"The story and art by
Andrez Bergen is superb."
SCI-FI JUBILEE
“Surviving on nothing but her wits, twin 9mm pistols...
and razor-sharp dialogue.”
BLEEDING COOL
BULLET GAL #1
Bullet Gal by Andrez Bergen is published through Melbourne based IF? Commix and follows a reckless female vigilante named Mitzi who gets drawn into the mysterious world of organized crime-fighting... Mitzi has lived on the streets of Heropa, a fictionalized haven of noir-style gangsters crossed with the caped hero mythos, ever since she was a teenager — surviving on nothing but her wits, a couple of paperbacks, and her twin Star Model B 9mm pistols. The first thing that struck me about this book was the art style, which is a unique blend of over-exposed photography and conventional comic book structure that suits the shadowy tone of this well-written series. Bergen takes his characters and story very seriously and it shows through it’s gloomy exterior with razor-sharp dialogue. Mitzi, or Bullet Gal as she will soon be known, has an air of authenticity and compelling rage that is just a delight to indulge in as she pursues justice. Earlier this week the Kickstarter campaign for publishing a TPB version of Bullet Gal to be released in North America reached its threshold, so be on the lookout for that one next year. [SHAWN PERRY] 
Mitzi is a girl with a grudge. Armed with nothing more than her dad’s old pistols, she’s started cutting a swath through the underworld of Heropa. As the criminals of the city start hunting the mysterious young lady who works as a vigilante in a city full of heroes, Mitzi’s rampage also garners the attention of someone on the side of the angels.
Enter Lee – a mysterious man with an offer Mitzi can’t refuse. A chance to help good people and not have to worry about the rules regarding licensed heroes needing to have a super-power? It sounds too good to be true and it probably is. But Mitzi is content to play by Lee’s rules… for now. Based in the same world as writer/artist Andrez Bergen’s novel Who Is Killing The Great Heroes Of Heropa?, Bullet Gal is an homage to the classic heroines of pulp fiction as well as the noir aesthetic. Comparable to Sin City and Velvet, Bullet Gal promises to be a must-read for all fans of Golden-Age adventure-style comics! --Matt Morrison 
Bullet Gal is a character from Andrez Bergen’s superhero novel, Who Is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa? Though never really seen in action in the book, she also makes an appearance in the second issue of Bergen’s anthology comic, Tales to Admonish, wherein she gets an adventure all her own called “All Fur Coat, No Knickers,” with art by Matt Kyme. Now, finally, she appears in her own title, albeit a short one. This is clearly a character that Mr. Bergen enjoys, and, reading Bullet Gal #1, it’s easy to see why. The tone of this title is very different from that of her adventure in Tales to Admonish. Both the story and the art are much darker and grittier—with pictures done by Bergen himself this time, rather than Kyme. The comic is also done with a very palpable noir tone, which is a favorite stylistic choice of Bergen’s—and also of mine. Bonus points to Bergen for his use of the word “gunsel,” and further bonus points to any reader who knows what the word really means. Our previous glimpses of Bullet Gal showed her after she was well established as a superhero in the world of Heropa: a smiling, '60s-style heroine with a short skirt and a hat shaped like a bullet. This new adventure shows her origin: just an ordinary woman who wants to fight crime . . . with bullets. She has no superpowers to speak of, just a gun, which she uses to kill the vilest of the vile in the Heropa underworld. Then, she meets Lee, and everything changes. I keep referencing the previous comic, and the book, but you don’t need to have any familiarity with either of them to enjoy this new title. The characters stand perfectly well on their own; however, if you get the chance, you should probably still check out both Capes of Heropa and Tales to Admonish, because they’re both a lot of fun. This issue is titled Bullet Gal #1. I do hope that means there will be a #2 in the future, and other issues, as well. I really like Bullet Gal as a character, and I want to see more of her adventures. It would be interesting to see the progression from gritty noir girl with a gun to '60s bombshell with a bullet hat. At any rate, I’m sure Andrez Bergen has more in store for this character. She’s just too much fun to leave alone. --Steven W. Alloway 
Bullet Gal #1 – Carnage has an intriguing storyline to it, reminiscent of a Jason Bourne like female character along with a mystery man trying to recruit her unique services ultimately to his cause.
This first issue is well-written and good panel arrangement, and easy to follow. The art of this indie comic uses photos from various films and/or television shows at first glance, but the creator seems to have selected the best images for the scene descriptions and dialogue between the characters. The images are distorted or manipulated in a well thought out way to keep the reader into the story. I recommend Bullet Gal #1 – Carnage as an interesting indie comic to check out! --Scott Cosby WEIRD & WONDERFUL READS REVIEW
The talented Andrez Bergen is having a busy summer. A new novel out in July (the wonderful DEPTH CHARGING ICE PLANET GOTH), followed by his graphic adaptation of Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat which is being released in August.
