100 bullets is a comic book series without super powers, spandex or silly names. Not that I don't love that stuff: I'm a huge Batman fan, but I can always make room for a little noirish realism. Especially if there are explosions!

The basic concept of 100 bullets goes like this: a mysterious man, Agent Graves, offers someone an attaché case. The case contains 100 untraceable bullets, a similarly untraceable handgun, a photo of somebody the recipient may want to use their new firearm on, and detailed evidence giving them the justification they need to do it. Graves seems to know more about these people than they expect, and most of them choose the path to revenge that he offers them.

A foregone tomorrow is the fourth collection in the series, and it's starting to get really interesting. The plot is thickening, with a complex and long-standing conspiracy revealing itself, piece by piece. And, let's be honest about the main draw here, tons of gunfights!

The smaller plot arcs, typically covering each individual's revenge mission, offer succinct but well-rounded portraits of the characters involved, their lives and their motiviation. The miniature character portraits work especially well within this format, whether their connection to the overarching storyline is explicit or not.

The whole thing is quite macho, definitely for a mature audience, and executed (pun intended!) in a moody, subdued style. The dialogue is in Azarello's customary snappy, abbreviated style and the artwork is a wonderful thing to behold. The muted colours and and kinetic panels match the tone of the stories perfectly.

I'm hooked. I want to know how the conspiracy pans out. I want to keep reading these stories and looking at the artwork.