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100 Bullets Omnibus Vol. 1
f you were approached with a convincing story of someone who betrayed you and then offered a gun and one hundred untraceable bullets, would you seek vengeance? The critically-acclaimed creative duo of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso weave together this web of intrigue, crime, conspiracy, and deception. Get in on the ground floor of this hardboiled Vertigo series or reload your fascination for the characters and stories that have left an indelible mark on the crime genre in graphic novels.
Collects Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3, 100 Bullets #1-58.
Collects Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3, 100 Bullets #1-58.
1376 pages, Hardcover
Published January 12, 2021
17 people are currently reading
119 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 9, 2022
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
Vengeance. An age-old concept where emotions dominate over reason, where violence seems to be the only logical behaviour to adapt for those blinded by rage towards the fate they were given. Many contemplate the idea but never act upon it, judging the consequences far too devastating not only to the one who’s receiving the violent end but to themselves as well. Only a few find (or create) the opportunity and find the means to complete the circle and the law remains the only true barrier that keeps these countless victims from taking it into their own hands. But what would one do if they were granted the chance to wreak vengeance on those who brought them pain, without a single form of consequence for their action? Published from June 1999 to April 2009 in exactly 100 issues, legendary writer Brian Azzarello teamed up with acclaimed artist Eduardo Risso to deliver a Vertigo crime series like none other that explores morality plights where individuals are invited to contemplate vengeance and bury themselves following an act they could never undo.
What is 100 Bullets Omnibus (Vol. 1) about? The story is set in a world not much different than ours where individuals of all colours live to embrace happiness, success, and tragedy. However, one man, known as Agent Graves, goes around finding individuals who have lived through a terrible wrong in their life, something that they’ve had to keep close to their hearts forever but had no true closure about. What he offers them is an opportunity like nothing they’ve seen before, one that is free of any legal repercussions, and it takes on the form of a suitcase containing a handgun, a hundred bullets, and documents pertaining to the sole person who is the source of the wrong they’ve been the victim of. Promising complete immunity for its use, no repercussions in any form whatsoever to their being, the only question that remains is if they’ll pull the trigger or not. But who is this Agent Graves and why is he doing this for these people?
This first of two omnibuses contains issues #1-58 of the critically acclaimed crime series, the “Merry Christmas, Bitches” short story from Vertigo: Winter’s Edge, and a special sketchbook section from artist Eduardo Risso.
What first seemed like an episodic series, continuously introducing new terribly flawed characters from various corners of life with each issue then transformed and sleekly evolves and exposes the intricate webbing hidden between the lines. Connections are made, secrets are revealed, and the plot is unraveled: something far more complex is at play. Set in a gritty and gruesome world, every character comes with their own set of emotional baggage that gives writer Brian Azzarello the perfect guinea pig to work with. This allows him to explore the complexity of negative emotions, ranging from sadness to hate, to expose the myriad of facets to vengeance, and to develop the grim, dark, and clever motivations of these characters. While the story takes it time to eventually hint towards a much larger scheme at play, it most importantly delves into the ethical and moral choices that a person has to make in their life when confronting with a golden opportunity to carry out their most profound desire, especially that pertaining to vengeance or redemption.
Never missing an opportunity to build upon the tragically beautiful cast of multilayered characters, writer Brian Azzarello also sees his ideas stylishly portrayed by artist Eduardo Risso. In this series, there’s no doubt that the artwork is an acquired taste, one that will either grow on you according to your investment in the storyline or die on sight. His artistic vision is unforgiving and focuses on character traits, emotional states, and questionable behaviours, rarely ever dwelling on environmental details. He also fully maximizes the space, using the traditional gutter (space between panels) to his advantage and never limiting himself to conventional panel structures. The colourists also heavily play with warmer colours while also accentuating shadows more often than not, giving the overall series its unquestionable crime noir style. It’s also difficult not to appreciate the poignant nature of his artwork that always leaves you uncomfortable yet inquisitive. After all, that is what will keep readers hooked and craving answers.
100 Bullets Omnibus (Vol. 1) is a charmingly provocative, mysteriously puzzling yet conceptually riveting crime series that explores morally ambiguous grounds through engrossing characters.
