What's It Feel Like To Be A Ghost? : 100 Bullets Thread

[Amordien]

I've asked around and apparently there are a few readers but no threads, so I've opted to create one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_bullets

http://www.100bullets.sevenpennynightmare.co.uk/100bullets.htm

For those who haven't read 100 Bullets and are into pulp and noir I suggest you get on it immediately. Excellent writing, beautiful artwork and brilliantly crafted characters you're bound to love or hate.

For the others who have, I just want to get insight and thoughts on things you all have noticed. I have a few theories I've thrown together in regards to who is making a fool of who, and I'm looking to possibly get a few extra viewpoints so I can look at things from other angles.

[orochizoolander]

Graves gave the people exactly what they wanted...and a lot of them were too stupid to take advantage of it. "OMGWTF really you can give my kids monies for teh college?"

lol. But yeah 100 bullets is plain awesome loved it.

[blackartsviper]

100 Bullets is far and a away has been my favorite comic book over the past five years (I came late). I bought the first collection, the accidentally bought the fifth book (the best one out of the TPBs) and I've never looked back. I own all of the collections and I was recently re-reading them last night. Hell I've said it to other people and I'll say it again: in terms of crime fiction, my Bullets love outpaces my love for the Sopranos (the Wire is superior to both though). I think it is better than Fables and the now completed Y the Last Man. It sucks that it is going to end soon. I'll miss it and it deserves all of the props it receives. Oh yeah: Kobe, Samuel L Jackson, and Method Man are fans of 100 Bullets as well. They know whats up. :smokin:

[Zephyranthes]

I think right now, Hang Up on the Hang Low is my favorite story... That's one that I've read several times already, just for sheer enjoyment.

I'm behind on my reading. I think I've only read up to the ninth TRADE, BABY, although I have the tenth and eleventh volumes on my shelf. I've been meaning to reread the whole thing one of these weeks. The story's just so layered and complicated and packed with characters and subplots that my feeble mind can't handle it all in just one reading. And it's been a year or two since I read the ninth volume. I got to take a refresher course.

I'm gonna try and track down Jonny Double, too. (Azzarello and Risso's first team-up.)

[Amordien]

I think right now, Hang Up on the Hang Low is my favorite story... That's one that I've read several times already, just for sheer enjoyment.

I'm behind on my reading. I think I've only read up to the ninth TRADE, BABY, although I have the tenth and eleventh volumes on my shelf. I've been meaning to reread the whole thing one of these weeks. The story's just so layered and complicated and packed with characters and subplots that my feeble mind can't handle it all in just one reading. And it's been a year or two since I read the ninth volume. I got to take a refresher course.

I'm gonna try and track down Jonny Double, too. (Azzarello and Risso's first team-up.)

You are missing some phenomenal shit, my friend. Man.... "Coda Smoke" from The Hard Way and the entire "Punch Line" arc in Once Upon a Crime broke my heart. We lost some people there I never wanted to lose. Once you read Once... let me know what you've picked up on or things you're noticing. I don't want to spoil anything should my hunches be correct, and signs are quickly pointing to "Yes".

The twelfth trade ("Dirty") is about to come out at the end of this month. I had been joking with my wife and a few friends about this series having thirteen trades when all is said and done, but now I see it's coming true. Cute.

[Sheng-Long]

I can't believe I've been following this for several years of my life now and its about to wrap up. I stopped reading Fables 2 years ago and Hellblazer last year so this is pretty much the only Vertigo I still follow. Might have to checkout the other titles after this.

100 Bullets is probably the only title that I will HAVE to read again when it wraps up. Last few issues are insane! Philip Graves is really living up to his name with this entire clusterfuck of a situation. Eduardo Risso's art and storytelling has improved tremendously too (I'm gonna cop that style for my own).

[Amordien]

100 Bullets is probably the only title that I will HAVE to read again when it wraps up. Last few issues are insane! Philip Graves is really living up to his name with this entire clusterfuck of a situation. Eduardo Risso's art and storytelling has improved tremendously too (I'm gonna cop that style for my own).

How do I do a damn spoiler cut? I have a long ass spiel to drop about Graves. This son of a bitch is a lot smarter than anyone else has given him credit for.

[Z!M]

ah hell yeah about time 100 bullets got its own thread!!

best story line to me by far is the hard way TPB. wylie pulls some crazy shit at the anwar mansion with throwing the gas can up in the air and blowing it sky high!!

that and what happend to Gabe was some messed up stuff. they took the only thing in the world he had going for him. the panel where wylie tells him to picture where he wants to be just broke my heart.

