real story, however, is going to be who is this Graves.
June 27, 2014
The tale of a mysterious man who approaches people who have been wronged and gives them the chance to enact revenge with untraceable guns and 100 bullets, as well as hard evidence on the person who did them wrong and where they can be found. Interesting play of light and darkness as well as the play on the noir genre angles.
CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B minus to B; ARTWORK: B; STORY/PLOTTING: B minus to B; OVERALL GRADE: B minus to B; WHEN READ: end of January 2012.
CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B minus to B; ARTWORK: B; STORY/PLOTTING: B minus to B; OVERALL GRADE: B minus to B; WHEN READ: end of January 2012.
December 15, 2022
Very hardcore noir in a "Training Day" kind of way with an intriguing moral conundrum at its centre.
I'll likely seek out the next volumes in the series in the future.
I'll likely seek out the next volumes in the series in the future.
January 26, 2022
Great start! Loved the concept!
February 26, 2023
one of those rare story setups that are so good that you wish you were the one that thought of it. big compliment.
May 3, 2022
(Zero spoiler review for the omnibus this story arc collects) 4.75/5
I was really looking forward to this. I was holding this one back for a rainy day. One of those reads that you just know you're going to love, so you don't want to burn it too quickly. Once read, it can never again be read for the first time. Now, over the last year or so since its release, there were plenty of times I began to doubt Azarello's ability to deliver on this, for I've read some absolute stinkers from him. Though it wouldn't be the first time that someone was really good at writing a down and dirty crime noir, yet didn't have the chops to deliver, say, a long run on a female superhero...
But on to 100 Bullets. I know when I'm absolutely on board with a comic, when rather than read at my usual pace, I linger on panels, pages. I read things over and over again, not because they're ridiculous or don't make sense, but because they're so bloody good. Because I'm completely immersed in the story, or maybe because there is a rather fetching young lady featured on the page (and there are quite a few of those featured throughout).
I had minimal experience with Risso's artwork before this, although despite him being very much a love him or hate him type artist, I was instantly on board with his style. It suited the story and Azarello's writing down to a T. This only grew as the run continued, and the guy's chops and style improved. Some of the artwork and colouring in the final runs collected here were stunning, causing more of those lingering stares. And yeah, the guy knows how to draw a seedy, yet sexy looking woman, that's for sure.
Whilst a few issues towards the end certainly weren't as good as the opening salvo's, and the prevalence and quality of the dialogue wasn't as strong at the end of the book as the beginning, but nearly sixty issues of quality street level noir with the same artist is something I can't quite accurately describe how happy it makes me. If this didn't live up to my expectations, I would've been crushed. But thankfully, 100 Bullets is one of the greatest collections I've had the fortune to read thus far, and absolutely and unequivocally belongs on every respecting comic book fans shelf. If you've never read it, stop what ever you are doing (probably reading this review) and get it. When it goes OOP, can't imagine it will get a reprint anytime soon. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
I was really looking forward to this. I was holding this one back for a rainy day. One of those reads that you just know you're going to love, so you don't want to burn it too quickly. Once read, it can never again be read for the first time. Now, over the last year or so since its release, there were plenty of times I began to doubt Azarello's ability to deliver on this, for I've read some absolute stinkers from him. Though it wouldn't be the first time that someone was really good at writing a down and dirty crime noir, yet didn't have the chops to deliver, say, a long run on a female superhero...
But on to 100 Bullets. I know when I'm absolutely on board with a comic, when rather than read at my usual pace, I linger on panels, pages. I read things over and over again, not because they're ridiculous or don't make sense, but because they're so bloody good. Because I'm completely immersed in the story, or maybe because there is a rather fetching young lady featured on the page (and there are quite a few of those featured throughout).
I had minimal experience with Risso's artwork before this, although despite him being very much a love him or hate him type artist, I was instantly on board with his style. It suited the story and Azarello's writing down to a T. This only grew as the run continued, and the guy's chops and style improved. Some of the artwork and colouring in the final runs collected here were stunning, causing more of those lingering stares. And yeah, the guy knows how to draw a seedy, yet sexy looking woman, that's for sure.
