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Moonshine
Moonshine, Vol. 1
THE FIRST VOLUME OF THE NEW ON-GOING SERIES
From writer, BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist, EDUARDO RISSO ― the Eisner award-winning creative team behind the crime classic, 100 Bullets ― comes a brutal new series!
Set during Prohibition, and deep in the backwoods of Appalachia, MOONSHINE #1 tells the story of LOU PIRLO, a city-slick "torpedo" sent from New York City to negotiate a deal with the best moonshiner in West Virginia, one HIRAM HOLT. Lou figures it for milk run -- how hard could it be to set-up moonshine shipments from a few ass-backward hillbillies? What Lou doesn't figure on is that Holt is just as cunning as ruthless as any NYC crime boss and Lou is in way over his pin-striped head. Because not only will Holt do anything to protect his illicit booze operation, he'll stop at nothing to protect a much darker family secret...a bloody, supernatural secret that must never see the light of day...or better still, the light of the full moon.
Volume one of MOONSHINE reunites the acclaimed creative team that defined modern crime comics with 100 Bullets...and now puts a horror-twist on a classic gangster tale!
Collects Issues 1-6
From writer, BRIAN AZZARELLO and artist, EDUARDO RISSO ― the Eisner award-winning creative team behind the crime classic, 100 Bullets ― comes a brutal new series!
Set during Prohibition, and deep in the backwoods of Appalachia, MOONSHINE #1 tells the story of LOU PIRLO, a city-slick "torpedo" sent from New York City to negotiate a deal with the best moonshiner in West Virginia, one HIRAM HOLT. Lou figures it for milk run -- how hard could it be to set-up moonshine shipments from a few ass-backward hillbillies? What Lou doesn't figure on is that Holt is just as cunning as ruthless as any NYC crime boss and Lou is in way over his pin-striped head. Because not only will Holt do anything to protect his illicit booze operation, he'll stop at nothing to protect a much darker family secret...a bloody, supernatural secret that must never see the light of day...or better still, the light of the full moon.
Volume one of MOONSHINE reunites the acclaimed creative team that defined modern crime comics with 100 Bullets...and now puts a horror-twist on a classic gangster tale!
Collects Issues 1-6
144 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2017
14 people are currently reading
1023 people want to read
About the author
Brian Azzarello
1,288 books1,105 followersBrian Azzarello (born in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo. He and Argentine artist Eduardo Risso, with whom Azzarello first worked on Jonny Double, won the 2001 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story for 100 Bullets #15–18: "Hang Up on the Hang Low".
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
March 31, 2017
Prohibition-era America and the mob grows rich bootlegging illegal hooch for the thirsty populace. Up in the Appalachian Mountains, Hiram Holt brews the best damn ‘shine in the States and Joe Masseira, mob boss of Noo Yawk, wants to sell it - but Holt ain’t interested. So Joe sends Lou Pirlo to convince him to do business with him… it’s eye-talian gangsters vs yee-hawin’ hillbillies in Moonshine! Also, werewolves.
The 100 Bullets creative team of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso reunite for their first Image series and I’ll give them this: Moonshine was the first werewolf comic I’ve read that didn’t suck! But it’s also not that great either.
The problem is that the core concept doesn’t bear much fruit. After some back and forth it comes down to criminals shooting criminals which isn’t a very imaginative development of the plot. The werewolf element turns out to be incidental, almost unnecessary, and seems to be there to act as a double entendre for the title rather than serve as a key component of the story.
It doesn’t help either that the characters are all stereotypes. The mob guys are all Italian caricatures – everyone says “capiche” and one dude’s even called Fat Tony! - while the hillbillies are country ass country boys, black people are portrayed as magic and the werewolves are like werewolves you’ve seen anywhere else.
Eduardo Risso’s art is as beautiful as it’s ever been: noirish, sharp, and vividly coloured. I enjoyed it as much as I have in other books but he’s not doing anything different or taking any chances with his style. Still, it’s solid, high quality work.
