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100 Bullets #9
100 Bullets, Vol. 9: Strychnine Lives
Written by Brian Azzarello Art by Eduardo Risso Cover by Dave Johnson Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's tale of power and revenge winds through Chicago, Miami, Atlantic City and Juarez in STRYCHNINE LIVES, collecting issues #59-67 of the award-winning series. With the Houses of the Trust warily circling each other, looking for the right angle to take in their impending war, the remaining Minutemen continue to pick their sides - and set up their own battle plans.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2006
11 people are currently reading
627 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 58 reviews
May 14, 2024
As the Houses of the Trust fill with conspiracy, paranoia and plotting, it looks like preparation for war, the Minutemen know that they, each of them, will have to choose a House. Exciting! 8 out of 12, Four Star read,.
2017 and 2011 read
2017 and 2011 read
March 3, 2017
The kooky krazy adventure in cut-rate comics continues. Cheap comic volumes are out there: check your local comic book store bargain bins (where I found this for a few dollars), thrift stores, library sales, yard sales or flea markets. The pickings can be slim, but you can find the occasional gem.
Also: WARNING!! This is a mature title and the language used in some of my sample pics isn’t for the squeamish.
See. Told ya.
100 Bullets was another one of those groundbreaking Vertigo series that helped set DC’s imprint heads and shoulders above what most people were daring to do way back when. This volume is set firmly in an ongoing and elaborate series of Machiavellian power plays amongst a group of old society crime lords and lowly gang bangers - diverging from the pseudo-anthology series it started out as.
Agent Graves is still around from earlier in the series moving and shaking, placing the pawns close enough to the powder-keg for maximum effect.
Beyond the noirish and fast-paced goodness, Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso’s stylized violence does little to lessen the impact.
Oops. Let’s flip that.
This is the perspective that most of Lono’s (the series break-out character) guests get to view their host – trussed up and hanging from the ceiling and ready for a little gentle discourse.
Bottom line: This isn’t really a good jumping off point for the insanity that is 100 Bullets, but for me it was effective enough and I was able to get into the books rhythms fairly quickly. Azzarello/Risso have a huge cast of characters and plot lines that they expertly weave in and out, but it's a lot to wade through for first-time readers.
Don’t get too comfortable with the characters either – there’s no mercy here.
Who should read this?
Fans of pulp, noir, Garth Ennis and to a lesser extent Ed Brubaker.
Who shouldn’t read this?
If you glossed over the warning and pictures, Mrs. Bates, I wouldn’t let wee little Norman read this book; however, if you do, he’ll worship you forever and ever.
For me:
Also: WARNING!! This is a mature title and the language used in some of my sample pics isn’t for the squeamish.
See. Told ya.
100 Bullets was another one of those groundbreaking Vertigo series that helped set DC’s imprint heads and shoulders above what most people were daring to do way back when. This volume is set firmly in an ongoing and elaborate series of Machiavellian power plays amongst a group of old society crime lords and lowly gang bangers - diverging from the pseudo-anthology series it started out as.
Agent Graves is still around from earlier in the series moving and shaking, placing the pawns close enough to the powder-keg for maximum effect.
Beyond the noirish and fast-paced goodness, Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso’s stylized violence does little to lessen the impact.
Oops. Let’s flip that.
This is the perspective that most of Lono’s (the series break-out character) guests get to view their host – trussed up and hanging from the ceiling and ready for a little gentle discourse.
Bottom line: This isn’t really a good jumping off point for the insanity that is 100 Bullets, but for me it was effective enough and I was able to get into the books rhythms fairly quickly. Azzarello/Risso have a huge cast of characters and plot lines that they expertly weave in and out, but it's a lot to wade through for first-time readers.
Don’t get too comfortable with the characters either – there’s no mercy here.
Who should read this?
Fans of pulp, noir, Garth Ennis and to a lesser extent Ed Brubaker.
Who shouldn’t read this?
If you glossed over the warning and pictures, Mrs. Bates, I wouldn’t let wee little Norman read this book; however, if you do, he’ll worship you forever and ever.
For me:
November 20, 2016
Still spinning wheels, but this volume had a couple of incredible and emotional moments that made it more memorable. Azarello's series is weird, it doesn't give any answers — you are, as a reader, an observer without any background, you can't possibly know what is going on. But it is absolutely fascinating to read anyway.
December 25, 2023
I didn't really enjoy this one. Eduardo Risso's artwork seems a bit more simplistic (which is just a symptom of doing a monthly comic). The story is a bit all over the place and was a bit hard to follow. Each of the Minutemen are picking a side in some potential battle between Graves and The Trust. Lono is becoming the main character.
