If ever there was a graphic novel that should be turned into a movie, Sunset is it. Oh, and not just any movie, we’re talking about a Clint Eastwood going after Al Pacino or Robert De Niro type of movie with guns, car chases, mob and casino’s.

Nick Bellamy loved to hurt people, so much so, that his dad enlisted him in the Army at age 17 just to get rid of him. By the time the war was over, the Army also got tired of Nick and sent him packing. He ended up in Vegas, and after being discovered on the underground bare-knuckle circuit, he became the main muscle and right hand man of Mr. Gianelli, a powerful mob boss. 

After 20 years of invaluable service, Nick falls in love with a girl named Ellen. In order to ensure his happiness, he needs to leave his line of work, which is something one just can’t get up and do. So along with Ellen and two friends, Sully and Blake, they pull off the ultimate heist. They rob Gianelli’s casino of $8 million, set Gianelli up with a tip to the feds, and he gets life in prison for murder. They all go their separate ways, and Nick and Ellen live a happy and full life. Of course, you can’t hide from the mob forever. Gianelli catches up to Nick, kills Ellen and Blake, and the rest of the story is a high octane adventure that see’s Nick finding an old flame and his son, going after Gianelli at his casino and, of course, a very large body count. 

If you enjoy those old casino style mob noir stories, this book is right for you. The artwork is black and white, but it doesn’t take away from the story. It’s very gripping and it keeps you turning the pages and not wanting to put it down. Like I said earlier, if this was a movie, I can see Nick being Eastwood, Gianelli being Pacino, De Niro or even Eric Roberts. It’s definitely one of Christos Gage’s best works, and I highly recommend it.

Grade: A