Disappointingly, given the calibre of the creative team, Moonshine, Volume 1 was underwhelming. The art is great and it’s not badly written despite the lazy characterisation. I wouldn’t say I was gripped as the story felt a bit too thin and underwritten though I was interested enough to keep reading. There’s enough going on to keep you going and the story has potential, it just isn’t realised in this first book.
The 100 Bullets creative team of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso reunite for their first Image series and I’ll give them this: Moonshine was the first werewolf comic I’ve read that didn’t suck! But it’s also not that great either.
The problem is that the core concept doesn’t bear much fruit. After some back and forth it comes down to criminals shooting criminals which isn’t a very imaginative development of the plot. The werewolf element turns out to be incidental, almost unnecessary, and seems to be there to act as a double entendre for the title rather than serve as a key component of the story.
It doesn’t help either that the characters are all stereotypes. The mob guys are all Italian caricatures – everyone says “capiche” and one dude’s even called Fat Tony! - while the hillbillies are country ass country boys, black people are portrayed as magic and the werewolves are like werewolves you’ve seen anywhere else.
Eduardo Risso’s art is as beautiful as it’s ever been: noirish, sharp, and vividly coloured. I enjoyed it as much as I have in other books but he’s not doing anything different or taking any chances with his style. Still, it’s solid, high quality work.
Disappointingly, given the calibre of the creative team, Moonshine, Volume 1 was underwhelming. The art is great and it’s not badly written despite the lazy characterisation. I wouldn’t say I was gripped as the story felt a bit too thin and underwritten though I was interested enough to keep reading. There’s enough going on to keep you going and the story has potential, it just isn’t realised in this first book.
November 10, 2023
Damn fine noir, southern gothic, and supernatural horror, following mobsters and hillbillies in Prohibition-era Appalachia. And Azzarello strikes a great, uncanny balance between these elements.
Eduardo Risso’s illustrations have a real masterful subtly to them, using bold silhouettes, white space, and lighting to incredible effect. It's like every other page could be a cover.
March 30, 2017
Moonshine is a new comic by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, the creative team behind the classic Vertigo series 100 Bullets. And it's kind of a mess.
The main problem with this comic is that it lacks focus. Is it a story about mobsters during prohibition era? A rural gothic about moonshiners? A supernatural story about werewolves and witches? A noir about an alcoholic dude who suffers from memory loss? A commentary on racism? It tries to be all of those things, and it doesn't succeed in any of them.
The main character, Lou whatshisname, is a one-dimensional crook who is so boring that by the last issue, he's practically absent from the story. His mob gang from New York is no better, their stereotypical portrayal is so bad, one of them's actually called Fat Tony. Yep, like that guy from the Simpsons. The magic/werewolf story is just laughably ridiculous and feels out of place in an otherwise realistic setting. And then there are the moonshiners. This is actually the most promising storyline in the book, but just like the others, so far it doesn't really go anywhere.
Risso's art looks pretty unremarkable, especially compared to his and Paul Dini's recent success, Dark Night: A True Batman Story, which was beautiful. In Moonshine, it's probably the color palette, which is mostly drab yellows and browns. It is fitting for the setting, but not very exciting to look at, as you can imagine.
Overall, Moonshine Volume 1 was a disappointment. Don't expect another 100 Bullets from this one.
The main problem with this comic is that it lacks focus. Is it a story about mobsters during prohibition era? A rural gothic about moonshiners? A supernatural story about werewolves and witches? A noir about an alcoholic dude who suffers from memory loss? A commentary on racism? It tries to be all of those things, and it doesn't succeed in any of them.
The main character, Lou whatshisname, is a one-dimensional crook who is so boring that by the last issue, he's practically absent from the story. His mob gang from New York is no better, their stereotypical portrayal is so bad, one of them's actually called Fat Tony. Yep, like that guy from the Simpsons. The magic/werewolf story is just laughably ridiculous and feels out of place in an otherwise realistic setting. And then there are the moonshiners. This is actually the most promising storyline in the book, but just like the others, so far it doesn't really go anywhere.
Risso's art looks pretty unremarkable, especially compared to his and Paul Dini's recent success, Dark Night: A True Batman Story, which was beautiful. In Moonshine, it's probably the color palette, which is mostly drab yellows and browns. It is fitting for the setting, but not very exciting to look at, as you can imagine.