[maelstrom218]

I'm not a fan. I will admit that it's fairly decent. It's just not my cup of tea, and I don't like it.

The thing is, it doesn't focus on characters long enough for any kind of emotional attachment to develop. Yeah, there's recurring characters like Dizzy and Graves, but after 7 volumes later, there's still no clear indication as to what the hell's going on.

Sandman followed the same general means of plot delivery, but at least with that, Morpheus was the common link between all of those different stories. And which each story, it revealed a little bit more about his character/flaws/history. 100 Bullets has no focal point, and no central character to care about, so it falls apart at times.

And 100 Bullets suffers from LOST syndrome. They keep on raising new characters and new questions, and nothing really gets answered. It's frustrating. I mean

we know that the Minutemen consisting of Graves plus a few other people refused orders from crazy powerful crime syndicate who happened to be their boss. We know that a few Minutemen survived with the aid of deliberate memory suppression. We know the Minutemen are badass. We know that Graves' "game" is meant to satisfy his odd sense of justice and serve as a recruitment tool. But--and here's the kicker--there's no clear reason why I should care. Or what any of this means. Or what the context is. Too many damn questions, no answers.
The only story that I really enjoyed thus far was the one with the Private Investigator who was unraveling some crime at the behest of a mysterious woman. That story was amazing--it was pulp crime fiction at its best, with amazing dialogue and shades of Dashiell Hammet. I would buy that volume for that story alone.

[orochizoolander]

I'm not a fan. I will admit that it's fairly decent. It's just not my cup of tea, and I don't like it.

The thing is, it doesn't focus on characters long enough for any kind of emotional attachment to develop. Yeah, there's recurring characters like Dizzy and Graves, but after 7 volumes later, there's still no clear indication as to what the hell's going on.

Sandman followed the same general means of plot delivery, but at least with that, Morpheus was the common link between all of those different stories. And which each story, it revealed a little bit more about his character/flaws/history. 100 Bullets has no focal point, and no central character to care about, so it falls apart at times.

And 100 Bullets suffers from LOST syndrome. They keep on raising new characters and new questions, and nothing really gets answered. It's frustrating. I mean


You're just not paying attention or reading between the lines. There is alot going on and you just don't seem to get the idea.

<3 100 bullets. Azarello is a king of weaving layer upon layer!

[Amordien]

Preview from issue 95 is up. If you haven't read 90 and up, I wouldn't advise looking at these.

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/comics/column808/100951.JPG

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/comics/column808/100952.JPG

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/comics/column808/100953.JPG

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/comics/column808/100954.JPG

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/comics/column808/100955.JPG

http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/comics/column808/100956.JPG

(I hope Vic is there to do what I hope he's there to do...)

[HeaT]

so how many TBP are left??? #12 is supposed to come out this month...will that be the last one or there is still one more??? just asking because i was not aware that it was coming to an end!!!

im outi

Roberth

ps...ya this series is absolutley amazing!!!

[Amordien]

so how many TBP are left??? #12 is supposed to come out this month...will that be the last one or there is still one more??? just asking because i was not aware that it was coming to an end!!!

im outi

Roberth

ps...ya this series is absolutley amazing!!!

100 Issues for 100 bullets, 13 Trades for 13 Members of the Trust. I like the way it's wrapping up.

[DingDangDoom]

shit... im on trade 11... only 2 left. I dont want it to end.

[Amordien]

Now that I've figured this shit out....

What are some thoughts as to Graves and his ultimate plan? We've already established in Sleep, Walker that he met in private with Vasco and Medici to form a triumvirate of sorts. I have a nice long theory on that I'll post later. We've seen that his loyalty doesn't exactly lie with the Minutemen. Think he wants a house of his own?

Don't read this if you haven't read the latest issue.

Anyone notice that any Minuteman who has ever displayed a form of dissent or failure has been put down? Milo, through his detective skills figured out about the triumvirate and how killing Trust members served to furthered Medici's power, only to get destroyed by Lono. Wylie caught on himself, and only moments before he could explain it to Cole got popped in the heart by Remi. Cole, angry with being Grave's "right hand" and being sent to do bitch work, defies his wishes, then gets his neck broken by Jack. Remi botches his job and Graves sends Vic to give him the business. As opposed to going out at the wish of Graves and defying Vengeance/Revenge for Wiley, Remi leaps off of the roof of his hospital and lands on a passer-by effectively killing his own brother at the same time, bringing forth the prophecy of Remi ruining his brother's life. Dizzy might have potentially taken out Lono, Lono might have potentially taken out Dizzy. Loop leaped off a cliff (and survived, but still) Everyone seems expendable.

So what is it that Graves has planned?

