So…there’s a lot of blood in Bloodshot. Who woulda’ thunk it?
Having read virtually no Valiant titles except for Faith:Hollywood and Vine, I only had a passing recognition of Bloodshot, but no real understanding of who he was or his backstory. I picked up this digital copy because Jeff Lemire (who must be an android and not sleep because his output of titles is amazing) is the author and I’m a sucker for a good revenge story.
Bloodshot aka Ray Garrison is a former soldier who worked for the shadowy Project Rising Spirit, and whose nanites in his bloodstream could transform him into a killing machine with healing powers (shades of Wolverine from Marvel). His memory has been wiped several times, but he has escaped from the decommissioned PRS in the previous Reborn series, and has established a family with his girlfriend Magic. They have a baby daughter who seems to be perfectly healthy and free of Ray’s powers.
It’s all too good to be true, and frankly Ray decides to f**k everything up by going after Magic’s father who is a cult leader and has been harassing her to rejoin his compound. Plans go sideways, his daughter Jessie gets sick and PRS gets new funding and doesn’t want any former soldiers on the loose. There are time jumps, transfigurations and many many deaths. Then there is the required twist and cliff hanger to make you come back for future volumes.
The artwork is excellent, with a gritty realism and a subdued color palate. The artists are very fond of exploding eyeballs and showcasing gore. But I do have a complaint: the front cover is misleading. It shows Jessie as a young girl with the trademark white skin next to her father. This scene did not happen, and in fact, Jessie has not seen her Dad in years at this point. While I assume they will be reuniting in the next volume, this cover was very inaccurate.
I’m glad I had a chance to read this title through NetGalley, as Vin Diesel is signed on to portray Bloodshot in a movie adaptation, and now I have a passing understanding of the Bloodshot saga. I’m rooting for Ray’s family to have a happy ending, but we all know it won’t come easy.
-Nancy
March 9, 2018 at 10:12 am
I haven’t actually read Bloodshot since the ’90s. But I remember liking it a lot. I should jump back into his world in preparation for the movie. And I hope that film only leads to more notoriety for Valiant’s classic heroes. They had some good characters.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 9, 2018 at 1:39 pm
Both the Reborn and Salvation series are penned by Jeff Lemire and with him as an author we are guaranteed a solid story. I should really look into other Valiant titles.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 9, 2018 at 1:41 pm
I remember loving the X-O Manowar and Turok stuff.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 9, 2018 at 12:57 pm
I love the cover art! Does it speak for most of the illustrations? From your description, it seems to 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 9, 2018 at 1:40 pm
Yes, it is a good representation of the art found within, I just wish it hadn’t been so misleading. This pic would be more appropriate for V2.
LikeLike
March 9, 2018 at 2:46 pm
Yeah that is a let down. But aesthetically, I am digging it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 25, 2018 at 12:21 pm
Agree entirely! Lemire is a machine. If you like this I’d try Descender and his new one Gideon Falls (if you haven’t already!)
LikeLiked by 2 people
March 25, 2018 at 5:03 pm
They are both on my radar but I haven’t read them yet. Considering I’ve never read a bad Lemire book, I’m sure I’ll get to them eventually.
LikeLiked by 2 people