Overall, Moonshine Volume 1 was a disappointment. Don't expect another 100 Bullets from this one.
October 18, 2025
It seemed a good idea at the time: a spooky comic for my October list, from the authors of the 100 Bullets series. Rural West Virginia in 1929, with a local redneck family manufacturing high quality booze and a New York crime family trying to move in with an offer they cannot refuse.
Handsome Lou Pirlo, a henchman with a troubled past and a drinking problem, is sent down from the big city to seal the deal. Hiram Holt, the patriarch of the Appalachian clan, doesn’t like anybody moving in on his territory, but he might have some traitors among his own family.
Lou Pirlo finds himself in the middle of a brutal gang war, machine guns and axes and double crossings everywhere. But he has some consolation prizes, in the shapely forms of Tempest, an orphan young woman adopted by the Holts, and Delia, a smokingly hot mulatto who dabbles in voodoo.
Pirlo’s main problem is that he likes to get drunk almost daily and he can’t remember anything he did the next day, while the number of heavily mutilated corpses he leaves behind grows steadily from one issue to the next. The ghosts he keeps talking to in his waking hours are not helping much with his sanity.
Who is the real monster in this story?
>>><<<>>><<<
This review covers the whole run of the Moonshine comic, five violence filled albums that I can’t be bothered to review individually.
While Eduardo Risso does a decent job with the graphic panels – strong if rushed lines and heavy use of primary colors, Brian Azzarello is missing the writing mark by a long mile.
The storyline is confusing and fragmented, with dozens of small time actors introduced abruptly and with minimal backstories. When he runs out of ideas, the writer resorts to extensive use of blood splatters and scattered entrails, broken limbs and crushed skulls, alternating with gratuitous nudity scenes.
There are some scenes that work a little better, some background stories in a Mississippi prison chain gang, in New Orleans, Cincinnati or the New York club scene, some guest star appearances from Elliott Ness and others, but, time after time, the series returns to its recipe of blood, guts and sex in what I consider a cynical manner – no need to tell a story when we can fill the album with page after page of gore.
The mythical monster who takes on the urban and hillbilly monsters of the Prohibition era is a cool idea on paper, but it failed to convince me in execution. The series has enough fans without me, anyway.
May 28, 2017
A New York gangster (Handsome Lou) is sent to make a deal with a hillbilly (Hiram) who makes the best moonshine. Hiram wants no part of it and keeps trying to scare Lou off. At least once an issue Lou wakes up from a blackout drunk and doesn't know what happened the night before. More than once he wakes up with bodies all around him that have been ripped apart. That's where the werewolf part of the story comes in.
Azzarello's characters are all lazy stereotyped mobsters and hillbillies. The story is often muddled and I didn't really know why things were happening more than once. Really the only thing that kept me reading is Eduardo Risso's art. It's dark and moody and Risso is a master of using shadows. But honestly, the story was bad enough that I don't really much care what happens in the next volume.
Received an advance copy from Image and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Azzarello's characters are all lazy stereotyped mobsters and hillbillies. The story is often muddled and I didn't really know why things were happening more than once. Really the only thing that kept me reading is Eduardo Risso's art. It's dark and moody and Risso is a master of using shadows. But honestly, the story was bad enough that I don't really much care what happens in the next volume.
Received an advance copy from Image and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
October 9, 2021
What if "Road to Perdition" had a child with SK's "Cycle of the Werewolf"? Well it would be "Moonshine". The title is a play on words as it refers not only to booze but to the effects of the moon on lycanthropes.
Lou Prilo is a gangster. He has been sent out to the hollows of West Virginia to find a moonshiner named Holt. Holt's shine is superb and NYC mafia wants a chokehold on the supply. Unfortunately, there is much more to Holt than just moonshine. Something that Lou finds out much to his regret.
A good mix of crime noir and pulp horror. The art works well for the story and the setting is appropriately creepy. A nice first issue in what I hope will be a good series.
