"The Hard Way" is a return to form for Azzarello and Risso's 100 Bullets after a rather lackluster and meandering detour in the disappointing volume 7 of the collected edition. Volume 8 moves the story to New Orleans, and considerably improves upon characterization, plotting and overall narrative coherence. Best of all, Azzarello's writing actually lives up to the high quality of Eduardo Risso's artwork, something which has not been true of earlier volumes. Here's hoping the high level attained in this volume will remain the norm as this series enters the final stretch. ( )

The conspiracy subplot finally cracks open in a delicious look back into Colonial times for a simple, elegant explanation for who's REALLY behind Mr. Graves, the Minutemen, and the power-hungry cabal pulling the strings of their puppeteer assassins across the country. ( )

Things are beginning to come together, after several incidents earlier begin to make more sense. No-one can accuse the overarching storyline here of being told at a breakneck pace, that is for sure. This, you presume, is deliberate, so each one of these can happily be told as a stand alone, while still developing the main thread.

http://graphicsf.blogspot.com/2006/11... ( )

http://levendis.livejournal.com/59679... ( )