*
*
*
The Calm 59
Lono and Loop team up to find another Minuteman
Staring at the Son 60 - 63
Megan Dietrich goes to Miami and meets Branch and the Medicis/
The Dive 64
Jack Daw is doing back-street fighting and tries to return the attache to Graves
New Tricks 65 - 66
Lono and Loop Hughes fight with the Trust
Love Let Her 67
Benito Medici and Mr. Branch look for Dizzy in Mexico
*
*
*
The Calm 59
Lono and Loop team up to find another Minuteman
Staring at the Son 60 - 63
Megan Dietrich goes to Miami and meets Branch and the Medicis/
The Dive 64
Jack Daw is doing back-street fighting and tries to return the attache to Graves
New Tricks 65 - 66
Lono and Loop Hughes fight with the Trust
Love Let Her 67
Benito Medici and Mr. Branch look for Dizzy in Mexico
May 24, 2015
Lono central volume, with gritty and sometimes gruesome action. If you just picked up this volume you would have no idea what is going on, of course, but I have read all eight previous volumes and I still have to say that I don't know what is really going on. And this is what we readers are led to expect; to pay attention to the clues or try to, and then trust things will get worked out in the end like some complicated clockwork. Or, maybe it works like some multi-direction chess game, where members of the former Minutemen maneuver for power and revenge, Medici-style. Orchestrating some of this is the 60 year old Agent Graves. Huge testosterone world with some interesting human touches and great dialogue and art. Ididn't like the dolaogue in the first volume but now I do. Now I know these people.
July 16, 2025
100 Bullets Vol. 9: Staring at the Sun (also known as Strychnine Lives) keeps the overarching narrative intriguing as the series nears its end. The pacing is solid, and it certainly doesn't shy away from brutality, with some genuinely shocking moments like a gruesome head-chopping.
We follow Benito's deepening entanglement with the Trust and see the Minutemen picking sides in the escalating civil war. The action spans various locations, highlighting the widespread influence of this shadowy world.
However, the main drawback here is the character connection. While the story is well-told, unraveling more of the Trust's dark history, I struggled to fully invest in the characters. It feels a bit like the previous volume, where the initial arc within Staring at the Sun can be a tad boring in terms of character engagement.
It's a good story, but it lacks the strong character backing to truly shine. Ultimately, it's a decent read that pushes the plot forward, but the emotional investment just isn't quite there. This one lands at a 3 out of 5.
We follow Benito's deepening entanglement with the Trust and see the Minutemen picking sides in the escalating civil war. The action spans various locations, highlighting the widespread influence of this shadowy world.
However, the main drawback here is the character connection. While the story is well-told, unraveling more of the Trust's dark history, I struggled to fully invest in the characters. It feels a bit like the previous volume, where the initial arc within Staring at the Sun can be a tad boring in terms of character engagement.
It's a good story, but it lacks the strong character backing to truly shine. Ultimately, it's a decent read that pushes the plot forward, but the emotional investment just isn't quite there. This one lands at a 3 out of 5.
February 7, 2022
Once again tried to like 1000 bullets. Once more failed.
Good artwork just cant make up for the talk+talk+talk about family politics interspersed with brief violence. There are smidgeons of story but mostly it is just trying too hard for political clout. Did not even bother to finish this one, boring.
Good artwork just cant make up for the talk+talk+talk about family politics interspersed with brief violence. There are smidgeons of story but mostly it is just trying too hard for political clout. Did not even bother to finish this one, boring.
April 1, 2011
Catchy title for an April’s Fool’s Day post. I didn’t make this one up; it is really a graphic novel. This series has become very popular, and has been suggested to me by many people so I gave it a shot. Speaking of April Fool’s Day, I will be talking to Rose Valenta the humorist, this evening at 7pm EST. No kidding. So what is in this real graphic novel?
“In the ninth collection of the Eisner Award-winning series, the mysterious Agent Graves offers 100 bullets and immunity to everyday people to carry out their innermost desires of vengeance. More pieces of the mystery of the Minutemen and the organization that created them start to come together. With the Houses of the Trust warily circling one another, the remaining Minutemen continue to pick their sides and set their own battle plans.”
