The third installment of 100 Bullets takes a slight step backwards from its predecessors, mostly because this "Hang Up on the Hang Low" chapter does little to advance the overall story. It's not particularly bad, but feels like a somewhat unnecessary diversion from the larger narrative that had begun to gain significant ground in volume 2. But of course there is still Eduardo Risso's stunning artwork - if not for that, there would be no real reason to bother with this volume, but since there IS that, it's still a worthwhile read. ( )

(Series review) I stuck with this series for four trade paperbacks. There's no doubting the aesthetic quality of the series: tightly written stories of crime and violence, with a distinctive and appropriate artistic style to match the mood and pacing of the writing. In some ways, it's like a smarter, more ambitious version of the mood behind the Grand Theft Auto games.

The central thematic hook introduced in the first trade paperback is this: if you were given a gun and the consequences of its use could under no circumstances be traced back to you by the authorities, what would you do with it? It didn't take long for the series to go beyond that trick premise and develop its own complicated backstory and mythology.

In the end, strictly for reasons of personal preference, I don't rate the series highly: the setting and mood are just too consistently ugly and gritty for my tastes. But if you like true crime stories, or the meaner end of the thriller genre, you might well enjoy this series. ( )