Deathblow Vol. 1

100 Bullets Vol. 1: First Shot, Last Call  made me a Brian Azzarello fan but this book made me question him. I'm also a big Deathblow fan and it was nice to see him back from the dead but this was not the way I wanted to see him.Carlos D'anda's art was great though and saved this book from becoming a one star review from me. If you like Brian Azzarello's writing, skip this book and stick with 100 Bullets. Just Sayin'

Azzarello and D'Anda create a compelling and long-deserved character-defining story. If you only read one Deathblow story, read this one.

Don't get snobbish, but Brian Azzarello's 9 issue run on Deathblow is some of the finest kinetic action in any medium period. From the bombastic military, to the dogpack companions, every line is perfect for that character. The cyborg raptor, possibly the stupidest concept in the world, is elevated to titanic villain heights. His slugfest with an opponent where he has to correct him about just what type of nightmare he is, is legendary.Throw in gunny-rats, tag-team assassin minors, copious war on terror riffs, ethic differences about sharing family photos, and it can't be stated enough, some of the most tooth jarring testosterone fuelled beatdowns you're ever endured. The beginning of issue 3 should be the quality bar for anyone trying to do first person melee.It's lyrical, funny, sad, and above all else the apocalypse of the smashmouth adventure comics. Best of breed.

The artisty and one liners are great, as well as some of the concepts, but if there's anything I can't stand, it's being preached to by Keith Olberman fans who write comics. Seriously.If you're a hardcore Deathblow fan, you may want to add this to your collection just for the fact that it IS a Deathblow comic. If you want to enjoy Deathblow at his best, look elsewhere.

The story is okay. The art is fantastic because it is simple with flat colors and just how a good comic should be... dynamic and without exotic panel designs. The artist is a great visual storyteller which makes this book so exciting.