This is some very gritty stuff from the prose to the artwork. It makes for a nice combination and for some intense reading. The plotline was lost on me a bit as I had not read the previous eight offerings but the story that I was reading was raw and intense from the first few panels. Once I got into it I put aside all those feelings and just went with the ride provided. Does one have to read them all in order to get the feel and substance of the 100 Bullets series? I think not. Just opening the cover and thumbing through it should be enough to understand that this is different from most graphic novel stories out there. Don’t be fooled, this is a graphic novel that is worth its weight in 100 bullets, give it try, at least one of them.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“In the ninth collection of the Eisner Award-winning series, the mysterious Agent Graves offers 100 bullets and immunity to everyday people to carry out their innermost desires of vengeance. More pieces of the mystery of the Minutemen and the organization that created them start to come together. With the Houses of the Trust warily circling one another, the remaining Minutemen continue to pick their sides and set their own battle plans.”
This is some very gritty stuff from the prose to the artwork. It makes for a nice combination and for some intense reading. The plotline was lost on me a bit as I had not read the previous eight offerings but the story that I was reading was raw and intense from the first few panels. Once I got into it I put aside all those feelings and just went with the ride provided. Does one have to read them all in order to get the feel and substance of the 100 Bullets series? I think not. Just opening the cover and thumbing through it should be enough to understand that this is different from most graphic novel stories out there. Don’t be fooled, this is a graphic novel that is worth its weight in 100 bullets, give it try, at least one of them.
What are you reading today? Have you checked out our new blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE? Check us out and become our friend on Shelfari, The Novel Spot &Twitter. Go to Goodreads and become our friend there and suggest books for us to read and post on. Did you know you can shop directly on Amazon by clicking the Amazon Banner on our blog? Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
September 10, 2022
(Zero spoiler review for the omnibus collecting this arc) 4.75/5
I've literally just turned the final page on this outstanding tome a few minutes ago. It's still a little fresh, a little raw. I'm not quite sure I've fully come to terms with it all. Just how special it was. That its really over. You know, that upset, whimsical kind of nostalgia that gets you deep down in the feels. Like losing a dear friend. A reminder of what it feels like to be human... to be alive.
First of all, it's a sincere honour to be the first person to put an actual review for this book on this site. An esteem I take very seriously indeed.
It's not very often a book that starts out really god damn great, actually ends up getting better and better as it goes along. It's even rarer when that series weighs in at a whopping 100 issues. All written by the same writer. All drawn by the same artist. The same creative team across its entire run if I'm not quite mistaken. A feat that is all too rare in comics, yet 100 Bullets stands as testament to the power of a small team of creators on top form, working on a project they all care for and believe in. I really can't stress how brilliant it was to have Risso's art grace every single page of this book. You could name dozens of more technically gifted artists out there, but few, if any can match the man's imitable style. I can't recall another artist that has the man's visual style and storytelling flair. Seriously, this book is a feast for the eyes like no other. The layouts, the character designs, the exquisite colour work. All of it goes together to make one of the most complete and stunning visual aspects to a story in any medium I've experienced. Yeah, it's that good.
Azarello too, is at the top of his game. The top of everyone's game. This is some of the most consistently outstanding comics writing you will ever see. 100 issues with barely a 'good story to be found amidst them all. Volume two was pure fire from start to finish. I have no idea where the second half of this book went today, but I just couldn't put it down. When I can reads hundreds of pages without coming up for air, you know you're onto a winner. This makes so many of his contemporaries look pretty dang average by comparison. I could quibble over little bits and pieces here or there, but I really don't want to even slightly tarnish this right now. Nothing's perfect, but this is just so damn special to me, imperfections be damned.
God how I wish more of comics was like this. Long, amazingly strong runs, the same outstanding art team... DC Vertigo, how I mourn your loss. At its height, this label was the bees knees, the cats pyjamas. To see DC now and how far they have fallen from their hey day, its enough to make one sick. DC Vertigo was some of the best comics ever produced, and right now, 100 Bullets for me, stands at the very pinnacle of Vertigo titles. A more uncompromising, magnificent and mature comic there isn't. Or if there is, please tell me what it is, because I can't see what's going to knock 100 Bullets off it's well earned throne. Essential reading. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
I've literally just turned the final page on this outstanding tome a few minutes ago. It's still a little fresh, a little raw. I'm not quite sure I've fully come to terms with it all. Just how special it was. That its really over. You know, that upset, whimsical kind of nostalgia that gets you deep down in the feels. Like losing a dear friend. A reminder of what it feels like to be human... to be alive.
First of all, it's a sincere honour to be the first person to put an actual review for this book on this site. An esteem I take very seriously indeed.