Also...cover for 98 is out.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/images/solicits/dccomics/200812/vert_ws/100B-Cv98.jpg

[thecarnalcorpse]

I've recently been turned on to noir through Ed Brubaker's Criminal, and I was thinking about picking up the first volume of this at my store.

[Amordien]

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/6291/100bullets12bx6.jpg

Dirty has been released.

[Amordien]

I've recently been turned on to noir through Ed Brubaker's Criminal, and I was thinking about picking up the first volume of this at my store.

Very VERY good series. I like the way it's going so far.

[thecarnalcorpse]

I actually went ahead and bought it, and I'm glad I did. I was tempted to pick up the latest issue right then, but knowing me I would have been tempted to read it. And judging by what you guys have said about reading between the lines and weaving layer upon layer, I don't wanna spoil the story. At first I didn't like the art work, but it has rapidly grown on me just after reading the first trade. I know the story goes deeper, but damn the initial plot with Graves offer of 100 untraceable bullets and how it ties into the title is just sick.

[Amordien]

I actually went ahead and bought it, and I'm glad I did. I was tempted to pick up the latest issue right then, but knowing me I would have been tempted to read it. And judging by what you guys have said about reading between the lines and weaving layer upon layer, I don't wanna spoil the story. At first I didn't like the art work, but it has rapidly grown on me just after reading the first trade. I know the story goes deeper, but damn the initial plot with Graves offer of 100 untraceable bullets and how it ties into the title is just sick.

:rofl: Just do a spoiler cut. I want to hear what others are thinking. You won't ruin anything. I'm on issue 95.

[thecarnalcorpse]

:rofl: Just do a spoiler cut. I want to hear what others are thinking. You won't ruin anything. I'm on issue 95.

No way, but I'm totally getting the second trade this Wednesday, provided my shop has it.

[Amordien]

No way, but I'm totally getting the second trade this Wednesday, provided my shop has it.

OH! You're only on the second on. Sorry, I read wrong.

[thecarnalcorpse]

OH! You're only on the second on. Sorry, I read wrong.

Not for long, this shit is like crack by the panel.

[thecarnalcorpse]

Okay, so last Wednesday I picked up Vol. 2-4, since my shop had a sick deal on trades, and wow. Maybe, I should have made a post for each trade, because in that time I've burned through all three. And now, my head is spinning with all the details, wondering if I missed something major.

So far, I've got a very basic understanding of what the Trust is, what the Minutemen were and what purpose they served. I guess the most confusing aspect so far is Mr. Sheperd and his relationship with Dizzy. I understand that he is an ex-Minuteman, and that he is currently employed by the Trust, but aside from that his meetings with Dizzy, Cole, Mr. Branch, and Benito confuse the hell out of me. Seems to me like his loyalty sways at the drop of a dime.

All of the stories so far have been amazing, but I'm particularly fond of the "Sell Fish & Out To Sea" arc, because it's surprise ending hearkened back to old EC comics stories.

[Zephyranthes]

I managed to find a copy Jonny Double at a used bookstore a couple of weeks ago. I finally read it last night. Thought it was pretty great. The artwork isn't as accomplished as what Risso's producing today, but it's still great. The story's about a P.I. getting involved in a heist gone wrong. Yeah, it's ten years old now but it still feels harder than most comics today that try to be gritty.

DC should really bring Jonny Double back for some more action. They could cash in on the crime comics/noir genre - and bring back the Human Target while they're at it.

[Amordien]

I managed to find a copy Jonny Double at a used bookstore a couple of weeks ago. I finally read it last night. Thought it was pretty great. The artwork isn't as accomplished as what Risso's producing today, but it's still great. The story's about a P.I. getting involved in a heist gone wrong. Yeah, it's ten years old now but it still feels harder than most comics today that try to be gritty.

DC should really bring Jonny Double back for some more action. They could cash in on the crime comics/noir genre - and bring back the Human Target while they're at it.

LOVED. Johnny Double. As for DC/Vertigo, they are bringing back the genre in a sense.

http://www.bookspotcentral.com/2008/07/news-dc-launches-vertigo-crime/

Okay, so last Wednesday I picked up Vol. 2-4, since my shop had a sick deal on trades, and wow. Maybe, I should have made a post for each trade, because in that time I've burned through all three. And now, my head is spinning with all the details, wondering if I missed something major.

So far, I've got a very basic understanding of what the Trust is, what the Minutemen were and what purpose they served. I guess the most confusing aspect so far is Mr. Sheperd and his relationship with Dizzy. I understand that he is an ex-Minuteman, and that he is currently employed by the Trust, but aside from that his meetings with Dizzy, Cole, Mr. Branch, and Benito confuse the hell out of me. Seems to me like his loyalty sways at the drop of a dime.

