100 Bullets Review: Azzarello and Risso’s Crime Noir Masterclass
A review of 100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso — the Eisner-winning Vertigo crime noir that starts as an anthology and becomes a sprawling conspiracy epic.
By Web Admin
Give someone an untraceable gun, a hundred rounds, proof of who ruined their life, and legal immunity to use them. What do they do? That is the deceptively simple hook of 100 Bullets, and from it Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso built one of the greatest crime comics ever published. Released by DC’s mature-readers imprint Vertigo across 100 issues from 1999 to 2009, it won multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards and remains the gold standard for comics noir. This is our full 100 Bullets review.
What is 100 Bullets?
100 Bullets is a crime-noir series written by Brian Azzarello and drawn by Eduardo Risso, published by Vertigo from 1999 to 2009 across exactly 100 issues. The English collected editions come as 13 trade paperbacks (roughly US$15–20 each) or 5 deluxe “Book” hardcovers. The premise: a mysterious man named Agent Graves approaches ordinary people who have been wronged, hands them an attaché case containing a gun, one hundred untraceable bullets, and evidence of who wronged them — along with a guarantee that any crime committed with that gun will be untouchable by law. What each person does with that offer is where the story begins.
Content warning: this is hard-boiled crime
Be clear about the tone before you start. 100 Bullets is an adult, mature-readers title, and it earns that label. Expect graphic violence, murder, strong language, sexual content, drug use, and a pervasively bleak moral universe where almost no one is clean. It is noir in the truest sense — this is a world of betrayal and consequence, not heroics. If you want that, few books deliver it better; if you do not, this is your warning.
The structure: from anthology to epic
The genius of 100 Bullets is how it grows. The early arcs read like a crime anthology — self-contained stories about different people receiving Graves’ offer, each a tight morality tale about revenge and free will. But Azzarello is playing a long game. Gradually you realize these cases are connected, threads in a vast conspiracy involving a secret cabal called the Trust, their fallen enforcers the Minutemen, and Graves’ own hidden agenda. By the back half, the anthology has become a sprawling, operatic epic about power, loyalty, and betrayal, with payoffs seeded a hundred issues deep.
That slow transformation is also the book’s one real demand on the reader: you have to trust it. The first few volumes can feel like a loosely linked short-story collection, and it is easy to wonder where it is all heading. Stick with it and the design snaps into focus — those apparently standalone cases were never standalone, and the people you met in passing return as major players. Azzarello uses the gun-and-immunity premise as a lens on free will itself: given a guaranteed, consequence-free chance at revenge, who pulls the trigger, and what does that choice cost them? The answers vary from issue to issue, and the accumulation of them becomes a genuinely profound meditation on power, complicity, and the stories people tell themselves to justify what they do.
The dialogue: Azzarello’s ear for the street
Azzarello writes some of the sharpest dialogue in comics. His characters speak in a dense, slangy, double-meaning patter — full of puns, threats, and misdirection — that rewards close reading and often re-reading. It can take an issue or two to tune your ear to it, but once you do, the crackle of these conversations is a huge part of the pleasure. Nobody says exactly what they mean, and figuring out what they really mean is half the fun.
The art: Eduardo Risso is a master of noir
Eduardo Risso’s artwork is inseparable from the book’s greatness. His bold use of black shadow, dramatic angles, and expressive body language turns every page into pure cinema. Colorist Patricia Mulvihill’s moody palettes complete the effect. Risso can stage a quiet conversation and an explosive shootout with equal command, and his layouts guide your eye with total confidence. This is a masterclass in visual storytelling, and it won Risso multiple Eisners for good reason.
Look closely and you will notice how much of the storytelling happens in the gutters and the shadows. Risso hides clues in reflections, uses recurring visual motifs to link far-apart issues, and frequently lets a single silhouette or a spray of blood carry an entire beat that a lesser artist would spell out in dialogue. His character acting is superb too — you can read a betrayal in a shift of posture before a word is spoken. Paired with Azzarello’s layered scripts, the result is a book that genuinely rewards a second and third read, because the art was quietly telling you the truth all along.
The key players
- Agent Graves — the enigmatic man handing out guns and immunity, with an agenda of his own.
- The Minutemen — the Trust’s former enforcers, now scattered and hunted.
- Lono, Dizzy, and Cole — recurring players whose arcs anchor the larger saga.
- The Trust — the shadowy cabal of families who secretly run things.
Pros and cons
Pros
- A complete, tightly plotted 100-issue epic with a real ending
- Career-best noir art from Eduardo Risso
- Razor-sharp, layered dialogue that rewards re-reading
- Multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards
Cons
- Very violent and morally bleak — strictly for adults
- Slangy dialogue takes adjustment
- The sprawling conspiracy demands attentive reading
How 100 Bullets compares
If you are building a crime-comics shelf, here is where 100 Bullets sits among the other essentials.
| Title | Best for | Length | Approx. price | Finished? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Bullets | Sprawling noir conspiracy | 100 issues / 13 TPBs | ~US$18/TPB | Yes |
| Criminal | Self-contained noir stories | Multiple arcs | ~US$17/vol | Ongoing |
| Sin City | Pulpy black-and-white noir | 7 volumes | ~US$20/vol | Yes |
Crime fans should also read our best Vertigo comics and best crime noir comics guides, plus our Criminal review for another modern noir landmark.
Which edition should you buy?
There are two great ways to read the complete saga, plus a top-tier collector option.
| Edition | Collects | Approx. price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 paperback | Opening arcs | ~US$18 | Trying it out |
| Deluxe Book editions (HC) | ~20 issues each | ~US$40 | The premium read |
| 13-volume paperback set | All 100 issues | ~US$200 | Best value complete run |
The verdict
100 Bullets is the crime comic against which others are measured. It asks a great moral question, answers it a hundred different ways, and wraps everything into a conspiracy epic that pays off completely. The dialogue and moral bleakness make it a demanding read, but for anyone who loves noir it is close to essential. It sits at the very top of our best comic book runs and is a cornerstone of our crime coverage in the DC and Vertigo hub.
Frequently asked questions
Is 100 Bullets a complete story?
Yes. Azzarello and Risso planned it as a finite 100-issue saga, and it concludes with a definitive, fully resolved ending across those 100 issues.
Is 100 Bullets connected to superheroes?
No. It was published under DC’s mature-readers Vertigo imprint and is a standalone crime series with no connection to Batman, Superman, or the wider DC Universe.
Is 100 Bullets appropriate for teens?
No. It is an adults-only title with graphic violence, strong language, sexual content, and drug use. It is a mature-readers book through and through.
Where should I start with 100 Bullets?
Start with Volume 1, “First Shot, Last Call,” or the first deluxe hardcover. The early arcs work as an anthology before the larger conspiracy takes over.
Round out your noir shelf with our best standalone graphic novels guide, then set aside a long weekend, because once the conspiracy hooks you it does not let go.