It's not very often a book that starts out really god damn great, actually ends up getting better and better as it goes along. It's even rarer when that series weighs in at a whopping 100 issues. All written by the same writer. All drawn by the same artist. The same creative team across its entire run if I'm not quite mistaken. A feat that is all too rare in comics, yet 100 Bullets stands as testament to the power of a small team of creators on top form, working on a project they all care for and believe in. I really can't stress how brilliant it was to have Risso's art grace every single page of this book. You could name dozens of more technically gifted artists out there, but few, if any can match the man's imitable style. I can't recall another artist that has the man's visual style and storytelling flair. Seriously, this book is a feast for the eyes like no other. The layouts, the character designs, the exquisite colour work. All of it goes together to make one of the most complete and stunning visual aspects to a story in any medium I've experienced. Yeah, it's that good.
Azarello too, is at the top of his game. The top of everyone's game. This is some of the most consistently outstanding comics writing you will ever see. 100 issues with barely a 'good story to be found amidst them all. Volume two was pure fire from start to finish. I have no idea where the second half of this book went today, but I just couldn't put it down. When I can reads hundreds of pages without coming up for air, you know you're onto a winner. This makes so many of his contemporaries look pretty dang average by comparison. I could quibble over little bits and pieces here or there, but I really don't want to even slightly tarnish this right now. Nothing's perfect, but this is just so damn special to me, imperfections be damned.
God how I wish more of comics was like this. Long, amazingly strong runs, the same outstanding art team... DC Vertigo, how I mourn your loss. At its height, this label was the bees knees, the cats pyjamas. To see DC now and how far they have fallen from their hey day, its enough to make one sick. DC Vertigo was some of the best comics ever produced, and right now, 100 Bullets for me, stands at the very pinnacle of Vertigo titles. A more uncompromising, magnificent and mature comic there isn't. Or if there is, please tell me what it is, because I can't see what's going to knock 100 Bullets off it's well earned throne. Essential reading. 4.75/5
OmniBen.
December 23, 2023
Lo que se dice un quilombo. Del bueno.
May 12, 2024
Uncompromisingly dark. The big plot slowly sneaks up on you.
November 12, 2020
Couldn't sleep last night so finished Vol 7 to 13 overnight. I only finished because I kept thinking "there's a reason this is so well-regarded and I'll find it at any time. Nope. Hard to keep people straight when there are 'main' characters introduced and dead before the one issue they're in is over. and the plot? I don't even know what the actual plot was other than by the end I didn't care anymore. weird morality plays and double and triple crosses that just made you want the story to be over but you're on book 67.
It's still good to look at but the story itself was definitely lacking.
And if I get started on specifics it's going to be spoiler and since I didn't take notes on which book was which I can't be bothered to find it out. All of the reviews will be the same both for words and score.
It's still good to look at but the story itself was definitely lacking.
And if I get started on specifics it's going to be spoiler and since I didn't take notes on which book was which I can't be bothered to find it out. All of the reviews will be the same both for words and score.
September 22, 2021
The momentum of the series continues to build in this volume as the pieces on the chessboard move around again. There's a lot of meat to this volume as alliances are made and broken. The fun part of this volume is seeing various cast members' stories intertwine and link up, providing all new starting points and some shocking new possibilities. By this point, Azzarello has all but abandoned the "common man" stories that marked the first couple of stories and focused directly on the main cast. Still, there are plenty of insights into the same human despair and ruination common to all of Azzarello's characters, especially the one-offs. The hysterical antics of Spain and Tino in "Staring at the Son" are fantastic. I also have to admit I am so gay for Victor and Wylie.
March 16, 2008
Featuring an "unrelated" subplot with dog-eating as the tipping point for a Tarantino-style group-autodestruct scene... hmmm I wonder if this will parallel any little conflicts between the 13 Families?
Another brilliant Agent Graves scene too, featuring the following catchphrase: "passive... aggressive... pussy."
The AARP should really adopt sixtysomething Graves as a mascot -- the guy's practically a geronto-superhero, staring down gun-toting toughs and causing entire flocks of supple massive bodyguards to run for their lives.
Another brilliant Agent Graves scene too, featuring the following catchphrase: "passive... aggressive... pussy."
The AARP should really adopt sixtysomething Graves as a mascot -- the guy's practically a geronto-superhero, staring down gun-toting toughs and causing entire flocks of supple massive bodyguards to run for their lives.
