"It was a different time." That seems to be the motto for this month’s episode of Collecting Issues.

Join Michael and Benjamin as they crack open the briefcase on 100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call. Published in 1999 by Vertigo Comics, this multi-Eisner and Harvey Award-winning series by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso was hailed as a gritty crime revolution. But does it hold up in 2026?

We dive deep into the first two story arcs, discussing the intriguing "John Wick-style" premise: If you were given a gun, 100 untraceable bullets, and proof of who ruined your life, would you take revenge?

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Premise: Agent Graves and his devil’s bargain.
• The Art of Eduardo Risso: Noir shadows, distinct silhouettes, and the "Risso Grin."
• A Product of the 90s: Why the dialogue, racial depictions, and female anatomy feel like a time capsule of "grim and gritty" 90s media (comparisons to Sin City and Pulp Fiction included).
• The Story Arcs: Dizzy Cordova’s return to the streets and the Black Mirror-esque tragedy of Lee Dolan.
• The Verdict: Is the overarching conspiracy enough to keep us reading despite the "cringe" factor?

Next Month’s Read: We are cleansing the palette with Absolute Martian Manhunter Vol. 1 by Deniz Camp & Javier Rodríguez and diving into the source material for Ryan Murphy’s The Beauty.

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Time Stamps:

00:00 Introduction to Jim Steranko's Influence

00:54 Welcome to Collecting Issues

01:47 Trigger Warnings and Spoilers Ahead

03:01 The Eisner Awards and 100 Bullets

03:58 Personal Context and 90s Comic Culture

07:37 The Neo-Noir Influence

13:10 Exploring the Anthology Format

19:53 Eduardo Risso's Distinctive Art Style

28:54 The Intriguing Premise of 100 Bullets

32:18 Exploring Narrative Tropes in '100 Bullets'

32:49 Dizzy Cordova's Tragic Story

34:35 Agent Graves and the Devil's Bargain

35:28 Critique of Eduardo Rizzo's Art and Dialogue

36:33 Dizzy's Return and Family Dynamics

37:11 Setting and Cultural Depictions

43:38 Moral Dilemmas and Storytelling Mechanics

46:00 Introduction to Meghan Dietrich

48:09 Lee Dolan's Downfall

57:22 Comparisons to Sin City

59:00 Final Thoughts and Future Reads

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