Whilst a few issues towards the end certainly weren't as good as the opening salvo's, and the prevalence and quality of the dialogue wasn't as strong at the end of the book as the beginning, but nearly sixty issues of quality street level noir with the same artist is something I can't quite accurately describe how happy it makes me. If this didn't live up to my expectations, I would've been crushed. But thankfully, 100 Bullets is one of the greatest collections I've had the fortune to read thus far, and absolutely and unequivocally belongs on every respecting comic book fans shelf. If you've never read it, stop what ever you are doing (probably reading this review) and get it. When it goes OOP, can't imagine it will get a reprint anytime soon. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
January 30, 2023
I'm giving this one a low review because I want to warn people off the series.
It starts with a promising premise, a promise, if you will. Wait, that's not clever. I mean, it IS a combo of premise and promise, but those words are almost identical.
The premise is good: some guy comes to you, brings you a briefcase with a gun and 100 bullets in it, and a picture of someone who probably ruined your life. If you kill this bastard with the gun and the bullets, you'll face no legal consequences. If the bullets are found, you'll instantly be released, investigation stops, all that good stuff.
What do people do? What are the choices they make? What sorts of twisty, dark tea times of the soul do they cut the crusts off of grudge sandwiches for?
And it works. For maybe 2 volumes.
Then we get into WAY too much nonsense about secret societies and puppetmasters (not the little dolls with knife hands, the metaphoric kind that controls shit), and it's teased out SO SLOWLY that I can't get behind it.
Meanwhile, we pretty much forget the premise entirely. Because who cares about that, the most interesting part, the titular bullets? No, I'd rather read about some nonsense, like a dude driving a truck across the border, a junkie who is sad, a gambler who is down on his luck and has a weird mad-on for some guy he doesn't even know.
Then we get to volume 5, which is when I cashed in my chips. It's a hardboiled detective thing that is just...I found the Dixon Hill episodes of Star Trek: TNG more realistic, and those are about Captain Picard going on the holodeck and pretending he's a detective. And I hate the holodeck. Hate it. Why would you invent something that could possibly turn against you like that, and then just be like, "Yeah, fuck it, throw this on our scientific/military exploration vessel. Seems fine."
Plus, if I wanted to watch a terrible show about a detective, there's no shortage. I want to watch a mostly excellent, occasionally not-so-great episode of Star Trek, thank you very much.
My only critique of that show, beyond the holodeck, is that in "All Good Things" they should have jettisoned the holodeck with a hearty "Good Riddance," and maybe a speech from...I don't know, Data, about how simulations only serve to distract the crew from pursuing their real dreams.
It starts with a promising premise, a promise, if you will. Wait, that's not clever. I mean, it IS a combo of premise and promise, but those words are almost identical.
The premise is good: some guy comes to you, brings you a briefcase with a gun and 100 bullets in it, and a picture of someone who probably ruined your life. If you kill this bastard with the gun and the bullets, you'll face no legal consequences. If the bullets are found, you'll instantly be released, investigation stops, all that good stuff.
What do people do? What are the choices they make? What sorts of twisty, dark tea times of the soul do they cut the crusts off of grudge sandwiches for?
And it works. For maybe 2 volumes.
Then we get into WAY too much nonsense about secret societies and puppetmasters (not the little dolls with knife hands, the metaphoric kind that controls shit), and it's teased out SO SLOWLY that I can't get behind it.
Meanwhile, we pretty much forget the premise entirely. Because who cares about that, the most interesting part, the titular bullets? No, I'd rather read about some nonsense, like a dude driving a truck across the border, a junkie who is sad, a gambler who is down on his luck and has a weird mad-on for some guy he doesn't even know.
Then we get to volume 5, which is when I cashed in my chips. It's a hardboiled detective thing that is just...I found the Dixon Hill episodes of Star Trek: TNG more realistic, and those are about Captain Picard going on the holodeck and pretending he's a detective. And I hate the holodeck. Hate it. Why would you invent something that could possibly turn against you like that, and then just be like, "Yeah, fuck it, throw this on our scientific/military exploration vessel. Seems fine."
Plus, if I wanted to watch a terrible show about a detective, there's no shortage. I want to watch a mostly excellent, occasionally not-so-great episode of Star Trek, thank you very much.
My only critique of that show, beyond the holodeck, is that in "All Good Things" they should have jettisoned the holodeck with a hearty "Good Riddance," and maybe a speech from...I don't know, Data, about how simulations only serve to distract the crew from pursuing their real dreams.
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