Meeting #21: Crime Pays

[JohnLees]

Right, I'm sorry, but I'm leaving this to tomorrow. I was almost finished, just getting around to writing my conclusion, when I accidentally closed the Word document without saving (I didn't want to close the program, and in a kneejerk reaction clicked "No" at the dialogue box instead of "Cancel" to keep it open ). I lost everything I've written over the past 2 and a half hours, and at 2am, I can't face starting to write it all over again now. Sorry again.

[wiegeabo]

I finished the reading a while ago, but it took me forever to find the time to actually sit down and write something. Which is a shame because I think I need to read Scalped again But I'll get to that later.

The only reading I really enjoyed was Criminal, so I'll save that to the end.


100 Bullets is a really interesting premise. (I originally heard that the premise was slightly different, but the real premise was just as good.) The first story really didn't ring with me. I was interested at first, but soon just wanted it to be over. It probably could have been told just as well in two issues rather then three. I will say, the final confrontation was pretty good. Especially the psuedo-frameup of the brother. Time in prison for a child-killer and cop killer is going to be a living hell from both other prisoners and the guards. Putting a bullet in the brother's head would almost be a mercy killing.

I was far more interested in the second story...until the end. I felt the ending was very predictable and over the top. I would have found it much more surprising, not to mention satisfying, if, after she cleared his name and set him and his kids up for life, he killed her. I saw her betrayal and his death a mile away, and was hoping beyond hope the story wouldn't go in that direction.

And I know the story ended the way it did in order to leave a clue as to who the mysterious man is and why he's giving these people a 'get out of jail free' gun. But I had desire to keep reading.


I enjoyed Scalped more, but was utterly confused at many points by the way Aaron plays with time. Not that it's bad. It's a rather unique and refreshing take on a crime story. Although he does push it too far in places. I feel like I'm not doing the book justice because, like I mentioned above, I really need to read it again but have no time. And I think a second reading would straighten out any of my issues and make the book very enjoyable.

But even with my confusion over the story, there was no confusion about the characters and the setting. Aaron does a masterful and disturbing job of fleshing out the characters and the horrible situations/environment they have to deal with. From what little I know of Reservation and Reservation life, they are indeed worse off than many third would countries, even though they're located in the middle of one of the wealthiest countries, with casinos being their only slim hope at turning their lives around. I have little doubt that Aaron pretty accurately portrays life on a reservation. And it's a frightening thought.


Now, Criminal I liked from beginning to end. Right from the start you know that Leo is screwed. He's in a shitty situation, and it's just getting worse. Even master thieves sometimes have to dig themselves out of holes, no matter how well planned the crime. When the robbery went down, I was fully expecting the classic play-by-play we get in movies, where we see each piece of the plan play out perfectly. And despite how cliche that is, I was looking forward to it. What we got instead was better. It starts out in the classic manner, each piece falling into place, but goes completely to hell before we even realize it's all going to hell.

And every time Leo takes a step forward and sees a potential lifeline, he ends up taking three steps back. It's not diamonds he can barter with, it's heroin that signs his death warrant. He saves Greta from a gunshot wound, but that only gives Ivan the opportunity to accidentally overdose while Leo is with her. He goes out to get help and the lowdown on what's going on, but that leaves Greta alone and vulnerable. And he heads out to take down the man in a hail of gunfire and revenge, fully expecting to die, and he ends up living and finally being caught by the police.

Even though I'm not a big fan of crime stories (which is ironic since I wish Batman books had more detective, and less supervillain, stories), I'm actually interested to see what happens to Leo next.

[JohnLees]

Originally Posted by wiegeabo

I finished the reading a while ago, but it took me forever to find the time to actually sit down and write something. Which is a shame because I think I need to read Scalped again But I'll get to that later.

The only reading I really enjoyed was Criminal, so I'll save that to the end.


