7. 100 Bullets
If someone gave you a gun, proof that everything bad in your life is one persons fault and the promise of law enforcement turning a blind eye; would you kill the person responsible for everything bad in your life? Thats the question posed time and again but with hugely differing results in writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Rissos stylized and violent noir tale 100 Bullets. First published in 1999 by Vertigo Comics the story follows the mysterious Agent Graves as he approaches people who have been the victim of a terrible wrong but over the course of the series reveals a deeply complex backstory as readers are drawn into a tale of secret organizations and centurys old conspiracies. The writing and artwork is exemplary and in keeping with its noir fiction style all the characters are deeply flawed giving the story and characters a depth missing in more mainstream comics. 100 Bullets has also won multiple awards, including Eisner and Harvey Awards, making this sprawling crime saga a must read for any comic book fan.