You can't go wrong with Hard Case Crime. This is a fun take on the spy vs spy concept except in this case it's two female assassins who battle it out. One is impersonating the other and setting her up to take a hard fall... conflict and mayhem ensues.

This is very much a story for grownups (some images are unsuitable for younger readers). Although I enjoyed it, the layout of the artwork/panels is not really conducive to a digital format; there are several two-page image sequences that are difficult to follow without seeing the full layout.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a fun, sometimes naughty, thriller story featuring a beautiful assassin who kicks butt (Gun Honey).

This was an unexpected read for me. It was much more compelling and engaging. I enjoyed the art, the plot, and the execution. Overall, this was pretty good.

I believe I've mentioned in previous reviews how I've become fascinated by the pulp noir fiction that was popular in the 1940's and 1950's and I've been watching, and enjoying, a slow return to this kind of writing. Hard Case Crime books is a publishing house dedicated to this kind of fiction. Gun Honey: Blood for Blood is a sequel to Gun Honey. Both pulp noir, what makes them slightly unique is that they are graphic novels - not something you typically see in the noir genre.

Our 'honey' is Joanna Tan, who gets her nickname because she has the ability to get a gun for you no matter where you are or when you need it. She's a one=person special ops force who's tried to retire but when someone is planting guns and running missions using her MO, she's forced out of retirement to clear her name. But her foe turns out to be every bit as capable as Joanna herself.

I didn't read the first graphic novel in the series and did feel I missed out on a bit of background to Joanna, but this was cleared up with a quick look at some of the review of that book on Goodreads. Also ... it's pulp fiction ... by the very nature of the genre, we can pretty much discover all we need to know by the course of action. And the action here is practically non-stop.

I think it's generally common knowledge that the readership for a book like this is typically middle-aged or older men. This book then panders to that readership with the non-stop action and fighting (especially the woman on woman fighting) but mostly with a great deal of nudity. Tan may be able to get a gun for any occasion but she also seems to be interesting in stripping whenever possible and her body is a classic comic book female figure.

That said, I generally liked the artwork here. It had a nice, noir feel and there was good detail in nearly every panel. This is not like the modern manga artwork, but more akin to the comic art of the 1970's and 80's.

A slight aside ... this book contains a few photos of a model dressed (provocatively, of course) as Joanna Tan and the commentary states that the model is a cosplayer whom the publisher met at a convention and was invited to model professionally for the book.

Looking for a good book? If the idea of pulp fiction in graphic novel form appeals to you, Gun Honey: Blood for Blood is definitely worth checking out.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Whatever the script was for this tale was destroyed by very poor effort of illustration.
I'm a huge fan of the Hard Case Crime and have a large percentage of the series.
I've been wanting to see one of the comics created from the tales since that part of the business started.

This was the first I've seen and read and am I ever disappointed at the result. The one illustrating this botched the effort terribly. And there's a Robert McGinnis cover attached!
I can't imagine Ardai wrote this as poorly as presented.

The sequential storytelling approach is scatter shot addled with more poses than figures aiding the storytelling. A good deal of the figures poorly rendered, with faces rarely consistently drawn. I had trouble figuring who many of the figures were.

The issue of the figure of the female figure I also must note. The top-heavy woman drawn is preposterous. First the figure's dimensions alter panel to panel and really changes in certain action scenes that would be impossible for a woman built as drawn.
Settings are worse and it can be very hard to know what location any scene takes place.

All this adding up to the worse: This seems to have been illustrated in parts with the failure to connect the parts. Coming across as if some number of pages are missing.

Thus, the coherency of the story is lost. I was often last as to what was going on.
Considering the high quality of the entire Hard Case Crime series, this is a disaster.
I hope better in the future.

I am glad to have had access to this book via NetGalley for an honest review.

Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 1 out of ten points.

Having seen this series on my comic book feed I have been intrigued by it for a while. I must say Titan have done well with this though it is certainly not a graphic novel for kids.
I will certainly be getting more

Didn't finish. Incredibly tacky. This is like shag rug in a VW van. This has to be 100 words long. I don't think it rates that.