Lou Prilo is a gangster. He has been sent out to the hollows of West Virginia to find a moonshiner named Holt. Holt's shine is superb and NYC mafia wants a chokehold on the supply. Unfortunately, there is much more to Holt than just moonshine. Something that Lou finds out much to his regret.
A good mix of crime noir and pulp horror. The art works well for the story and the setting is appropriately creepy. A nice first issue in what I hope will be a good series.
March 10, 2018
Dont really know what I just read. The story just didnt know what it wanted to be, gangster or supernatural or mystery. I think this part ( also plot) was just too disjointed. The characters also werent overly interesting and the art seemed to make them all look too similar. Hopefully Vol 2 can rescue this.
July 23, 2017
I received this from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Not sure what I just read. The first issue seemed to be about a liquor deal during prohibition between a New York gangster and a hillbilly moonshiner. After that, the story went off the rails, and was extremely hard to follow. The artwork didn't help either.
I don't think I'll continue this series.
Not sure what I just read. The first issue seemed to be about a liquor deal during prohibition between a New York gangster and a hillbilly moonshiner. After that, the story went off the rails, and was extremely hard to follow. The artwork didn't help either.
I don't think I'll continue this series.
January 27, 2019
3.5 Stars.
This one is different to say the least. At its heart, we have a cool Prohibition era crime story. A New York gangster is sent down to Appalachia to recruit a local whiskey brewer for exclusive distribution of his product. When the whiskey maker doesn't agree to the deal, more muscle is sent down to persuade him. However, they never counted on werewolves, or witches for that matter.
This one is set in 1929 and is almost like The Untouchables with the Supernatural thrown in. I read the entire 100 Bullets series which is by the same creative team as this series. Sadly, 100 Bullets mainly left me confused and scratching my head, and I see this series has the potential to do the same. So far I haven't gotten lost, but the story has been treading on the edge of confusion. There are some questions that need to be answered, and hopefully they will be in later volumes.
Overall though, if you like Azzarello and/or Risso, crime comics, or horror comics, this one might be worth checking out.
This one is different to say the least. At its heart, we have a cool Prohibition era crime story. A New York gangster is sent down to Appalachia to recruit a local whiskey brewer for exclusive distribution of his product. When the whiskey maker doesn't agree to the deal, more muscle is sent down to persuade him. However, they never counted on werewolves, or witches for that matter.
This one is set in 1929 and is almost like The Untouchables with the Supernatural thrown in. I read the entire 100 Bullets series which is by the same creative team as this series. Sadly, 100 Bullets mainly left me confused and scratching my head, and I see this series has the potential to do the same. So far I haven't gotten lost, but the story has been treading on the edge of confusion. There are some questions that need to be answered, and hopefully they will be in later volumes.
Overall though, if you like Azzarello and/or Risso, crime comics, or horror comics, this one might be worth checking out.
August 26, 2023
A Prohibition-era New York mob boss decides he wants a certain Appalachian moonshiner's product and sends an underling to make the man an offer he can't refuse. Things get complicated when the moonshiner's clan turns out to be lycanthropic.
It's a great plot. What could have been a generic gangster-war story becomes something more. The supernatural element is understated and the protagonist is interesting. We see just enough of his history to make him an actual character (as opposed to a mere point-of-view device).
But a lot of promising plot threads (unexplained memory loss, encounters with a poor black community, hints of witchcraft, a mysterious lawman) just sort of evaporate. I hope that's due to long term thinking rather than unfocused writing.
I can't decide how I feel about Risso's illustration work. It's beautiful, and the colors and mood are perfect, but the action panels look static and the extended, violent climax was muddled. There were times when I couldn't tell the suited mafia goons from the coveralled hillbilly goons. Which is absurd.
Volume one is solid, and I'm looking forward to the next one, but I wanted and expected better.
----------------------------
SECOND READ
Hm. The protag doesn't have much in the way of agency, he just gets bounced from situation to situation like a ping pong ball in a washing machine. I think the things I liked about Moonshine have more to do with its potential than its actuality.
