Bullet Gal #8
Words and Pictures by Andrez Bergen
if? Commix
Release Date: Late January, 2015
Cover Price: $5.00 (Print) $1.00 (Digital)

Take a forties crime drama, mix in just a tad of superhero talk, and you have got the basis for Heropa, the primary setting for Bullet Gal #8. A lot has happened to turn the city on its ear but, as always, life tries to return to normal. In a dangerous city, sometimes shooting first and asking questions later is the only way to survive.

Appearing at first to be disjointed, our story picks up with the inner monologue of one of Heropa’s finest. Seeking out criminals is pretty standard fare for a detective in the big city, but after last issue’s game changer of a plot twist nothing is ever going to be normal again. I wish I could tell you about it, but I cannot bring myself to spoil it for you. Sorry! What I can say is that our title character is still alive (mostly) and the world is not always what it seems. In what has to be one of the best noir comics I have ever read, I was stunned by the turn of events and found myself getting more excited to see where the story is going next.

Andrez Bergen is phenomenal at his job, since apparently his job is to keep me on the edge of my seat and guessing as to what will happen next. Bloodshed and violence are everyday occurrences in the world but he makes it seem darker, more suspenseful. His use of filters and shadowing in the art and photographs throughout the comic lend it an almost ethereal feel while still seeming completely plausible. I’m reminded of Sin City but in a much more authentic and grittier way, not to say they are anything alike. I’m just using that to compare the ambiance of Bullet Gal‘s setting.

As this is the eighth installment in the twelve-issue series, you might feel a bit left behind if you were to jump in with this issue. However, as luck would have it, you can buy these digitally for a buck a piece! And if you or anyone you know loves suspenseful detective stories, this is definitely a treat. I was recently informed that the entire series will be released as a graphic novel by Under Belly Comics in March, too. I’m happy to see that because print versions are difficult to come by here in the States. With so many options to pick this series up, I cannot imagine why you haven’t done so! It’s a gem that many have yet to find.