It was very difficult to read on kindle. It seemed to be divided in half and out of order on kindle version. Had a hard time understanding the storyline because of this.

Really enjoyed this graphic novel from Charles Ardai. The action and plot kept you interested, and the characters were also great. Need to read more from this series. #GunHoneyBloodforBloodGraphicNovel #NetGalley

With thanks to the author, publishers Titan Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this comic in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Definitely a comic for adults! A very enjoyable read, with a sexy and feisty protagonist, a plot to grab the reader, and top-notch artwork to bring the story and characters to life. This was my first foray into the hardcore crime series of comics so I was missing some of the backstory, but it didn’t adversely affect my enjoyment of the work. Looking forward to more in the series!

Our illustrious Gun Honey is brought out of retirement when she's framed for some murders by someone just as good as she is. There's is a ton of nudity in this so be forewarned. This one does strain credulity at times due to how often she drops her clothes. It's almost like she has a fetish against wearing clothes. I prefer a little more focus on the story itself so I didn't find this as good as the first volume.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


Joanna is a dream. This is my first read and novel of the hardcore crime series. The art is absolutely beautiful and the storyline is superb. The action is nonstop. I look forward to reading more of this series and hopefully seeing it on a TV or movie screen soon.

Hard Case Crime puts out excellent noir crime books, and the GUN HONEY comics are just as good. Joanna Tan is back in full force in this exciting sequel, with lots of action, vengeance, excitement and intrigue. It's very retro style action with a modern storytelling feel, and the art is top notch. Good stuff!

A comic for adults, with a smart and feisty female lead. I hadn’t come across this comic series before. What did I find reading Gun Honey? Firstly an enjoyable read, though following some of the text threads took a little effort. And a story of duplicity, a story of murder, a story of false accusations, a story of revenge. All presented with excellent art work to match the story. I will be looking out for the next instalment. Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I'm a huge fan of the Hardcase Crime series of book and this was my first time reading a graphic novel from Hardcase Crime. This was a really fun and exciting read for me. Blood for Blood perfectly suited what I already knew about the imprint.
If you love fast paced and action packed graphic novels then this one will be for you.
My only gripe being that I hadn't read the first installment in this graphic novel series, but this didn't overly effect my enjoyment once I had gotten to grips with the character involved.
This has everything you would expect from the imprint.
Slick, sexy 100mph action from start to finish.

"Gun Honey: Blood for Blood" is a fast-paced and action-packed, sexy graphic novel that follows the story of Joanna Tan, a lethal gun runner who specializes in acquiring and delivering weapons to clients in need. However, things take a dangerous turn when Joanna becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation after someone else starts planting weapons and causing trouble in her name.

The storyline is intriguing and full of suspense, keeping the reader engaged throughout. The artwork is equally impressive, with dynamic illustrations that effectively capture the gritty and violent world, with many different, interesting locations.

Joanna Tan is a protagonist who is both alluring and deadly. She's a force to be reckoned with and never shies away from danger. Her character is well-developed and provides a refreshing take on the classic femme fatale trope.

The supporting characters are also well-crafted. The plot twists and turns keep the reader guessing, and the resolution is satisfying, providing closure to the story while leaving room for future installments.

Overall, "Gun Honey: Blood for Blood" is an excellent graphic novel that blends elements of noir, action, and suspense to create an enthralling and entertaining read. Highly recommended for fans of the genre.

A decent attempt at noir fiction.
It is not the best nor the worst.
Our heroine is insanely attractive woman who cannot seem to keep her clothes on for no valid reason.
Coupled with a fair amount ultra violence it is a fair read, but only that.

Naked girls, muscles, action. Very old school comic action. There could've a lot of interesting aspects into this too. With evolving comic storytelling style this is something the last thing we wanna read and get excited now.

Three words -- underwater fight scene. Decent twisty plot, snappy patter, well paced action. Drawing is crisp and serves well to support the story and drive the action. Lots of cheesecake, in a pulpy sort of fashion. If you've ever wondered how classic noir would translate to the graphic novel form, this would be an excellent place to start.