by Randy Lander

100 BULLETS #31 "Counterfifth Detective Part One" Highly Recommended (10/10) DC Comics/Vertigo imprint Writer: Brian Azzarello Artist: Eduardo Risso Colors: Patricia Mulvihill & Digital Chameleon Letters: Clem Robins Editor: Will Dennis Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN In last week's review of Hang Up on the Hang Low, I said that it was probably the best story arc of 100 Bullets thus far, and now here comes "The Counterfifth Detective" to challenge. Azzarello shifts style a little this issue, giving us first-person narration and a private eye lead, and adding a touch more pulp to the noir atmosphere of the book. The setup is the flip side of a recruitment we saw back in issue #27, a nice nod to continuing readers, and the protagonist and his quest for answers is more involved than simply finding and shooting the one who done him wrong. It's a great setup, and I'm anxious to see where it goes next. I was reminded of Elmore Leonard or Raymond Chandler when I was reading this story, as Azzarello has given us a protagonist who talks directly to the reader, the way a good pulp narrator does. The language, evocative and raw, is very effective in setting up the character, and a scene in the bar tells us everything else we need to know a few pages later. So far, most of the protagonists of 100 Bullets have been pretty competent and even dangerous, and Milo Garret is no exception. Garret actually feels a bit more mysterious and dangerous than most protagonists, however, as he's not weighed down by youth (as Loop was) or indecision (as Dizzy was at first). He's more than willing to think with his fists, and using the gun won't be much of a decision for him. However, he's also got smarts and street savvy, as shown by his ability to track down his previous client's objective and he's got a healthy dose of skepticism, but not paranoia, about Graves. Risso serves up an intimidating visual for Garrett as well, using the facial bandages and the few bits of face that we see beneath them to paint the portrait of a very hard man. The visuals throughout are impressive, as Risso continues to show off an unparalleled mastery of shadows. Whether it's the freeway and a high-priced car, a piano bar, a hospital room or an office tower, he gets the reader there and convinces us of its reality and its darkness. Along with the mystery of who did in Garret and why, we have the mystery of how Graves (and Lono, the assassin who is also visible in these pages) is involved. I quite appreciated that Garret's recruitment is the flip side of the story told in issue #27, a nice flashback sequence that clues in regular readers while not leaving new readers out in the cold. 100 Bullets is good, solid crime comics. It's dark and moody, stylish and smart and it keeps the reader guessing without being needlessly confusing. It's by far the best comic DC is publishing, and my favorite comic on the stands, month-in and month-out. Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.