It's a great plot. What could have been a generic gangster-war story becomes something more. The supernatural element is understated and the protagonist is interesting. We see just enough of his history to make him an actual character (as opposed to a mere point-of-view device).
But a lot of promising plot threads (unexplained memory loss, encounters with a poor black community, hints of witchcraft, a mysterious lawman) just sort of evaporate. I hope that's due to long term thinking rather than unfocused writing.
I can't decide how I feel about Risso's illustration work. It's beautiful, and the colors and mood are perfect, but the action panels look static and the extended, violent climax was muddled. There were times when I couldn't tell the suited mafia goons from the coveralled hillbilly goons. Which is absurd.
Volume one is solid, and I'm looking forward to the next one, but I wanted and expected better.
----------------------------
SECOND READ
Hm. The protag doesn't have much in the way of agency, he just gets bounced from situation to situation like a ping pong ball in a washing machine. I think the things I liked about Moonshine have more to do with its potential than its actuality.
March 15, 2018
Well, if you have read stories of werwolves and stories about rednecks down South, then you have already read most of the elements that make up Moonshine. The graphics are somewhat of a throwback to the 50s. The story, predictable for the most part. I would probably have preferred to take this one out at the library rather than purchase it. Not really interested in reading Volume 2 either.
May 1, 2021
Not bad, but not great. I'm not a huge graphic novel fan, but this was a generous gift, so I decided to read it. The story was interesting, but the layout and storyline was confusing at times. There was a lot of changes that didn't mesh well and it felt disjointed. The art is amazing and graphic.
May 5, 2025
Ok, I am intrigued. This volume felt a little frenetic but ended where I would like to see where this goes. The combination of noir and werewolves is interesting and I wonder if it will stay that way. The art was pretty solid too.
October 26, 2024
Buen cómic sobre el hombre lobo, al principio las ilustraciones no me gustaron pero al final si me convencieron.
A seguirle con el segundo tomo que espero cuente con mas participación del licántropo o licántropos.
A seguirle con el segundo tomo que espero cuente con mas participación del licántropo o licántropos.
September 17, 2018
"Being from the city, one thing that hits you about the woods... it gets fucking dark."
July 3, 2017
I tried pretty hard to get into this, but just couldn't. It had a couple good moments, but for me to like a series I have to like at least one character, I didn't really like anyone in this book.
November 2, 2017
Oh, Hell Yes!
January 24, 2021
Moonshine Vol. 1.- Brian Azzarello / Eduardo Risso
" 'No' es como 'Si', dos palabras que nunca hay que decir. Solo agrandan los problemas"
Durante la época de la Prohibición en EE.UU, el gángster Lou Pirlo es enviado por su jefe a la zona de los Apalaches para realizar un trato con el productor del mejor licor ilegal que se haya probado, Hiram Holt. Hiram no solo resulta ser más "pesado" que toda la banda de Lou junta, también guarda un secreto familiar, un secreto que sale a cazar y devorar humanos durante las noches de luna llena de los hermosos bosques apalaches.
Moonshine es otra serie de las mentes creadoras del clásico de Vértigo 100 Balas, el escritor Brian Azzarello y el dibujante Eduardo Risso.
Moonshine es una gran mezcla de acción y horror, con las suficientes balas, puñetazos, muertes y sangre (mucha sangre) para dejar satisfecho a los amantes de los géneros mencionados. Nunca está demás mencionar el enorme talento de nuestro Eduardo Risso , cada página (portada incluida) es digna de un mural.
Visiten la web de Historieteca que actualmente tienen una promo para adquirir este volumen y el volumen 2, próximo a salir, a precio promocional y con una postal ilustración de Risso de regalo.
🤘🤘🤘🤘
" 'No' es como 'Si', dos palabras que nunca hay que decir. Solo agrandan los problemas"
Durante la época de la Prohibición en EE.UU, el gángster Lou Pirlo es enviado por su jefe a la zona de los Apalaches para realizar un trato con el productor del mejor licor ilegal que se haya probado, Hiram Holt. Hiram no solo resulta ser más "pesado" que toda la banda de Lou junta, también guarda un secreto familiar, un secreto que sale a cazar y devorar humanos durante las noches de luna llena de los hermosos bosques apalaches.