Not to mention new releases from IF? Commix looming on the horizon. So how does the man choose to celebrate? By releasing a twelve-page mini-comic (at cost) to thank his fans, natch! Bullet Gal #1 will be printed up in the second week of August, and will be priced at one measly buck! Hard to beat that right? But wait, there's more (sorry, I've always wanted to use that line)! From September 1st and on, the digital version will be FREE via the IF? Commix website! How cool is that? Now that I've got the what, when, and where out of the way, let me relate my thoughts about the comic... Bullet Gal #1 is a prequel to some of Andrez's other works (take a look at Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa?, Tales to Admonish, and the aforementioned DEPTH CHARGING ICE PLANET GOTH for related reading), and relates an adventure of the woman who will soon come to be known as Bullet Gal. Set in Heropa (a city existing in cyberspace) and told in a distinct noir style, this short entry is simply amazing! The writing is razor sharp, the art stark, and strikingly beautiful. The art and writing style fit together perfectly, and it's a total joy to see the story executed in such excellent style. I love the fact that Andrez has filled in more of Bullet Gal's history (and there's more on the way), which I had really hoped for after being introduced to the character. All in all, a lot of goodness, residing within a small package. If you love well told noir, you'll appreciate the first issue of Bullet Gal. Recommended reading, and here's hoping for more adventures from our heroine! On that note, I'll get back to perusing my library. Have a great one, and have fun reading! If you missed it above here's the link to the IF? Commix home page. And here's a link to Andrez's blog, where you can keep up with the many projects he has going on. Why don't you swing by and take a look? --Shawn Vogt |
BULLET GAL #2
The first issue was a mini-comic, a teaser of sorts. I stated after reading it that the art brought me back to early [Brian] Bendis material like Torso and Jinx.
After reading the second installment, I stand by my earlier statement. Bergen’s style of sequential art draws you into his world of Heropa and brings it to life in a way that makes you experience the story first-hand. I continue to be impressed by his writing, but it no longer surprises me. I have read nearly everything he has done and his writing simply resonates. It is real dialogue, real emotion, real drama. You live his work. As much as I love his novels, his graphic novel are right up my alley. I’m a comic book guy through and through so when you combine great writing with unique and innovative art, you got me! --John Kowalski GEEKS OF DOOM REVIEW
|
BULLET GAL #3
She’s back: our favorite plucky superhero-in-training—who would probably shoot you in the face if she heard you call her “plucky.” Mitzi, a.k.a. Bullet Gal, is certainly not your typical superhero. She’s got a lot of demons to conquer, and a lot of anger to work through. Which, admittedly, does sound a bit like your typical superhero, but the difference is that Mitzi is still just a teenager—and also armed. Bullet Gal is still raw and unpredictable. You know if you’ve read Who Is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa? that, eventually, she becomes an established and respected superhero, but she’s nowhere near there yet. The Bullet Gal comic takes us along on her journey and lets us see her evolution, step by step. This issue sees Bullet Gal secretly tailing Lee, her mentor, to find out just who he is and what he’s up to, and discovering his secret in the process. In the meantime, Sol, the head of the Heropa underworld, is still trying to have Bullet Gal killed for what she keeps doing to his people. The job has been assigned to literal Femme Fatale Brigit, but some of Sol’s other underlings are getting antsy and want to finish the job themselves. The issue also gives us a deeper glimpse into Mitzi’s character and what drives her—as well as just how clever and resourceful she can be. Additionally, it raises a number of questions about Lee’s character, particularly if you’ve read Heropa. There’s plenty of action and plenty of fun in this comic. Bergen’s writing is always top notch, and his unique art style, which combines photomontage with digital manipulation, gives it a gritty, noir quality that matches the tone of the story. Bullet Gal is unlike any other comic you’re likely to read. If you’re looking for something a little different, and are into noir and superheroes, then you’ll want to check out this comic. --Steven W. Alloway 
I was happily surprised (once again) to find Bullet Gal #3 by Andrez Bergen in my inbox the other day. This won’t be out until October, but, heck, Andrez might have the entire series finished by then. I am, of course, joking, but I’m not too far from the truth. I’m not sure when Andrez finds the time to sleep, but my friend seems to be an absolute machine. Anyways, enough rambling, I’m going to jump straight into my review. In this issue our heroine Mitzi (the woman who will soon be known as Bullet Gal) has turned the tables on her mysterious benefactor, Lee. Put off by his endless games, she’s decided to do a bit of snooping of her own. After following Lee, and spying on a clandestine meeting, she makes a shocking discovery… one which she is not sure how to handle. Meanwhile, the criminal element of Heropa aren’t wasting any time tracking Mitzi down. While Mitzi is engaging in her bit of cloak and dagger, there is already a three-man (more accurately, one very deadly woman plus two thugs) team that has eyes on her. Plus, a couple of very nasty looking guns. Things look like they’re coming to a head, and the only question is, who’s more dangerous? Mitzi’s apparent friend, Lee, or the hit-team that are dogging her steps? What can I say about this release? The writing is spot-on, as usual. Andrez is building the story to greater heights with each issue. He’s steadily adding new elements as he goes, and I’m holding my breath, wondering when the balloon will pop. This issue is basically a bridge entry, very much about drawing the plot threads together, from previous issues. I’m waiting for the climax, and I have to admit that Andrez has me on the edge of my seat, wondering what the endgame (for this series) is. As a bit of a side note, I haven’t mentioned in my other reviews of this series (simply because I hate spoiling the joy of discovery for a new reader), but most of his works tie together, in one way or another. Many of these characters are already familiar to me, and I love that more and more of the details are getting filled in. Will this get in the way of a new reader enjoying this comic series? In my opinion, HECK, NO! I began reading Andrez’s works with his (at the time) newest novel, and then worked backwards. This series is easily enjoyable in its own right, but you should pick up his other works. You’ll get a much wider perspective on things. As far as the art goes, are you seeing these images? He just keeps getting better and better. The noir images Andrez creates are totally suited to the story that is being told. They are beautiful, stark, and striking in equal measures. The process of creating in this medium is rather painstaking, as well, so it is appreciated by myself all the more. To sum up, if you want to read a unique comic series, something outside of the type of things you get from the DC’s and Marvel’s of the world… something well written, with beautiful art, and from the very soul of the creator… this is the release for you! Arigato, Andrez. --Shawn Vogt SCI-FI JUBILEE REVIEW
|
