Bloodshot Reborn #8
Publisher: Valiant
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Butch Guice
Cover: Mico Suayan
Bloodshot Reborn has turned out to be another of Valiant’s titles that has convinced me to read about a character that didn’t hold my interest decades ago. Mostly due to Lemire’s building of the character and developing him into someone worth reading about who wasn’t just about guns and explosions. Lemire just keeps improving on the character with each issue and it’s been one hell of a fight for Bloodshot as he’s been tracking down those like him. The constant fight for his humanity and the cost he’s having to pay to “save” these people is pretty steep. At times it even raises the question of whether or not it’s even worth it for Bloodshot to do this knowing what might happen in the end.
Picking up right after last issue, Bloodshot and Magic are confronting another person infected by the same nanites that power Bloodshot. The problem lies in the fact that the two are separated in a massive corn field and Magic is facing their enemy alone. But Lemire doesn’t just give us some tense action sequences as more is revealed about Project Rising Spirit and Bloodshot’s past. More specifically the ones who came before him over the decades long tenure of the underground program. There’s a very nice payoff here for those who have been interested in the beginnings and needed that itch scratched. Even it it’s only for a brief moment it’s worth every second to see the evolution of the project and the various other Bloodshots.
Guice delivers as expected in terms of the visuals and just moving the story along at a great pace. The fight between Magic and her attacker was a dynamic sequence that was a lot of fun. Seeing the nanites guide the blood to work on her wounds on a microscopic level was a nice touch that I never get tired of seeing here. There’s also the point where Bloodshot realizes what he’s become and the emotional kick is right there in the expression nailed by Guice. This is just a great looking series with each artist that comes on.
Bloodshot Reborn continues to be THAT title you should be reading from Valiant! The character direction has been nothing short of intriguing and exciting. The elevation of Bloodshot has been a long time coming and Lemire is determined to make him stand out among Valiant’s best! So go ahead and add it to your pull list or preorder it immediately!
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Haven’t read a Bloodshot comic since the 90’s but this sounds like it’s a little heavier on story than just blowing some stuff up. Thumbs up to Valiant!