Moonshine es otra serie de las mentes creadoras del clásico de Vértigo 100 Balas, el escritor Brian Azzarello y el dibujante Eduardo Risso.
Moonshine es una gran mezcla de acción y horror, con las suficientes balas, puñetazos, muertes y sangre (mucha sangre) para dejar satisfecho a los amantes de los géneros mencionados. Nunca está demás mencionar el enorme talento de nuestro Eduardo Risso , cada página (portada incluida) es digna de un mural.
Visiten la web de Historieteca que actualmente tienen una promo para adquirir este volumen y el volumen 2, próximo a salir, a precio promocional y con una postal ilustración de Risso de regalo.
🤘🤘🤘🤘
August 16, 2021
Whiskey, werewolves, wild women, gangsters: really, what’s not to like? Azzarello and Russo have conjured another hit, a dark and foreboding tale that is brooding and menacing in equal measure. It’s packed with violence, grown up plotting and will have you turning its pages with delight and occasional horror. Superb.
December 6, 2018
Lot of plot lines and very few resolutions. Will try book two to see where this hillbilly noir gangster mashup goes.
July 13, 2024
(Zero spoiler review)
I reread this recently, and I must say, I enjoyed this far more the second time around. Not sure why I took such a shine to it this time. Older and wiser I suppose. I've left the original review intact below. Not 100 Bullets good, but very good nonetheless. 4/5
Brian Azarello is very fast joining the ranks of authors who have done pone or two very good things in his career, although I'm still yet to read his supposed 'magnum opus'. Yet somehow, despite penning some of the most god awful dreck every committed to paper, his Wonder Woman run being near criminal in its awfulness, that he still somehow maintains a name within the industry, and gets regular work. But hey, as long as you play call with 'the agenda' you keep your spot on the team. Despite my dwindling impression of Mr. Azarello, and his dramatically wavering level of talent, I was really looking forwad to this. Southern Gothic noir with a twist of horror, damn that sounds tasty. Yet I was still under the marginal impression that Azarello could pull it off. Unfortunately, I was giving the man a little too much credit.
Despite its promising start, this quickly descended into an aimless, poorly executed flop of a read. The first two issues did a competent enough job at drawing me in. The characters, although tropey and not terribly well realised, were close enough to something resembling interesting. The setting was fine and the premise was good. Despite Risso's very divisive artwork (great landscapes and colours, although character models vary wildly in consistency and quality), I was on board. Sadly, from about issue three onwards, Azarello's hit and miss dialogue fell off a cliff, the slightly errant character development went completely missing in action, and the story went and shit its pants then fell asleep, stewing in its own filth. All the potential of this slow burn southern noir devolved into a sloppy, shlocky, poorly executed farce, were Azarello apparently was operating on 30 word page limit, and decided to have characters speak in half sentences, and cut out anything resembling meaningful dialogue or plot building. Generic AF, I believe would be an accurate description. I couldn't finish it fast enough. I just wanted it out of my life. I'd certainly read worse things, but to go from something with significant promise to such a sad joke was really disheartening. And seriously, Eduardo Risso... I wish the man could model a character and then manage to stick to something resembling his original model. I get that the guy has a very unique style, although you will frequently struggle to tell who is who from panel to panel. I'm leaving a lot of complaints on the table, but I really just want to get this out of my life. I highly doubt I will read anymore of this. 2.5/5
OmniBen.
I reread this recently, and I must say, I enjoyed this far more the second time around. Not sure why I took such a shine to it this time. Older and wiser I suppose. I've left the original review intact below. Not 100 Bullets good, but very good nonetheless. 4/5
Brian Azarello is very fast joining the ranks of authors who have done pone or two very good things in his career, although I'm still yet to read his supposed 'magnum opus'. Yet somehow, despite penning some of the most god awful dreck every committed to paper, his Wonder Woman run being near criminal in its awfulness, that he still somehow maintains a name within the industry, and gets regular work. But hey, as long as you play call with 'the agenda' you keep your spot on the team. Despite my dwindling impression of Mr. Azarello, and his dramatically wavering level of talent, I was really looking forwad to this. Southern Gothic noir with a twist of horror, damn that sounds tasty. Yet I was still under the marginal impression that Azarello could pull it off. Unfortunately, I was giving the man a little too much credit.
