BLOODSHOT: REBORN #1 Review

What will Bloodshot do now that he’s cured? Read on to find out.

The official description from Valiant:

From New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire (THE VALIANT, Green Arrow) and red-hot rising star Mico Suayan (HARBINGER, Moon Knight), VALIANT NEXT delivers an all-new ongoing series for Valiant’s most unrelenting hero!

Bloodshot’s nanites made him a nearly unstoppable killing machine. His enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and healing made him the perfect weapon, and he served his masters at Project Rising Spirit – a private contractor trafficking in violence – very well.

Now, Bloodshot is a shadow of his former self. He lives in self-imposed exile, reeling from the consequences of his past life and the recent events that nearly drove him mad. But when a rash of shootings by gunmen who appear to look just like Bloodshot begin, his guilt will send him on a mission to stop the killers, even if it means diving headlong into the violence that nearly destroyed him.

It’s been several months since we last saw Bloodshot in his own series’, but finally he’s back. Having finally lost the nanites that kept him from dying, Bloodshot is forced to live an ordinary life, going by the name of Ray Garrison, and doing maintenance work at the motel he lives at in exchange for free boarding. This “normal life” leads to a completely new direction, as whilst mourning the death of his true love, Kay, his dream soon becomes a living nightmare, with later events giving him a serious ultimatum.

Jeff Lemire seems to do no wrong as of late, with both Descender and All-New Hawkeye being sensations. That being said, this first issue of Bloodshot: Reborn doesn’t quite follow in these footsteps, as though there’s a lot to entice, with plenty of promise, it doesn’t quite live up to the high standards of these other series’. This doesn’t on the other hand stop Bloodshot: Reborn from being an entertaining read, as though it may not be overly immersive, the character focus and depth is certainly intriguing enough to have this reader returning for #2.

Where this comic truly shines however is in it’s artwork, with Mico Suayan‘s detailed pencils being a wonder to behold. Between the deep, dramatic layouts, and intense character expressions, the artist certainly knows how to generate atmosphere. He also manages to give a more rustic, almost realistic tempo to this former hero, conveying the character driven script of Lemire brilliantly. This is all given an extra layer of depth through David Baron‘s colours, with the intense palette being soft, yet rustic.

Bloodshot: Reborn #1 may not be the usual type of comic that Valiant make, but it goes to show that their Valiant Next initiative is one to watch. Having a realistic, and emotionally driven take on the classic character, this new series is a brilliant jumping on point for new fans, as though it may not be to everyone’s liking, it’s sure to convert some that are on the fence.