Bloodshot: Reborn The Analog Man#10

by Mike Lunsford, Editor

Two of the biggest up-and-coming names in the comic industry take their turn with one of Valiant’s prized characters, Bloodshot, and they don’t disappoint!

I am new to the Bloodshot series, but I do know the bullet points (no pun intended). He was a mafia hitman who was sold out and given to Project Rising Spirit as a test subject. They injected him with nanites that enhance his senses, give him super strength, the ability to morph his body and interface with electronics, and for some reason, his skin turns gray, his eyes turn red, and he gets a big red spot on his chest. I had seen people at conventions cosplay him, I just assumed he was the Japanese version of Colossus. Now, it all makes sense.

In Bloodshot: Reborn The Analog Man#10, it’s 30 years after we last encountered our hero. He’s living the quiet life with Magic in the desert. They’re just outside of a fortified city that used to be Los Angeles. It’s a tough life they live, very little food or water, but they make do with a close knit band of survivors depending on each other. Raymond Garrison (Bloodshot) acts as a shepherd for this community, taking on the most dangerous of tasks to ensure his community’s survival. When a water run goes awry and his tanker truck is attacked by bandits Mad Max style, Bloodshot’s abilities with weapons come into play. He holds his own against the marauders until…well…you’ll just have to read for yourself. Needless to say, if you’re a Valiant Comics fan, you will appreciate the references to past issues and introduction of other characters crossing over into this story.

The art work and story were engaging. Not a originally a huge fan of the series or the character, I was immediately drawn in. The goal of “wanting the reader to be excited about the next issue” was certainly accomplished, as I am intrigued. It’s an often used trope, the “retired gunslinger straps on his weapon one last time to save the life he’s built from the demons of his past,” but it’s one of my favorites. I subscribe to the belief that there are no original stories left. What makes any story, be it movie, comic, book or television show, is the execution. The team of artist Lewis LaRosa (Captain America: America’s Avenger, The Immortal Iron Fist) and writer Jeff Lemire (The New 52: Future’s End, Old Man Logan) execute their story very well. Throw in some obvious nods to Mad Max and a surprise cameo by another Valiant character, and you got the formula for a very exciting start to a new story arc! I can’t wait to see where this one goes.

Rating:
ComicsOnline gives Bloodshot: Reborn #10 4  out of 5 nanite-infused killing machines.

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