Despite its promising start, this quickly descended into an aimless, poorly executed flop of a read. The first two issues did a competent enough job at drawing me in. The characters, although tropey and not terribly well realised, were close enough to something resembling interesting. The setting was fine and the premise was good. Despite Risso's very divisive artwork (great landscapes and colours, although character models vary wildly in consistency and quality), I was on board. Sadly, from about issue three onwards, Azarello's hit and miss dialogue fell off a cliff, the slightly errant character development went completely missing in action, and the story went and shit its pants then fell asleep, stewing in its own filth. All the potential of this slow burn southern noir devolved into a sloppy, shlocky, poorly executed farce, were Azarello apparently was operating on 30 word page limit, and decided to have characters speak in half sentences, and cut out anything resembling meaningful dialogue or plot building. Generic AF, I believe would be an accurate description. I couldn't finish it fast enough. I just wanted it out of my life. I'd certainly read worse things, but to go from something with significant promise to such a sad joke was really disheartening. And seriously, Eduardo Risso... I wish the man could model a character and then manage to stick to something resembling his original model. I get that the guy has a very unique style, although you will frequently struggle to tell who is who from panel to panel. I'm leaving a lot of complaints on the table, but I really just want to get this out of my life. I highly doubt I will read anymore of this. 2.5/5
OmniBen.
July 9, 2017
A good prohibition-era werewolf story, if not amazing.
Azzarello does his usual stuff, innuendoes and all that, on a rather basic plot: A NY mobster wants to get his hands on some great virginian booze and sends his protégé Lou to deal with the local yokels. Who happen to be more clever and ruthless than expected.
So, where are the goddamn wolves? Well, here and there but not really the center of attention so far. I don't know if I'm disappointed or not. There's still time to develop that aspect in a next volume. For now the mobsters are thick, armed and talk with an accent and the hillbillies are thick, armed and talk with an accent. In the meantime they shoot each other. Yeeha!
I wouldn't have rated this book 4* if not for Eduardo Risso. I usually love the guy but let's be honest he can sometimes be lazy and deliver ugly rushed-up jobs. But here he overdoes himself and gives us what's one of his best jobs in my opinion, including colors.
Moonshine is a good genre book, mixing crime and horror. Not the best ever but good enough plotwise and beautiful artwise.
Azzarello does his usual stuff, innuendoes and all that, on a rather basic plot: A NY mobster wants to get his hands on some great virginian booze and sends his protégé Lou to deal with the local yokels. Who happen to be more clever and ruthless than expected.
So, where are the goddamn wolves? Well, here and there but not really the center of attention so far. I don't know if I'm disappointed or not. There's still time to develop that aspect in a next volume. For now the mobsters are thick, armed and talk with an accent and the hillbillies are thick, armed and talk with an accent. In the meantime they shoot each other. Yeeha!
I wouldn't have rated this book 4* if not for Eduardo Risso. I usually love the guy but let's be honest he can sometimes be lazy and deliver ugly rushed-up jobs. But here he overdoes himself and gives us what's one of his best jobs in my opinion, including colors.
Moonshine is a good genre book, mixing crime and horror. Not the best ever but good enough plotwise and beautiful artwise.
September 18, 2017
I was on a road trip in Georgia when I spontaneously found a comic book store. I was intrigued by this novel so I bought it on a whim. This graphic novel is definitely not for me.
Lou Pirlo works for a selfish mobster who orders him to travel deep in the Appalachians to buy out Hiram Holt's moonshine. NYC could use some good booze and Lou agrees. Quickly he's in over his head meeting Hiram's family and being introduced to a werewolf that's viciously attacking anyone who interferes with Hiram's business.
The story was extremely hard to follow because there's a werewolf *that I'm unsure of the identity..* running around and killing people. I had more questions than answers and not in a cliff hanger way. More like I'm confused with the story. The artwork was not extraordinary either.
