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Bloodshot Reborn
Bloodshot Reborn, Vol. 2: The Hunt
The Hunt is on!
Bloodshot is on the hunt. Determined to stop the violent reign of terror that plagues Colorado,Bloodshot journeys across the Rocky Mountains to destroy the remaining nanites that have caused mass murderers to spring up across the state. But will the drugs, booze, and insane visions rattling around his head put an end to his journey before it begins?
Start reading here as New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire (The Valiant, Descender) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Butch Guice (Ninjak, The Winter Soldier) begin the second staggering story arc of the chart-topping new series that Entertainment Weekly calls “a subversive new take on Valiant’s resident unkillable killing machine.”
Collecting: Bloodshot Reborn 6-9
Bloodshot is on the hunt. Determined to stop the violent reign of terror that plagues Colorado,Bloodshot journeys across the Rocky Mountains to destroy the remaining nanites that have caused mass murderers to spring up across the state. But will the drugs, booze, and insane visions rattling around his head put an end to his journey before it begins?
Start reading here as New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire (The Valiant, Descender) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Butch Guice (Ninjak, The Winter Soldier) begin the second staggering story arc of the chart-topping new series that Entertainment Weekly calls “a subversive new take on Valiant’s resident unkillable killing machine.”
Collecting: Bloodshot Reborn 6-9
112 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2016
14 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,393 books3,872 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 16, 2016
Bloodshot continues to hunt down the remaining nanites that have infected some unwitting human hosts - until he realises there’s another out there also hunting the remaining infected in an effort to become Bloodshot themselves!
Jeff Lemire concludes his first Bloodshot arc in a reasonably satisfactory fashion even if he’s basically retelling the first Jason Bourne movie, The Bourne Identity. You’ve got a super soldier with amnesia and a cute female sidekick hunting down others like him while being pursued by the authorities - there’s even a shootout in a field like in the movie!
I didn’t think much of Magic, the female sidekick, or the creepy kid in the first book but their inclusion in the story both pay off nicely in this book. What doesn’t pay off at all is the continued FBI agent storyline which went nowhere and was totally unnecessary - you could excise it entirely and the story wouldn’t suffer. It’d be an improvement in fact as it wasn’t interesting to read either!
And I’m still not sure how these nanites selected their hosts or where they went after The Valiant. And why is it Bloodshot is only now having hallucinations of Kay and Bloodsquirt when the last time he was Bloodshot he didn’t? Contrived nonsense.
Butch Guice’s realistic art works well with the horror look of the infected, particularly the one in the field - this series has had an impressive array of artistic talent!
Bloodshot Reborn, Volume 2: The Hunt is a decent finale though the storyline had its flaws. Well done to both Jeff Lemire and Bloodshot for not totally sucking! This might be Valiant’s best current ongoing (though that’s not saying much).
Jeff Lemire concludes his first Bloodshot arc in a reasonably satisfactory fashion even if he’s basically retelling the first Jason Bourne movie, The Bourne Identity. You’ve got a super soldier with amnesia and a cute female sidekick hunting down others like him while being pursued by the authorities - there’s even a shootout in a field like in the movie!
I didn’t think much of Magic, the female sidekick, or the creepy kid in the first book but their inclusion in the story both pay off nicely in this book. What doesn’t pay off at all is the continued FBI agent storyline which went nowhere and was totally unnecessary - you could excise it entirely and the story wouldn’t suffer. It’d be an improvement in fact as it wasn’t interesting to read either!
And I’m still not sure how these nanites selected their hosts or where they went after The Valiant. And why is it Bloodshot is only now having hallucinations of Kay and Bloodsquirt when the last time he was Bloodshot he didn’t? Contrived nonsense.
Butch Guice’s realistic art works well with the horror look of the infected, particularly the one in the field - this series has had an impressive array of artistic talent!
Bloodshot Reborn, Volume 2: The Hunt is a decent finale though the storyline had its flaws. Well done to both Jeff Lemire and Bloodshot for not totally sucking! This might be Valiant’s best current ongoing (though that’s not saying much).
February 27, 2018
Jeff Lemire was a great addition to the Bloodshot run. The (lock and) load of fun may be weaker, but the characters are given depth way beyond expectable.