All of the stories so far have been amazing, but I'm particularly fond of the "Sell Fish & Out To Sea" arc, because it's surprise ending hearkened back to old EC comics stories.

Good to meet someone who read EC comics! I hardly even hear them mentioned. Wait until you pick up Counterfifth. Pure Dashiell Hammett/Pulp Noir throwback.

Feel free to ask about it. Trade by trade or issue by issue. People take different things and views from it and I'll gladly chop it up with you to see what you've come up with, as well as adding to it if I can.

[Carpet Lint]

Oh man I'm tripping, I just realized that all the names for the trades actually match up to the number of the trade.

#1 - First Shot, Last Call
#2 - Split Second Chance
#3 - Hang Up On The Hang Low (...?)
#4 - A Foregone Tomorrow
#5 - The Counterfifth Detective
#6 - Six Feet Under The Gun
#7 - (Seven) Samurai
#8 - The Hard Way (read: craps, rolling an 8)
#9 - Strychnine Lives
#10 - Decayed (Decade...?)
#11 - Once Upon A Crime (...?)
#12 - Dirty (Dozen)

...yeah, couldn't figure out 3, 10, or 11. So maybe not. Am I crazy here?

[Sheng-Long]

#3 - Hang Up On The Hang Low (...?)
#10 - Decayed (Decade...?)
#11 - Once Upon A Crime (...?)

...yeah, couldn't figure out 3, 10, or 11. So maybe not. Am I crazy here?

once is 11 in spanish (pronounced "on-sey" like in Ponce de Leon)

I have no idea what 3 is. It might be a gambling term, but I have never heard of something even close to that.

10 is definitely "decade"

EDIT:
I just checked wikipedia and there's no entry for this at all except they have a title for the upcoming 13th trade already called "Wilt". lol. Chamberlain's jersey number.

EDIT 2:
nm, reading comprehension/add, etc, etc.. lol there are entries on the Wiki about it now. Apparently 3rd was renamed from "Charmed".

[Zephyranthes]

Yeah, I think the third volume kept the title of the story of the issues because of an Eisner nomination. Someone in marketing probably thought it would be a good idea to roll with the original title so that all the pretentious Eisner Award Whores would know in which volume to find the story.

[Amordien]

Yeah, I think the third volume kept the title of the story of the issues because of an Eisner nomination. Someone in marketing probably thought it would be a good idea to roll with the original title so that all the pretentious Eisner Award Whores would know in which volume to find the story.

Yeah. It was initially named "The Charm"


EDIT:
I just checked wikipedia and there's no entry for this at all except they have a title for the upcoming 13th trade already called "Wilt". lol. Chamberlain's jersey number.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/1401222870/sr=1-2/qid=1224125524/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1224125524&sr=1-2

It's also for Wilt's 100 Point game in March 1962

Oh man I'm tripping, I just realized that all the names for the trades actually match up to the number of the trade.

#1 - First Shot, Last Call
#2 - Split Second Chance
#3 - Hang Up On The Hang Low (...?)
#4 - A Foregone Tomorrow
#5 - The Counterfifth Detective
#6 - Six Feet Under The Gun
#7 - (Seven) Samurai
#8 - The Hard Way (read: craps, rolling an 8)
#9 - Strychnine Lives
#10 - Decayed (Decade...?)
#11 - Once Upon A Crime (...?)
#12 - Dirty (Dozen)

...yeah, couldn't figure out 3, 10, or 11. So maybe not. Am I crazy here?

Nah. Not crazy at all. You've got it. :rofl:

[Carpet Lint]

Ah, what? This was all already in the Wikipedia entry? I'm a loser.

[Amordien]

Ah, what? This was all already in the Wikipedia entry? I'm a loser.

:rofl: You figured it out on your own. That's not stupid. You should be able to fish out the other tie-ins just as easily.

[thecarnalcorpse]

LOVED. Johnny Double. As for DC/Vertigo, they are bringing back the genre in a sense.

http://www.bookspotcentral.com/2008/07/news-dc-launches-vertigo-crime/



Good to meet someone who read EC comics! I hardly even hear them mentioned. Wait until you pick up Counterfifth. Pure Dashiell Hammett/Pulp Noir throwback.

Feel free to ask about it. Trade by trade or issue by issue. People take different things and views from it and I'll gladly chop it up with you to see what you've come up with, as well as adding to it if I can.