I'm not continuing in this series and the is the first graphic novel by Image that I was truly disappointed in.
Lou Pirlo works for a selfish mobster who orders him to travel deep in the Appalachians to buy out Hiram Holt's moonshine. NYC could use some good booze and Lou agrees. Quickly he's in over his head meeting Hiram's family and being introduced to a werewolf that's viciously attacking anyone who interferes with Hiram's business.
The story was extremely hard to follow because there's a werewolf *that I'm unsure of the identity..* running around and killing people. I had more questions than answers and not in a cliff hanger way. More like I'm confused with the story. The artwork was not extraordinary either.
I'm not continuing in this series and the is the first graphic novel by Image that I was truly disappointed in.
August 1, 2025
It's not terrible, but to say it is good would be a stretch. I'm interested enough to keep reading, but that's probably because it is such an easy read.
There is some pretty rough stereotyping in this book: ignorant, moonshining hillbillies, well-dressed, Italian mobsters, and poor, superstitious, Black people. The artwork is meh- the Black children look like the worst artwork of the Reconstruction Era, with bug eyes, and huge lips. If the book were written better, I'd say the creators were trying to make some kind of point. But the one Black person with a personality, (the beautiful Black witch who saves the white protagonist) is intended to be attractive and drawn successfully. So what's up with these nappy-headed caricatures?
Other than that- gang violence, werewolves, looks like there might be a love triangle. I'm intrigued enough to give volume two a read.
There is some pretty rough stereotyping in this book: ignorant, moonshining hillbillies, well-dressed, Italian mobsters, and poor, superstitious, Black people. The artwork is meh- the Black children look like the worst artwork of the Reconstruction Era, with bug eyes, and huge lips. If the book were written better, I'd say the creators were trying to make some kind of point. But the one Black person with a personality, (the beautiful Black witch who saves the white protagonist) is intended to be attractive and drawn successfully. So what's up with these nappy-headed caricatures?
Other than that- gang violence, werewolves, looks like there might be a love triangle. I'm intrigued enough to give volume two a read.
January 11, 2020
Ena la epoca de la depresión, Azzareloo y Risso nos meten en lo mas profundo del sur Norteamericano, con na historia de Mafiosos, policias , vudu, suñeros cuellorojos y...¿que mas era?, ah si, Hombres lobo. La historia empieza en forma, arranaca con fuerza y no da concesiones, aca todos son jodidos,son malos o tienen algo escondido y va ahaber sangre a borbotones con un poco de gore por aqui y por alla, con hombres lobo que asustan, mientras que las palmas se las lleva el arte de Risso, que se siente a gusto en una obra totalmente suya y dandose cuanto gusto se le venga a la cabeza.¿Secuencia de recuerdo con pincel?, hecho, contraplanos en dos viñetas seguidas con la sombra del bosque comiendose la pagina? dale, además de que se encarga del color y el resultado es muy bueno.
December 14, 2017
Supernatural historical gangster fiction with elements of noir. Oh, and moonshine, lots of moonshine. I can see that the early reviews have not been too kind to this series, but I've really enjoyed it. It's atmospheric and the story is fun. Sure the characters aren't very complex, and the females are relegated mostly to sexual objects. But that atmosphere is great. Even if the characters don't have much in the way of depth, they ooze atmosphere. The appearance of the werewolf is always fun, especially when it leaves behind gruesome surprises. I can't wait to see what happens next.
December 25, 2020
Set during the Prohibition era, this epic creative team looks into an original horror twist to a classic gangster story set around the distribution of moonshine. While I wanted to enjoy this, the story never found its footing, recklessly steering in directions that never seemed intentional or organized. The artwork is a bit messy, hindered especially by the narrative but reminiscent of Tim Sale's work on Batman: The Long Halloween.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
January 1, 2018
Really love the art in this one, but the writing not so much because it is confusing and difficult to know what is going on. I will probably read the next volume just for the art, however. Stellar stuff.
June 24, 2017
Azzarello and Risso in a gangster supernatural noir set during the prohibition. What's not to like?
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