There’s such a noir tinge to some of the panels that I immediately thought of Fatale. And when a Bloodshot panel resembles the art of Sean Phillips without feeling out of its element, one knows how well the run is doing.
There’s such a noir tinge to some of the panels that I immediately thought of Fatale. And when a Bloodshot panel resembles the art of Sean Phillips without feeling out of its element, one knows how well the run is doing.
September 14, 2022
More phenomenal artwork but story itself is underwhelming. The character of Magic seems unnecessary and as such everything involving her is blah. It all looks really cool though.
July 13, 2016
I like my Bloodshot shooting the shit out of everything and going on crazy rampages.
This isn't really that bloodshot.
It's still good; We have a very really struggle here with a man just wanting to be a man. A story about someone coming to grips with who they are what fate has in store for them.
That's all well and fine...but like I said...I prefer my killing machine kind of Bloodshot.
That said, I'ma keep reading this comic cuz I do enjoy it. I just know I would be enjoying it more if it would amp up the mayhem and slaughter a smidge.
This isn't really that bloodshot.
It's still good; We have a very really struggle here with a man just wanting to be a man. A story about someone coming to grips with who they are what fate has in store for them.
That's all well and fine...but like I said...I prefer my killing machine kind of Bloodshot.
That said, I'ma keep reading this comic cuz I do enjoy it. I just know I would be enjoying it more if it would amp up the mayhem and slaughter a smidge.
December 19, 2018
Read and reviewed as part of Bloodshot Reborn: Deluxe Edition 1
February 23, 2020
This was a great conclusion to the storyline. I should have seen it coming but I didn't. Great art and a cool story. What comes next is now up in the air, so I'm really looking forward to seeing where things go from here.
November 28, 2017
Enjoyable but predictable
This is enjoyable, Lemire's writing is competent and fast paced. The art remains consistent although it does have a slightly late 90s feel. Hey no plot twist or development really surprised me. So far this is like a Saturday afternoon action flick, epic yet comfortable. Enjoyable because it does what you want such a thing to do but not memorable because it doesn't rain to do a lot more than that.
This is enjoyable, Lemire's writing is competent and fast paced. The art remains consistent although it does have a slightly late 90s feel. Hey no plot twist or development really surprised me. So far this is like a Saturday afternoon action flick, epic yet comfortable. Enjoyable because it does what you want such a thing to do but not memorable because it doesn't rain to do a lot more than that.
May 23, 2019
Pokračujeme tam kde skončil předchozí book. Akční a zábavný, Bloodshotovy dilemata jsou fajn a líbí se mi jak se v tom Lemire rýpá.. Kresba o dost lepší než předtím, připadá mi jako takovej mix Philipse a Sorrentina.
October 9, 2020
This was an outstanding arc. It tied everything up nicely and it was very satisfying.
I look forward to more Lemire Bloodshot! The character seems to have finally found his stride.
Definitely a huge recommend
I look forward to more Lemire Bloodshot! The character seems to have finally found his stride.
Definitely a huge recommend
May 12, 2020
Reprints Bloodshot Reborn #6-9 (September 2015-December 2015). Ray finds he has a new partner in Magic, but Ray also realizes by hunting down the Bloodshot nanites that he will be sacrificing his humanity forever. Bloodshot is also being hunted by Agent Festival and Hoyt who have been tasked to stop the killings. Ray discovered that there is someone else after the nanites and that finding the killer before he strikes again could be more difficult than hunting the nanites…plus, what is Bloodshot Island?
Written by Jeff Lemire, Bloodshot Reborn Volume 2: The Hunt is a Valiant Comics superhero collection. Following Bloodshot Reborn Volume 1: Colorado, the series features art by Butch Guice and issues in this volume were also collected as Bloodshot Reborn Deluxe Edition—Volume 1.
Bloodshot Reborn was a real shot in the arm for the Bloodshot character. While I enjoyed the relaunch of Bloodshot when Valiant resurfaced, Lemire brought even greater depth and a solid story with twists and turns. Bloodshot Reborn 2: The Hunt is no exception.