100 Bullets is a really interesting premise. (I originally heard that the premise was slightly different, but the real premise was just as good.) The first story really didn't ring with me. I was interested at first, but soon just wanted it to be over. It probably could have been told just as well in two issues rather then three. I will say, the final confrontation was pretty good. Especially the psuedo-frameup of the brother. Time in prison for a child-killer and cop killer is going to be a living hell from both other prisoners and the guards. Putting a bullet in the brother's head would almost be a mercy killing.

I was far more interested in the second story...until the end. I felt the ending was very predictable and over the top. I would have found it much more surprising, not to mention satisfying, if, after she cleared his name and set him and his kids up for life, he killed her. I saw her betrayal and his death a mile away, and was hoping beyond hope the story wouldn't go in that direction.

And I know the story ended the way it did in order to leave a clue as to who the mysterious man is and why he's giving these people a 'get out of jail free' gun. But I had desire to keep reading.


I enjoyed Scalped more, but was utterly confused at many points by the way Aaron plays with time. Not that it's bad. It's a rather unique and refreshing take on a crime story. Although he does push it too far in places. I feel like I'm not doing the book justice because, like I mentioned above, I really need to read it again but have no time. And I think a second reading would straighten out any of my issues and make the book very enjoyable.

But even with my confusion over the story, there was no confusion about the characters and the setting. Aaron does a masterful and disturbing job of fleshing out the characters and the horrible situations/environment they have to deal with. From what little I know of Reservation and Reservation life, they are indeed worse off than many third would countries, even though they're located in the middle of one of the wealthiest countries, with casinos being their only slim hope at turning their lives around. I have little doubt that Aaron pretty accurately portrays life on a reservation. And it's a frightening thought.


Now, Criminal I liked from beginning to end. Right from the start you know that Leo is screwed. He's in a shitty situation, and it's just getting worse. Even master thieves sometimes have to dig themselves out of holes, no matter how well planned the crime. When the robbery went down, I was fully expecting the classic play-by-play we get in movies, where we see each piece of the plan play out perfectly. And despite how cliche that is, I was looking forward to it. What we got instead was better. It starts out in the classic manner, each piece falling into place, but goes completely to hell before we even realize it's all going to hell.

And every time Leo takes a step forward and sees a potential lifeline, he ends up taking three steps back. It's not diamonds he can barter with, it's heroin that signs his death warrant. He saves Greta from a gunshot wound, but that only gives Ivan the opportunity to accidentally overdose while Leo is with her. He goes out to get help and the lowdown on what's going on, but that leaves Greta alone and vulnerable. And he heads out to take down the man in a hail of gunfire and revenge, fully expecting to die, and he ends up living and finally being caught by the police.

Even though I'm not a big fan of crime stories (which is ironic since I wish Batman books had more detective, and less supervillain, stories), I'm actually interested to see what happens to Leo next.

Thanks for your thoughts, wiegeabo,

Your thoughts on 100 Bullets largely line up with my own. I felt a bit more positive about how the second story ended, but like you I wasn't particularly grabbed with a pressing need to keep on reading. I've heard that things really pick up with subsequent volumes, though, so perhaps I'll be tempted to give it another go sometime down the line.

Yes, you really should give Scalped another read. It's just such a rich, immersive story full of despicable, yet oddly fascinating characters. As I mentioned in my original column, the way he plays around with time can be infuriating. But once you get a feel for it, I think it adds to the experience rather than detracting from it. And how awesome is Red Crow?

As for Criminal, you'll be disappointed to find out we don't ever get to see what happens to Leo next. Criminal is a series of self-contained stories, and Leo's ends with the climax of Coward. The next story, Lawless, tells the story of Tracy Lawless, who is only fleetingly referred to in Coward.

Thanks again for the response!

[jamesfairlie]

Originally Posted by wiegeabo

I saw her betrayal and his death a mile away, and was hoping beyond hope the story wouldn't go in that direction.

I agree, in that I found 100 bullets to be plodding and boring, but I actually quite liked that about this story. I made it feel like an old school Jacobean tragedy. Not one of the better ones, to be fair. With those you can see a tragic end, and hope that's its not going to happen, and then something much, much worse happens.

[wiegeabo]

What?! Aw, sonovabitch! **** Criminal then.