February 28, 2021
I was a big fan of this book when it was being released as a monthly floppy, but I dropped it after fifty or so issues...I found it all but impossible to read and comprehend in those monthly chunks. The huge cast, and their various alliances and motivations and grudges overwhelmed me. The good news is: DC is collecting the complete saga as a two-volume omnibus set. The bad news: Having read Volume One, which collects the first 58 issues and short story, over the past week...I still find the story and characters almost impossible to keep straight in my head. I'm afraid I'll lose the threads completely when and if DC ever gets around to publishing the second volume.
There is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, in this book that you can take for granted or overlook. Every character, no matter how throwaway, could become a major player later in the game. Strange little people lurking in the background of the art become incredibly important later. Meaningless details become major issues as the book progresses. Like all of author Brian Azzarello's work, this is best read in one huge feast rather than smaller little bites. The twisty plot blew my brain apart and overwhelmed me quite a few times, but what a ride it is...here's hoping the awful DC collected editions team gets the second volume published before I forget everything that I just read.
There is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, in this book that you can take for granted or overlook. Every character, no matter how throwaway, could become a major player later in the game. Strange little people lurking in the background of the art become incredibly important later. Meaningless details become major issues as the book progresses. Like all of author Brian Azzarello's work, this is best read in one huge feast rather than smaller little bites. The twisty plot blew my brain apart and overwhelmed me quite a few times, but what a ride it is...here's hoping the awful DC collected editions team gets the second volume published before I forget everything that I just read.
July 3, 2023
100 Bullets is a strange comic for me to review. Because there's parts I love, parts I enjoy enough, and also some really odd disconnect to the characters.
So the general idea at the start of this is a guy name Graves gives people a suitcase with a gun and a 100 bullets. Usually the person he targets has done something horrible and tells that person he's given the briefcase to that they can choose whatever they'd like to do with the weapon. This is a intriguing idea, since they can kill and get away with it, both the bullets and guns are untraceable.
Soon into the story though we shift our focus to the Trust, the organization behind everything. Think basically something similar to the illuminati. Then they had these hitman basically called the minutemen who took care of business for them. Some time ago they betrayed the minute men and aimed to get rid of them. In doing so this made Shepard, another key player in this game, start his own way to maybe create a new group of people.
Eventually most people in these stories, wheatear one shots, or a few parts, intertwine with each other. That's the general idea that no matter what in this crazy fucked up life, these murderers and dog shit people will eventually come face to face. Who comes out alive is the big question.
The dialogue is done well enough, making tough guy mafia to gangstas on the streets, we have plenty of different styles and a diverse cast which is a breath of fresh air. Sure some of it is stereotypical, especially at the start, but he usually does get better as the series goes on.
The art is unique, and works well for this dark and fucked up universe. Not for everyone, but most certainly worked for me. The way the happy go lucky characters faces shift to a dark and sinister tone is actually really well done and I enjoyed that part of it a ton. So the art does work for me, even if it's a little static at points.
The characters are multilayer but for me to care about them is hard. I really didn't. Sure shocking turn of events made me go "oh shit" a few times. But to actually be attached to someone, maybe Diz out of everyone here, but even then I wouldn't say I'd cry if she were to die. The lack of human connection is weird, because it's really the only major fault for me here.
Saying that this is a different style book than I expected. And I feel it shifts from mystery and gangsta drama to more overall hidden agendas and organizations. I'm still intrigued but I won't lie, the start of it had me more interested than the later half.
A 3.5 out of 5.
So the general idea at the start of this is a guy name Graves gives people a suitcase with a gun and a 100 bullets. Usually the person he targets has done something horrible and tells that person he's given the briefcase to that they can choose whatever they'd like to do with the weapon. This is a intriguing idea, since they can kill and get away with it, both the bullets and guns are untraceable.
Soon into the story though we shift our focus to the Trust, the organization behind everything. Think basically something similar to the illuminati. Then they had these hitman basically called the minutemen who took care of business for them. Some time ago they betrayed the minute men and aimed to get rid of them. In doing so this made Shepard, another key player in this game, start his own way to maybe create a new group of people.
Eventually most people in these stories, wheatear one shots, or a few parts, intertwine with each other. That's the general idea that no matter what in this crazy fucked up life, these murderers and dog shit people will eventually come face to face. Who comes out alive is the big question.
