Bridging the gap between the past and the future of Sin City (2005)'s doomed anti-heroes, Frank Miller's story revolves around the second volume in the comic-book series, A Dame to Kill For. With no recollection of how he ended up encircled by dead bodies in The Projects, his old neighbourhood on the run-down side of the town, Marv, the violent mountain of muscles, tries to connect the dots. Drawn by the city's grim allure, newcomer Johnny, an overconfident card shark, finds his way to Kadie's Saloon and brazenly takes part in a high-stakes poker game with the city's absolute ruler, Senator Roark. Elsewhere, the tough private eye, Dwight McCarthy, still sporting his old face, becomes enmeshed in a deadly scheme when his seductive old flame and professional femme fatale, Ava Lord, re-enters his life. Finally, on the verge of depression, the exotic dancer, Nancy Callahan, is struggling to cope with Detective John Hartigan's death, contemplating revenge. But, is there justice without sin?—Nick Riganas