100 Bullets: Brother Lono

Of all the characters to make it alive out of 100 Bullets—the long-running, award-winning comic by the Azzarello/Risso team—the least likely to find religion would probably be Lono, a brutish berserker last seen getting shot out of a window in the series’ final issue. Yet this spin-off finds a staid and relatively benign Lono on the mend and seeking atonement at a small church-run orphanage in Mexico. There he struggles to contain the beast within, which teases his unconscious and waits for a chance to take control. Opportunity arrives when an undercover DEA agent (disguised as a nun) infiltrates the orphanage to sniff out an alleged cartel connection, igniting the fuse that sets off the series’ signature blend of violence and mayhem. Risso’s art is as sharp as ever, a stylish mix of stark black shadows and expressive faces. Without missing a beat, Azzarello and Risso tack on another satisfying chapter to their acclaimed crime saga, reminding readers that they’re one of the comics’ most seamless and potent creative teams. (Apr.)