{"id":3839,"date":"2009-08-13T06:00:56","date_gmt":"2009-08-13T06:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=3839"},"modified":"2009-08-13T21:21:03","modified_gmt":"2009-08-13T21:21:03","slug":"3839","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2009\/08\/13\/3839\/","title":{"rendered":"100 Bullets: Hang Up on the Hang Low"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nBy Brian Azzarello<\/strong> & Eduardo Risso<\/strong> (Vertigo)
\nISBN: 1-84023-361-3<\/p>\n

The best crime comic in decades oh-so-slowly begins transforming itself into the best conspiracy thriller in the business with this third volume (collecting issues 15-19# of the monthly comic book) as further hints about The Trust and their unique police squad The Minutemen slip out during the dark, bleak story of Louis “Loop” Hughes, a young street tough swiftly going the way of most of his class and race in the streets of Philadelphia… at least until the impeccable Agent Graves turns up with an untraceable gun, one hundred bullets and an ironclad guarantee of no repercussions.<\/p>\n

Graves also knows exactly where Loop’s father has been for the embittered kid’s entire life, although he’s only telling about the last few years…<\/p>\n

Curtis Hughes collects debts for one of the nastiest old loan-sharks in Philly. The broken down old leg-breaker has been around and seen it all, but he wasn’t expecting a street punk to stick one of those<\/em><\/strong> guns in his face – and certainly not the son he abandoned all those years ago.<\/p>\n

Against the odds he reconciles with his son and starts teaching him business and life; but once family duty and work allegiances come into conflict, there’s only ever one outcome. And just how does Curtis know about Graves and the Minutemen?<\/p>\n

This tense, bleak drama has as much resonance as The Wire<\/strong> and more punch than Goodfellas<\/strong> as it weaves a tragic tale of family, disillusionment and overwhelming necessity, and though readers of the original comic-books didn’t know it, laid much of the groundwork for the “Big Reveals” to come. Pay especial attention to the epilogue where Loop meets up with the brutal force of nature called “Lono”…<\/p>\n

Astoundingly accessible and readable in its own right, this impressive, gripping yarn is another subtle step up on a path of intricate mystery and intrigue, and one no fiction-fan (grown-up, paid-up and immune to harsh language and rude behaviour) could resist… nor should you.<\/p>\n