February 16, 2016
Better than the last few chapters but this series is beginning to bug me. The concept was probably way more interesting then the story arc. Only a few chapters to go, so time will obviously tell. The pointless subplots sink this for me, others may enjoy this but dancing around the mythology isn't my idea of storytelling. I'm in till the end so the ending better not let me down. The praise is the characters who are part of the minutemen and the trust are well served and the story is darkly grim.
August 1, 2011
Lono is back in the house - or to be precise, the houses of the shadowy crime cartel called the Trust. As Graves continues to assemble his players, Lono shows the readers why he is the most dangerous character in the game. I would not want to meet up with him in a dark alley. Or anywhere for that matter!
August 17, 2009
And the strange story continues. I have been really enjoying these tales of the Trust and the Minutemen.
October 4, 2011
I am not sure where all this is going, but I am intrigued. I am trying to keep the story lines and characters straight. Also, Dizzy is not as hot as those guys think she is.
February 17, 2013
Brutal, confusing, sexy, no easy read, intriguing,...
October 29, 2008
Some great political scheming here, this elevates 100 Bullets from a simple, dirty noir. Nice.
December 17, 2018
The meaningful story contributions in this volume could’ve been accomplished in a single issue. I understand that storytelling can and should be more than that, but when the “more” is simply finding the most vile and fucked up ways to kill meaningless side characters, it’s not adding anything other than my concern over the author’s mental health. He also loves using racist and homophobic slurs, and I’m sure he would contend that it makes the dialogue more “real” or some nonsense, but I doubt he considered that not including them wouldn’t have negatively impacted the story at all; no one would even notice they weren’t there. I’m also starting to take more notice of which characters receive quick, cheap deaths and which get extended panel time, how how ubiquitous completely unnecessary scenes of violence towards women are in this series. This book is toxic.
June 25, 2023
Esta calificación le queda chica a este tomo, pero siento que le faltó para ser una obra maestra merecedora de las cinco estrellas.
Un volumen no solo emocionante y entretenido, sino también interesante. Pasaron demasiadas cosas y esta vez creo que logré captar o enganchar casi todas ellas. Azzarello me volvió a atrapar. Siento que ya se están alineando los grupos definitivos, todo se está preparando para lo que, supongo, va a ser un enfrentamiento salvaje.
Es increíble como mejoró a través de los números la calidad gráfica de Eduardo Risso. Aunque su estilo no sea completamente de mi agrado, tengo que decir que en este tomo me gustó mucho su trabajo.
Un volumen no solo emocionante y entretenido, sino también interesante. Pasaron demasiadas cosas y esta vez creo que logré captar o enganchar casi todas ellas. Azzarello me volvió a atrapar. Siento que ya se están alineando los grupos definitivos, todo se está preparando para lo que, supongo, va a ser un enfrentamiento salvaje.
Es increíble como mejoró a través de los números la calidad gráfica de Eduardo Risso. Aunque su estilo no sea completamente de mi agrado, tengo que decir que en este tomo me gustó mucho su trabajo.
January 28, 2018
A great turn of events. I like the build up in this series... it started slow but with every volume it keeps building up and gaining momentum and I can not wait to see its finale.
Like the main story arc the sub-plots are a bit :/
And Lono is back!
Like the main story arc the sub-plots are a bit :/
And Lono is back!
August 12, 2019
After book 8, this one has a nice story, but not a memorable one. It’s nice to see the minutemen working together, and another two families taking a beating. The story is more like a 10 little ducks song atm. Especially the Lono sections were great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 17, 2022Found the plot and characters harder to follow. I think 100 bullets is best if you can read all issues back to back to keep the plot lines straight. I took too long of a break since the last one. Azzarello writes dialog like Richard price does. Real good.
March 10, 2024
Better and better
Just awesome, loved every story. Crime,revenge, everything all in little stories that blend great characters, with great dialog and story telling. All of it is amazing, the art and lettering, just perfect.
Just awesome, loved every story. Crime,revenge, everything all in little stories that blend great characters, with great dialog and story telling. All of it is amazing, the art and lettering, just perfect.
October 19, 2024
This violent collection of stories is starting to feel more disorienting and disjointed as Graves continues his war against the Trust. It seems less and less about handing out brief cases and more about the ex-minuteman and the savage lives they live
December 18, 2017
The overall momentum seems to slow down here a bit too much. Sure this is high on violence and drama but the main plot line seems to be more or less lost.
September 18, 2018
The war in the shadows starts in earnest but filled with sad love.
September 29, 2022
There are some really memorable moments but overall, I struggled a bit with this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews