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.

Bullet Gal #2
Words and Pictures by Andrez Bergen
if? Commix
Release Date: September 1, 2014
Cover Price: $5.00 (Print) $1.00 (Digital)

Female protagonists aren’t as uncommon as they once were but few of them are as determined as Mitzi in Bullet Gal #2. She embodies the ideal of a femme fatale on every level, bringing her more attention than she might otherwise have warranted. Standing at a crossroads in her life, can she accept the new opportunities coming her way or is she doomed to failure. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies…

Our story is about assassinations. Okay, that’s not really true but it is about someone who is exceptionally good at killing. Bullet Gal, also known as Mitzi, has only recently come to town and she’s hellbent on cleaning it up. Killing gangsters and lowlifes has brought her some notoriety and attention, not all of it good. Rumors abound that a woman is slaying miscreants and the local bully boys are embarrassed and more than a little angry. At the same time, her actions have prompted a group named The Crime Crusaders Crew to approach her regarding membership.

Black/White
Written by Andrez Bergen
Illustrated by Drezz Rodriguez, Michael Grills, Nathan St. John, Andrew Chiu, Marcos Vergara, and Andrez Bergen
Cover by Matt Kyme
If? Commix
Release Date: March 2014
Cover Price: $1.00

A comic formed entirely of short stories can be hard to pull off. It would take a highly talented creative team to make it work. Black/White, thankfully, is one such anthology. Written solely by the prolific Andrez Bergen and featuring a new illustrator for each short, this is one compilation worth checking out. Read on to discover some of my particular favorites from this noir crime and dystopian/post-apocalyptic collection.

“Zig Zag” drops the reader right into the middle of a gun cleaner’s mind as he methodically takes care of an antique, precious piece to hand over to a special client. The vivid and descriptive narration combined with the solid whites on solid blacks that artist Drezz Rodriguez sets to “action to action” panel transitioning, makes for a movie-esque read.

Tales To Admonish #1 & #2
Written by Andrez Bergen
Art by Matt Kyme
if? Conmmix
Release Date: Currently available
Cover Price: $5.00 (Print) $1.00 (Digital)

When I chose Tales To Admonish for review, it was mainly the catchy title that drew me in. I know that’s a horrible reason but I was hoping it was related in some way to Tales To Astonish which I loved years ago. Turns out that the creators of this comic came up with the idea the day after Jack Kirby’s ninety-sixth birthday. And it’s not so much an homage as it is tongue-in-cheek. Each issue has three short comics, each with vastly different stories to tell. But one thing is for sure, you won’t soon forget these tales.

The debut issue, Tales To Admonish #1, starts off with two guys trying to rob a comic store, in broad daylight. But the funny thing about “Sugar/Spice/Dice” is that that’s not even the dumbest thing they do. I will admit to not getting some of the Down Under slang being used in the story, but I got the gist of it at least.