The dialogue is done well enough, making tough guy mafia to gangstas on the streets, we have plenty of different styles and a diverse cast which is a breath of fresh air. Sure some of it is stereotypical, especially at the start, but he usually does get better as the series goes on.
The art is unique, and works well for this dark and fucked up universe. Not for everyone, but most certainly worked for me. The way the happy go lucky characters faces shift to a dark and sinister tone is actually really well done and I enjoyed that part of it a ton. So the art does work for me, even if it's a little static at points.
The characters are multilayer but for me to care about them is hard. I really didn't. Sure shocking turn of events made me go "oh shit" a few times. But to actually be attached to someone, maybe Diz out of everyone here, but even then I wouldn't say I'd cry if she were to die. The lack of human connection is weird, because it's really the only major fault for me here.
Saying that this is a different style book than I expected. And I feel it shifts from mystery and gangsta drama to more overall hidden agendas and organizations. I'm still intrigued but I won't lie, the start of it had me more interested than the later half.
A 3.5 out of 5.
November 3, 2021
Overall, I was pretty disappointed with this. It was okay enough for me to keep reading, but I found the story hard to follow and some of the characters looked too much like each other, which made it more difficult. Out of the 8 trades that make up this omnibus, I think I only really enjoyed maybe 2?
Wasn’t for me
Wasn’t for me
May 3, 2022
(Zero spoiler review) 4.75/5
I was really looking forward to this. I was holding this one back for a rainy day. One of those reads that you just know you're going to love, so you don't want to burn it too quickly. Once read, it can never again be read for the first time. Now, over the last year or so since its release, there were plenty of times I began to doubt Azarello's ability to deliver on this, for I've read some absolute stinkers from him. Though it wouldn't be the first time that someone was really good at writing a down and dirty crime noir, yet didn't have the chops to deliver, say, a long run on a female superhero...
But on to 100 Bullets. I know when I'm absolutely on board with a comic, when rather than read at my usual pace, I linger on panels, pages. I read things over and over again, not because they're ridiculous or don't make sense, but because they're so bloody good. Because I'm completely immersed in the story, or maybe because there is a rather fetching young lady featured on the page (and there are quite a few of those featured throughout).
I had minimal experience with Risso's artwork before this, although despite him being very much a love him or hate him type artist, I was instantly on board with his style. It suited the story and Azarello's writing down to a T. This only grew as the run continued, and the guy's chops and style improved. Some of the artwork and colouring in the final runs collected here were stunning, causing more of those lingering stares. And yeah, the guy knows how to draw a seedy, yet sexy looking woman, that's for sure.
Whilst a few issues towards the end certainly weren't as good as the opening salvo's, and the prevalence and quality of the dialogue wasn't as strong at the end of the book as the beginning, but nearly sixty issues of quality street level noir with the same artist is something I can't quite accurately describe how happy it makes me. If this didn't live up to my expectations, I would've been crushed. But thankfully, 100 Bullets is one of the greatest collections I've had the fortune to read thus far, and absolutely and unequivocally belongs on every respecting comic book fans shelf. If you've never read it, stop what ever you are doing (probably reading this review) and get it. When it goes OOP, can't imagine it will get a reprint anytime soon. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
I was really looking forward to this. I was holding this one back for a rainy day. One of those reads that you just know you're going to love, so you don't want to burn it too quickly. Once read, it can never again be read for the first time. Now, over the last year or so since its release, there were plenty of times I began to doubt Azarello's ability to deliver on this, for I've read some absolute stinkers from him. Though it wouldn't be the first time that someone was really good at writing a down and dirty crime noir, yet didn't have the chops to deliver, say, a long run on a female superhero...
But on to 100 Bullets. I know when I'm absolutely on board with a comic, when rather than read at my usual pace, I linger on panels, pages. I read things over and over again, not because they're ridiculous or don't make sense, but because they're so bloody good. Because I'm completely immersed in the story, or maybe because there is a rather fetching young lady featured on the page (and there are quite a few of those featured throughout).
