Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 First class!! August 31, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Brian Azzarello deserves - certainly on the strength of this volume - to be considered in the same echelon as the top crime and noir thriller writers, living or dead. This is simply top-drawer storytelling, and even aside from the intrigue and byzantine plotting of The Trust and The Minutemen, this volume is compelling enough, just through the sad figure of the New Orleans horn player whose story will jar on the emotions of even the hardest-hearted literary thrillseekers.
This book is much more than 'Tarantino in softcover'. Do yourself a favour and read this series - before it get's the inevitable screen treatment; which - I warn you - will NEVER do full justice to Azzarello's work here.
Essential!
 Very, very cool January 18, 2005
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
100 BULLETS: FIRST SHOT, LAST CALL was cool and SPLIT SECOND CHANCE is just as good! In the first half we get a few more of Agent Graves' proposals and then in the second half things start coming together! Some questions get answered as to who Graves is, who he works for, why he has power and what his intentions are. Well, they aren't fully answered, but as characters like Dizzy come back into the story we start to get the sense of a bigger picture and things start to come together a bit. This book is a lot more complicated than FIRST SHOT, LAST CALL as we see start seeing how the wheels within wheels work, and the storyline throws up more surprises - and not just surprises that have a bearing on that particular storyline, but the whole series too. Its woven with craft and Azzarello shows that he is as adept at writing gripping individual stories, as he is at writing larger and more intricate ones.
The stories are all full of very colourful, very human and highly believable characters and its what makes the books so enjoyable. The plot is excellent, but we can also relate to these characters - we can understand their pain, plight and temptation, and thats what makes it so engaging. The art is creative, evocative and captures the characters' personalities well. It also gives a wonderful gangster-noir atmosphere to the book and drives the story along very smoothly. If you like crime, noir or gangster stories then you should like this; don't even bother watching any of the movies or tv programs out there... ...just pick up your attaché of 100 BULLETS.
 didnt like it. July 2, 2004
1 out of 60 found this review helpful
so, this is the fourth book in the series, art work is about as creative as a 3 year old on steroids.
but it fits in perfectly with the storyline which seems as though it was thought up by a person with autism.
so in a nutshell, i thought it was an extremely poor comic book. was very dissappointed.
excellent noir graphic novel December 17, 2003
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is an excellent graphic novel. The cover is eye-catching and intriguing and carries the feel of the 30s and 40s movie posters- which the book is in many ways: true noir for the 21st century.This is the first 100 Bullets collection I've read: it is a tremendous read. I've read other works by Brian Azarello (Cage, Banner) and this shares the hallmarks of those: his writing is crisp and the characterization excellent. The dialogue of each character weighs up well with their personality and conflicts. The plot is inventive, particuarly good is the ongoing 100 Bullets theme: the `opportunity' of the briefcase and its eponymous contents. The main character is a devastating individual, tremendously focussed, self-sufficient and very dangerous- reminiscent of `Marv' in the `Sin City' series, but much more intelligent and not quite as good a fighter. The artwork is at first glance typical comic-book art and no great shakes, but a you get into the book the art works well and does support the film noir atmosphere perfectly: some of the stylization is excellent. Perhaps the effect would have been greater were the art to be in black and white, `Sin City' fashion. It works well none the less. Overall this is a great graphic novel and an absolute must to any fan of the crime thriller movies they don't seem to make any more. Intelligent, captivating and with good action- a great read: I just wish I got around to this series sooner!
I really do like 100 Bullets April 22, 2003
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I Like 100 Bullets.
Alot.This is the Fifth book and the series goes from strength to strength. Brian Azzarello writes strong stories that stand on their own but it is the depth of thought that goes into the ongoing storyline that is strong. As with many 100 Bullets story line this one will raise as many questions as it answers and keep the reader guessing. If there is any thing that detracts from the quality of the book is Risso artwork that is an aquired taste. Many of my friends who have read this book dislike it but I however really do like it and so that is why I gave this book 5 stars. It would be important to point out that this is the fifth book and for a new reader it would be advised to start with the first Trade paperback "First Shot, Last Call"
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