Fuck yeah, I read EC books! I might even go as far to say that it they were the greatest comic company in the history of ever. It doesn't matter if the plots to the stories were redundant, those guys had serious fucking talent. As far as The Counterfifth Detective, I was extremely satisfied. It's my favorite arc thus far, hands down...without a doubt, and all that jazz. Milo Garret was a fucking baller, and after reading it about three times I'm seriously craving some Raymond Chandler, despite having never read any of his work. ;/

[Zephyranthes]

Raymond Chandler kicks ass. The Long Goodbye is one of my favorite novels. Also, if you dig the hardboiled crime noir stuff, also check out Ross MacDonald's work. MacDonald isn't as famous as Chandler or Dashiell Hammett, but I think he is my favorite of the old-school hardboiled crime novelists. The Chill, The Galton Case, and The Goodbye Look are all amazing MacDonald books. And Brubaker will swear by him, too. Dude loves Ross MacDonald. (That's how I got turned on to MacDonald, actually. Met the Bru at a comic book store and he told me to. Simple as that.)

Speaking of whom, Brubaker and Michael Lark's Scene of the Crime is another Vertigo treasure. It's not as action-packed as Jonny Double or Azzarello's other stuff, but it definitely hearkens back to the classical Chandler/Hammett pulp style, with modern sensibilities.

Lark also did a wonderful adaptation of Chandler's The Little Sister.

http://www.amazon.com/LITTLE-SISTER-RAYMOND-CHANDLERS-ILLUSTRATED/dp/0684829339/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224643826&sr=8-2

Looks like it might be out of print, but it's a fantastic read. His art style is still more like his old Terminal City style, but you can see how it gets more realistic and evolves into the way he draws now. There are a lot of comics adaptations of novels that aren't all that, but The Little Sister is the truth.

[Amordien]

Fuck yeah, I read EC books! I might even go as far to say that it they were the greatest comic company in the history of ever. It doesn't matter if the plots to the stories were redundant, those guys had serious fucking talent. As far as The Counterfifth Detective, I was extremely satisfied. It's my favorite arc thus far, hands down...without a doubt, and all that jazz. Milo Garret was a fucking baller, and after reading it about three times I'm seriously craving some Raymond Chandler, despite having never read any of his work. ;/

You'll have to let me know what your thoughts are on "The Hard Way". What trades do you have?


Raymond Chandler kicks ass. The Long Goodbye is one of my favorite novels. Also, if you dig the hardboiled crime noir stuff, also check out Ross MacDonald's work. MacDonald isn't as famous as Chandler or Dashiell Hammett, but I think he is my favorite of the old-school hardboiled crime novelists. The Chill, The Galton Case, and The Goodbye Look are all amazing MacDonald books. And Brubaker will swear by him, too. Dude loves Ross MacDonald. (That's how I got turned on to MacDonald, actually. Met the Bru at a comic book store and he told me to. Simple as that.)

Speaking of whom, Brubaker and Michael Lark's Scene of the Crime is another Vertigo treasure. It's not as action-packed as Jonny Double or Azzarello's other stuff, but it definitely hearkens back to the classical Chandler/Hammett pulp style, with modern sensibilities.

Lark also did a wonderful adaptation of Chandler's The Little Sister.

http://www.amazon.com/LITTLE-SISTER-RAYMOND-CHANDLERS-ILLUSTRATED/dp/0684829339/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224643826&sr=8-2

Looks like it might be out of print, but it's a fantastic read. His art style is still more like his old Terminal City style, but you can see how it gets more realistic and evolves into the way he draws now. There are a lot of comics adaptations of novels that aren't all that, but The Little Sister is the truth.

Wow. Thanks for this! I had no idea these existed. My wife and I are going to love this. We've found a copy on ebay that we're snatching up.

[thecarnalcorpse]

Raymond Chandler kicks ass. The Long Goodbye is one of my favorite novels. Also, if you dig the hardboiled crime noir stuff, also check out Ross MacDonald's work. MacDonald isn't as famous as Chandler or Dashiell Hammett, but I think he is my favorite of the old-school hardboiled crime novelists. The Chill, The Galton Case, and The Goodbye Look are all amazing MacDonald books. And Brubaker will swear by him, too. Dude loves Ross MacDonald. (That's how I got turned on to MacDonald, actually. Met the Bru at a comic book store and he told me to. Simple as that.)

As soon as I get more monies, will do. I think I want to start with the Big Sleep since it was his first novel in that particular series, just for the simple fact that I'm an elitist.

Currently, I own vol. 1-5, but my store doesn't have vol. 6 or 7, and my bank is weak as shit.

[Amordien]

Cover for #97 (http://www.dccomics.com/media/product/1/0/10584_400x600.jpg)