ABSTRACT
This chapter conceptualises a notion of extreme restorative justice, using the term to reflect the conflict between revenge and restoration in 100 Bullets's core justice narrative. It then argues that 100 Bullets, like the best contemporary crime fiction, raises valid concerns about social problems. First outlining the comics' basic set-up, the chapter also outlines how genre conventions influence 100 Bullets's narratives, examining the nature of inner-city criminal justice failures within its law and order context and the series's allegorical intentions. It further examines representations of extreme restorative justice and vigilantism within 100 Bullets. Vigilantism in 100 Bullets is thus collective and individualised, both direct and indirect. At best, personal satisfaction might be gained from individualised action, but our social concerns about criminality may not be allayed by seeing extreme restorative justice via private vigilantism carried out. Finally, the chapter concludes that 100 Bullets examines social anxiety about crime and failures of the justice system.
