REVIEW: 100 Bullets: Brother Lono #2

Lono of the Minutemen is alive. 100 Bullets: Brother Lono is a sequel and spin-off of the acclaimed comic book series 100 Bullets, and reunites the creative team of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. It follows Lono in Durango, Mexico, after he was shot in the chest by Dizzy Cordova. He currently works with the local orphanage, in hiding after the events of 100 Bullets. Lono has found solitude and peace in his religious surroundings. However, with the mysterious drug lords, the Twin Towers, running their business in Durango, there is bound to be trouble in Lono’s future.

100 BULLETS: BROTHER LONO #2
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Letterer: Clem Robbins
Colorist: Trish Mulvihill
Editor: Shelly Bond
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $2.99

Previously in 100 Bullets: Brother Lono: Las Torres Gemelas a.k.a. The Twin Towers are the main drug cartel in Durango and will do anything to keep it that way. They tortured and killed their main competitor in Durango, Ernesto, and are looking to expand. The drug gang pick up Senor Butler from the local bus depot, hoping to cut a deal with him. Meanwhile, Lono finds himself in jail cell for some unknown reason. The sheriff of Durango tells him he needs to pick up a nun named Sister June who will be staying at the local orphanage. When Lono picks her up at the bus depot, June is shocked to find a dead body sitting on the open street. The dead body is Ernesto.

NOT THE LONO YOU USED TO KNOW

Brian Azzarello continues Lono’s story in Durango with 100 Bullets: Brother Lono #2. After two issues it is apparent that there has been a major transformation from the Lono fans of 100 Bullets knew and the Lono in this spin-off. Instead of the violent, sex-crazed, blood-thirsty maniac, Lono has become neutered, a shell of the lunatic who used to terrorize the people around him. Although this angle is commonplace among characters with shady pasts, Brian Azzarello takes an interesting approach to Lono’s redemption. Lono is not officially turning to religion for help or doing good deeds to atone for his crimes. He is only attempting to control his baser urges. There are scenes that convey this restraint and, as the reader, you can see Lono’s suffering. Where Lono progresses from here, whether he will stick with his pacifist lifestyle or unleash the monster from 100 Bullets, will determine the course of the story. Although this comic has a similar plot structure to 100 bullets, it lacks the underlying conspiracies of the original series. Still, the overlapping drug cartel story is suspenseful and dramatic. Its brutality makes up for the lack of violence from Lono’s character.

BLOODTHIRSTY AND VIOLENTLY FAMILIAR

Eduardo Risso steps back into the 100 Bullets series, providing his style of comic art to 100 Bullets: Brother Lono #2. As a fan of the original series, I cannot think of anyone else to illustrate this comic besides Eduardo Risso because his art is so iconic and necessary to the 100 Bullets series. It provides a bit of nostalgia for any 100 Bullets reader. His characters have great visual expression that can convey emotion even when there are no words. Even though I have never been to Mexico, the background art gives a realistic feel to the scenery. Also, as with all 100 Bullets art, it is bloody and gory. For example the ending page is powerful, showing the brutality of the Twin Towers and their determination to be the only drug business in town.

BOTTOM LINE: A GREAT ADDITION TO 100 BULLETS

Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso bring the aftermath of Lono’s story to life. Although the first two issues are mostly setup pieces, it is slowly building up towards a confrontation between Lono and the Twin Towers in Durango. I look forward to Lono’s character development as the story continues. However, even with the revival of Vertigo in DC Comics, it remains to be seen if any other surviving 100 Bullets characters will show up in this spin-off.