Trench was a deep-cover DEA agent. Steadman was an undercover Naval Intelligence officer. Now, after racing headlong across the Southwest, desperately outrunning Feds and mobsters alike while trying to clear their names, Trench and Steadman are pulled into another impossible situation: brokering gun deals between the Russians and anti-government revolutionaries… from opposite sides. And little do they know, a Third Gun has her eyes set on the ultimate prize–and she won’t go down without a fight.

I’m a sucker for a good crime story. There’s something about the cool attitudes of characters, the double crosses, the femme fatales that draws me in. I read the first volume, 2 Guns, as a collected edition, so I’m jumping at the chance to read 3 Guns as it comes out issue by issue to see if the experience is different.

Perfectly timed to coincide with the release of the 2 Guns movie, 3 Guns picks up some time later and quickly draws us back into a world of double crosses and shady characters. Much like the first volume we’re thrown into the action with as little information given as possible. That only adds to the mystery, like who the “3rd gun” will be (I’m guessing the woman depicted on the cover).

What’s great here is the interaction of characters. The banter, the comments, how folks go back and forth, that’s the draw and entertainment. The first issue begins to set everything up for what I’m sure will be a while ride. In fact I know it’ll be a wild ride based on the last page of the comic.

Combined with the great storytelling and writing of Steven Grant, art duty falls to Emilio Laiso who ads a nice gritty feel that fines the crime/noir genre. Laiso’s style mimics cover artist Rafael Albuquerque, a favorite artist of mine.

One issue in and the comic is a fun and entertaining time. I’m looking forward to see where this goes from here and if similar crazy twist and turns and be pulled off in the second volume.

Story: Steven Grant Art: Emilio Laiso
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy