Many comic books from Vertigo have gotten an adaptation in some form or another, namely those that are connected to the broader DC Comics Universe. One original Vertigo title that's still been overlooked for an adaptation, however, is Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's 100 Bullets. An award-winning noir series that put Azzarello's name on the map, 100 Bullets is the perfect series to hit the small screen in a streaming format.
Combining noir and detective story archetypes with a gritty look at urban life, 100 Bullets is far more than what it would seem at first glance. Its realistic setting, especially when juxtaposed with the sprawling backstory, make it a great candidate for a series on HBO Max or another streaming service. Now over 20 years old, here's what made the book so great, and why it would also make an incredible TV series.
100 Bullets Combined Street-Level Noir With Hidden Conspiracies
The basic premise of the pulp series 100 Bullets is its eponymous armaments. The stories have an individual being greeted by the esoteric Agent Graves, who offers them a chance at enacting vengeance upon whoever had wronged them. The method through which they would do so was info on their target, along with a handgun and 100 bullets, none of which would be traceable if the intended victim was killed. No matter what happens, the only reward is the end to a personal vendetta, assuming of course that the individual in question embarks upon the prescribed mission.
These various revenge tales are only one part of the puzzle, however, as they and the machinations of Agent Graves are revealed to be parts of a much larger whole. The organization that Graves belongs to has ties going back to the discovery of the New World, with their actions being behind one of the first tragedies in America. This leads to Graves and other embarking on their own revenge mission against the mysterious "Trust," a secret society pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
100 Bullets Featured Realistic, Grounded Characters In a Dark World
As mentioned, the world of 100 Bullets is very realistic, even when the story becomes more grandiose. The elements that cement this are the realism of the characters and dialogue, with urban slang dotting many of the stories. None of this ever veers into the path of caricature, and so when urban Latino gangbangers spout lines such as "Let's motor," it feels authentic. For as gritty and grimy as things get, the circumstances never feel unnecessarily glorified or demonized. Likewise, even the most horrendous characters are a pleasure to read, even if their actions are absolutely repulsive. An example of such includes Lono, aka the Dog, who excels and revels in the most vicious and heinous forms of violence. He's also perhaps the most egregious example of less than realistic elements in the series, as he's known to make it out of seemingly deadly situations. This only makes reading about him even more interesting, with his miraculous comebacks always a surprise.
Then there are others such as "Dizzy" Cordova, who's one of the many put-upon individuals that Graves seeks to "aid." Her backstory fits in with any poverty-stricken family who has lived a hard life on the streets, and the situation, as horrible as it may be, helps to make her relatable and easy to root for. The escalating events of the series also further her sentiments that her life is beyond her control, something which isn't hard to sympathize with by the end of it all. She, along with several other characters are urban minorities, with their presence again feeling natural and never within the realms of offensive "poverty porn." Given this recipe for a great television series, especially in today's landscape, it's incredibly surprising that 100 Bullets hasn't already been adapted in some form.
It's Time for a 100 Bullets Television Series
There have been a few attempts to adapt Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's 100 Bullets in other media, from video games to movies. These have all fallen through for one reason or another, though another movie version is supposedly still being planned. A much better idea, however, would be to utilize the current landscape of prestige TV and adapt the series into a high-quality television series, likely on a streaming service. Given that Vertigo/DC Comics is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, having the show available on HBO Max would be the most likely option.
The show's format would likely start out as a crime/noir equivalent to anthology shows such as American Horror Story, before finally seguing into a more connected plot. Whether it would be able to last 100 episodes is unknown, especially given how cutthroat the streaming wars have become. As far as comic book adaptations go, however, making 100 Bullets is far cheaper than adapting another superhero show, and the material itself is ripe for a moody, grungy series that captures the comics and brings them to life.