I had minimal experience with Risso's artwork before this, although despite him being very much a love him or hate him type artist, I was instantly on board with his style. It suited the story and Azarello's writing down to a T. This only grew as the run continued, and the guy's chops and style improved. Some of the artwork and colouring in the final runs collected here were stunning, causing more of those lingering stares. And yeah, the guy knows how to draw a seedy, yet sexy looking woman, that's for sure.
Whilst a few issues towards the end certainly weren't as good as the opening salvo's, and the prevalence and quality of the dialogue wasn't as strong at the end of the book as the beginning, but nearly sixty issues of quality street level noir with the same artist is something I can't quite accurately describe how happy it makes me. If this didn't live up to my expectations, I would've been crushed. But thankfully, 100 Bullets is one of the greatest collections I've had the fortune to read thus far, and absolutely and unequivocally belongs on every respecting comic book fans shelf. If you've never read it, stop what ever you are doing (probably reading this review) and get it. When it goes OOP, can't imagine it will get a reprint anytime soon. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
April 11, 2023
A suitcase, 100 untraceable bullets and no consequences, That might be the opening quote for this story, but this goes way down into many layers talking about a hidden world within ours. The Noir satire gets interesting and the world building done on the Part 1 Omnibus is pretty deep.
I loved the the little twists where the smallest of characters which we just don't consider as major players in the main plot coming back every now and then as those little Easter eggs, which made me feel the entire arc happens inside a shared world among i would say around 100s of characters. It does get a little bit of a slow burn in the middle where some parts of certain stories felt they are simply there to re establish certain facts which where actually self explanatory from the start itself.
I would recommend anyone to finish it in one go or without long breaks in between if you want to feel continuous to the story. I would comment too much about some parts i had that "wonder what happened to that character ?" since this is just Part 1 and i need to read Part 2.
It a thick book with around 1300 plus pages with dated art and nicely arranged dialogs without much complications as the story itself is full of twists and turns.
Onward to Book 2 and if it was anything like Book 1, I am in for a treat.
I loved the the little twists where the smallest of characters which we just don't consider as major players in the main plot coming back every now and then as those little Easter eggs, which made me feel the entire arc happens inside a shared world among i would say around 100s of characters. It does get a little bit of a slow burn in the middle where some parts of certain stories felt they are simply there to re establish certain facts which where actually self explanatory from the start itself.
I would recommend anyone to finish it in one go or without long breaks in between if you want to feel continuous to the story. I would comment too much about some parts i had that "wonder what happened to that character ?" since this is just Part 1 and i need to read Part 2.
It a thick book with around 1300 plus pages with dated art and nicely arranged dialogs without much complications as the story itself is full of twists and turns.
Onward to Book 2 and if it was anything like Book 1, I am in for a treat.
August 4, 2025
I really love the series and it’s significantly better the second or third time you read it. You understand the connections between characters much more intuitively and you can just enjoy the dialogue and plot without trying to decipher the larger story. Is it perfect? Heck no. Azzarello’s dialogue is clever but authentic, his characterization is believable, and the series has a gritty, street level feel to it with a conspiratorial edge that spans history. While I do think that this style of story is not for everyone, I really enjoy it personally. I loved several of the characters (Dizzy and Wiley are my favorites, plus Lono is fun as hell despite being a total bastard) and I absolute don't agree that the art is lazy in the slightest. The look is very stylized, and not to everyone's tastes, but I think Eduardo Risso is one of the most dynamic storytellers in the medium and I love the artwork. Overall I think there's a great book in there, but it could have been far more tightly told.
January 29, 2023
Started off strong and interesting but continued to die down in actually building a story worth caring for.
I kept reading high praise reviews for this and really wanted to like it. The concept is interesting but too many unanswered questions.
Big fan of Eduardo’s art though, especially how beautifully he draws women.
I kept reading high praise reviews for this and really wanted to like it. The concept is interesting but too many unanswered questions.
Big fan of Eduardo’s art though, especially how beautifully he draws women.
November 20, 2025
The art here is an interesting noir style. The stories start out interesting, but this volume was so long (more than 1300 pages!) that I lost track of the characters and their stories. And there are more volumes?
The oversize format makes the book unwieldy just to hold, and too much information runs into the seam and is hard to make out.
The oversize format makes the book unwieldy just to hold, and too much information runs into the seam and is hard to make out.
Read
August 28, 20211360 pages of great noir crime storytelling. Azzarello and Risso are the perfect comic book team, I think.
