100 Bullets Vol. 8: The Hard Way

I've read through Volume 8 without writing a review. I've enjoyed every trade paperback volume, mind you, but last night, reading THE HARD WAY, I was blown away. It's that good! For those unfamiliar with the series, the title is the starting point: A man named Graves comes into the life of assorted characters with a briefcase containing a gun, bullets, an insightful and personalized dossier, and carte blanche to the case's receiver to do wht they see fit with the weapon and ammo--with full immunity. No cops. No prosecution. Full out "get away with it" revenge, if they want. The dossier gives the proof to the, "This is the person that done you wrong." The bullets and gun say: "Go kill em. You got the all clear." The targets of Mr. Graves particular attention may seem unconnected at first, but as the tale progresses, those lives--of those who live, anyway, through their tale--come to intertwine in with a deepening background story arc of epic proportions.It all starts to weave together. Before this volume, we've seen snatches of what is going on behind the scenes, the complex nature of what Mr Graves is involved with. It's a long historical thing with far-reaching consequences. There are powerful and wealthy families, secret vows, enforcers, backstabbings and betrayals, changes in system, and it can be headily confusing at first. In THE HARD WAY, we begin with a seemingly unrelated little criminal tale that has a seedy, anxious feel and serves as a wonderful set-up--a prologue, if you will, or a tone setter-- for what's to come. One character, who has served as a sort of narrator during the story, advises us that all good stories end in tears. We're about to find that out firsthand. The whole conspiracy theory set-up (including the hilarious Snapple theory in the initial bar scene) is a brilliant set-up to the uber-conspiracy theory that is the next, meatier tale. We move into a story that gives us the past and the core of Wylie and his woe (and it's BAAAAAAAAAAAAD GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD stuff). Wylie's been in previous volumes. Set in New Orleans for a good chunk and including some interesting secondary characters (but everything is woven together gorgeously, viciously, movingly, bloodily, tragically), we finally learn the background of the Minutemen and the deeper significance of the important term Croatoan. The twists are just too good to even mildly spoil. So, no hints and no more plot info. Just get ready to get your throat clenched and head whiplashed around by a story that just gets darker and wilder and better. Man, I'm impressed. Not just by the story. I've been loving the visuals of this all along, and in this one, visuals and story seem to continue that amazing coherence and slickness. It's potent stuff. I'm so glad I have Vol 9 and 10 to read today. :) Mir

After teasing readers for 50 issues, creators Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso finally reveal the origin of the Trust and the Minutemen. From there, the volume tells the story of Minuteman Wylie Times, a man who has lost everything he ever loved and simply doesn't care anymore. When Wylie is reactivated by Agent Graves and remembers his dark, tragic past as a killer, his world begins to fall apart even more than it already has, forcing him into action. Wylie's story is truly heartbreaking, the best yet of all the Minutemen. Although capable of extreme violence, Wylie has a heart of gold and a strong sense of right and wrong. Loyal to his friends and his code, Wylie is a tragic character, unable to forgive himself for one terrible act he committed long ago. "The Hard Way" also features a character by the name of Gabe. A short, disfigured jazz trumpeter, Gabe just wants to be treated with a little respect. He provides the story's heart and what happens to him both drives the volume's final act and tears at the reader's heart strings. 100 Bullets is an original modern crime epic like no other. The series' many conspiracies and unique characterization set it atop the list of Vertigo's current titles. Azzarello's knack for witty dialogue and Risso's inventive artwork make this series an irresistible read, rife with mystery and intrigue. "The Hard Way" is 100 Bullets' strongest storyline and the rest of the series comes just as highly recommended.

Brian Azzarello, 100 Bullets: The Hard Way (Vertigo, 2005) Every time I pick up another Brian Azzarello book, I finish it thinking "there's no way he can top that." And, so far, every time I've been proven wrong. The Hard Way takes us into the second half of Azzarello's epic 100 Bullets, and it contains his finest creation to date: Gabe, a little man with a very big trumpet. Gabe is not a main character, but he ends up being, from the standpoint of the book's quality, its most important asset. What the book is actually about is the mission given to Wylie Times at the end of Book 6, the one that caused every 100 Bullets reader's jaw to hit the carpet. This mission puts Wylie back into close contact with Dizzy, and much of the book's pace comes from the back-and-forth between the two of them, the secrets they need to keep from one another, what they choose to reveal, and the times in which they find themselves forced into partnership. Gabe is just a part of the scenery, most of the time, a kid who finds himself in a complex relationship with Wylie, the only person who ever stood up for him. The first three-quarters of the book is setup; as with all of 100 Bullets, though, the setup is always fun, as Azzarello is capable of keeping the reader interested with a minimum of verbiage, letting Eduardo Risso's wonderful artwork do much of the talking. Then, once the dominoes are set up, Azzarello gives them a nudge, and everything comes toppling down in a design that looks nothing like what you expect it to-- but that ties everything up anyway. The Hard Way is more than just an installment in a series of graphic novels (or comic books, depending). Where 100 Bullets has often been passed off as a genre noir title-- and in a number of cases, it's simply been satisfied to rise to that level and float-- The Hard Way transcends both graphic novel-dom and noir, in the same way Watchmen or the best issues of Love and Rockets did. The Hard Way is good, solid literature. There are a number of excellent entry points into the world if graphic novels, if you've dismissed them as "just comics" up to this point; while I'm not sure 100 Bullets is one of them (because of the series' weaker volumes), once you've got a few Watchmens, Sandmans, and Preachers, under your belt, tackle 100 Bullets. When you get to The Hard Way, you'll be able to experience it in all its glory. I envy you the chance to experience it for the first time. **** ½

this title basicly summs it up, what is it like beeing a minutman. and here we are...holding in our hands so far azzarelo's best piece of work! the story of most tragic minutman wylie Times and his confrontation with his past, with his decisions and with his teacher, mentor, father's figure - Agent Shepard. the story is split into several time frames and jumps from one to another with such a cinematic simplicity. This book is definetly for readers that are already familiar with 100 bullets mythology. This book is one of those that keeps you thinkink about it days after reading it,and makes long months between 100 bullets trades even longer.

Collecting issues 50 - 58 of 100 Bullets, The Hard Way solves the Wylie Times plot. After given one of the famous guns and briefcases from Agent Graves, Wylie was told to kill Agent Shepherd. Additionally, by the end of the book, two of the Minute Men sleeper agents are activated. If you've been following the books, you already know the characters, although you may not know who they are. As always, the writing is top notch. The characters are developed in layers and the plot continues to unfold as everything falls into place. I'd like to go more in depth into reviewing this, however, it's difficult to explain to someone unfamiliar with the series and those that are familiar with the series aren't going to want the details of the stories from me. They're going to buy the book, regardless of what I say. Because it's that damn good. If you're unfamiliar with the series, but are a fan of comics with great stories, this is something you can sink your teeth into, but you'd do best to start from the beginning.