Golgo 13 is a longstanding series about a grim, stony-faced assassin for hire who is brutal with a bullet and magic with the ladies. The setup is broad enough that it allows for stories across the suspense spectrum, as the two stories that make up this volume, a tense political technothriller and a gritty story of vengeance, demonstrate.

It's easy to focus on the gonzo details of Golgo 13 and the over-the-top thrills to be found here. Not that there's anything wrong with that--plenty of other reviewers have pointed out the inherent awesomeness of the Golgo 13 formula, from the impeccable, 70's-ish clothing he wears that looks badass rather than retro; to his cold, steely gaze that would make Frank Castle, James Bond, and Jason Bourne to quake in their boots; to the particular phrasing of Golgo 13's sexual prowess: "Lures all the women in the world to the 'height of ecstacy'; at any rate, an amazing penis." (In case you're wondering, it's the "at any rate" that sticks the landing here.)

Beyond these immediate pleasures, though, lies a smart thriller that employs the best elements of ripped-from-the-headlines plots, sturdy-yet-supple art, and a less-is-more approach to Golgo 13 himself. The opening story demonstrates this with a plot as relevant today (albeit minus Saddam Hussain) as it was fifteen years ago when it was drawn and written. During the Clinton administration, Saddam Hussain plots a biological attack on Washington, DC using an impossibly big cannon, or "Supergun", according to the title of the story. But ultimately, of course, the supergun turns out to be Golgo 13 himself. All the principal actors, including Iraqi dictator Hussain, President of the United States Clinton, and Secretary of State Madeline Albright, as well as every minor character, are easily identifiable and visually distinct from one another. You immediately know where you are--Saito's Iraqi desert is as distinct as the halls of the Pentagon. The kicker is that the story employs 13 with as much ruthless efficiency as the assassin dispatches his enemies: he makes minimal appearances, says little, and his longest scene is one in which he rewards the female Iraqi contact for top secret intel with the aforementioned amazing piece of anatomy.

The second story in this volume is even more interesting a piece of restraint. Without giving away too much, it builds tension and suspense using 13 as much as a grim reaper threat as an actual actor in the events of the story itself. It's a formula that can sustain many, many manga volumes, which makes this 13 volume "best of" series released by Viz such a great thing. Yes, there's probably lots of great stories we're missing out on in English translation, but Viz gives us just enough to leave us like Golgo 13's women, wanting more. At any rate, an amazing series.

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