Now I have to run out and find the rest of the comics to learn what happens next.
Now I have to run out and find the rest of the comics to learn what happens next.
February 18, 2023
Took a quality dip around the lengthy story/interlude of the bandaged detective, Milo. However, things picked up again and the mystery of the Trust remains intriguing.
December 30, 2023
Collects the first 8 books which I've reviewed separately. It's a big volume and every one of the pages are done by one guy (besides for a few pinups) Eduardo Risso which is just damn impressive. It's fast paced and exciting but many of the stories feel cliched. It's not a bad series by any means, but perhaps disappointing. I've always thought of Azzarello as a lesser Ed Brubaker as they both do mostly crime comics and this book does nothing to change that opinion.
May 6, 2025
(This review covers the complete series)
A sprawling, stylish crime saga built around the premise of revenge without consequences. The early arcs play like sharp short stories, morally ambiguous and loaded with tension, but the series gradually reveals a much larger conspiracy driven by violence, justice, and the illusion of control. The hard-boiled dialogue and moody artwork combine to create a world that feels dangerous and lived-in.
A sprawling, stylish crime saga built around the premise of revenge without consequences. The early arcs play like sharp short stories, morally ambiguous and loaded with tension, but the series gradually reveals a much larger conspiracy driven by violence, justice, and the illusion of control. The hard-boiled dialogue and moody artwork combine to create a world that feels dangerous and lived-in.
March 1, 2024
Víc než co jiného je to hlavně maraton. Původní premisa je vlastně strašně zajímavá - přijde k vám chlapík, dá vám pistoli, sto nábojů, identitu někoho kdo vám podělal život a řekne "nikdo tě za nic nepostihne".
A odsud to jde už jenom dolů. Za vším je samozřejmě OBŘÍ konspirace (u které se teda nikdy zase tak nevysvětlí jak funguje a jeji detaily dostaneme naservirovane doslova jako vyprávění, wow), klíčovou roli v ní hrají lidé s naprosto bizarnimi ztrátami paměti (nebo kteří se tak chovají, protože...neco), neskutečně mocní a zabijacti muži (kteří přežijí téměř vše a běžné ničí neprebernou presilu) a extrémně krásné (často hlavně obří velikosti sekundárních pohlavních organu) ženy.
A je to...no. Občas se v tom množství povede vykouzlit velmi solidní příběh, sevřený a smutný. Občas je to takový průměr, gangsterka. Někdy je to strašlivé zmatené a vlastně vůbec nic moc se nestane. A pak tam jsou díly, které jsou agresivně debilní, přehnané tak moc, až je vyloženě nudný je číst.
A samozřejmě, je to obří omnibus, nesmyslně velká věc, kde ale právě čtení najednou bohužel hodně odhaluje, že to tajemství v pozadí je spíš prelouhovana nuda a na bizarních osudech desítek celkem zaměnitelných super vrahounu vám zase tak nesejde.
A odsud to jde už jenom dolů. Za vším je samozřejmě OBŘÍ konspirace (u které se teda nikdy zase tak nevysvětlí jak funguje a jeji detaily dostaneme naservirovane doslova jako vyprávění, wow), klíčovou roli v ní hrají lidé s naprosto bizarnimi ztrátami paměti (nebo kteří se tak chovají, protože...neco), neskutečně mocní a zabijacti muži (kteří přežijí téměř vše a běžné ničí neprebernou presilu) a extrémně krásné (často hlavně obří velikosti sekundárních pohlavních organu) ženy.
A je to...no. Občas se v tom množství povede vykouzlit velmi solidní příběh, sevřený a smutný. Občas je to takový průměr, gangsterka. Někdy je to strašlivé zmatené a vlastně vůbec nic moc se nestane. A pak tam jsou díly, které jsou agresivně debilní, přehnané tak moc, až je vyloženě nudný je číst.
A samozřejmě, je to obří omnibus, nesmyslně velká věc, kde ale právě čtení najednou bohužel hodně odhaluje, že to tajemství v pozadí je spíš prelouhovana nuda a na bizarních osudech desítek celkem zaměnitelných super vrahounu vám zase tak nesejde.
May 7, 2025
Great art, incomprehensible story.
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