The collection has a lot of threads coming together. Ray is finally getting to the bottom of his past and his tie to the Bloodshot nanites, but he is also becoming more and more endangered as a second killer has surfaced with the same goal. It becomes an interesting dichotomy for the character.
For Ray to survive and stop the nanites, Ray must stop being Ray and start being Bloodshot. It is what he has been fighting, and it is why he is attempting to find his past. To save the people infected and possibly the world, he becomes a sacrificial lamb…but he also has to make the choice.
The series also recognizes that simply circling around Bloodshot might get tedious. With both Magic (who is almost like a Doctor Who companion) and Festival (who could be a lead character herself) having their own questions surfacing, it gives the book more depth. A lot like something like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Veronica Mars, Lemire manages to insert future storylines without them being jolting (like Bloodshot Island).
Lemire is setting up a solid story in this title. Normally four issue collections are too short and don’t give the reader enough “meat” to chew on, but Lemire’s style and presentation for this series works in the smaller doses better than other titles. I do kind of like Lemire’s art style and though I like Butch Guice’s art, it would be interesting to see Lemire do an entire issue of Bloodshot in his art. With tons of lingering questions, Bloodshot Reborn rolls on. Bloodshot Reborn Volume 2: The Hunt is followed by Bloodshot Reborn 3: The Analog Man.
Written by Jeff Lemire, Bloodshot Reborn Volume 2: The Hunt is a Valiant Comics superhero collection. Following Bloodshot Reborn Volume 1: Colorado, the series features art by Butch Guice and issues in this volume were also collected as Bloodshot Reborn Deluxe Edition—Volume 1.
Bloodshot Reborn was a real shot in the arm for the Bloodshot character. While I enjoyed the relaunch of Bloodshot when Valiant resurfaced, Lemire brought even greater depth and a solid story with twists and turns. Bloodshot Reborn 2: The Hunt is no exception.
The collection has a lot of threads coming together. Ray is finally getting to the bottom of his past and his tie to the Bloodshot nanites, but he is also becoming more and more endangered as a second killer has surfaced with the same goal. It becomes an interesting dichotomy for the character.
For Ray to survive and stop the nanites, Ray must stop being Ray and start being Bloodshot. It is what he has been fighting, and it is why he is attempting to find his past. To save the people infected and possibly the world, he becomes a sacrificial lamb…but he also has to make the choice.
The series also recognizes that simply circling around Bloodshot might get tedious. With both Magic (who is almost like a Doctor Who companion) and Festival (who could be a lead character herself) having their own questions surfacing, it gives the book more depth. A lot like something like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Veronica Mars, Lemire manages to insert future storylines without them being jolting (like Bloodshot Island).
Lemire is setting up a solid story in this title. Normally four issue collections are too short and don’t give the reader enough “meat” to chew on, but Lemire’s style and presentation for this series works in the smaller doses better than other titles. I do kind of like Lemire’s art style and though I like Butch Guice’s art, it would be interesting to see Lemire do an entire issue of Bloodshot in his art. With tons of lingering questions, Bloodshot Reborn rolls on. Bloodshot Reborn Volume 2: The Hunt is followed by Bloodshot Reborn 3: The Analog Man.
January 26, 2018
Bloodshot and Magic continue their quest to find the remaining nanite-infected murderers, with Agent Festival hot on their heels. But the closer they get to the end of their mission, the more chance that Bloodshot will lose his humanity altogether.
I'm not sure if it's just my naivety or good storytelling, because this volume got me twice with clever reveals I hadn't even considered, one near the beginning, and another near the end. Both of them flip the story on its head and keep things fresh, and for that to happen twice in four issues is a pretty good feat.
I enjoyed how all of the plot lines from the beginning of the book collide in the last issue, and it feels like a culmination of a much longer story, even if it is only nine issues at this point. Plus there are seeds for later stories already sown in (Bloodshot Island, anyone?), so it works as part of the larger narrative as well. I must say I really do enjoy this more human Bloodshot, and I hope he sticks around in other books as well as here.
The art this time around is by Butch Guice, who is a lot less detailed than Mico Suayan from last volume, but he brings his own unique style to things. The visuals take a bit of a tumble in the latter half of the book when Tom Palmer steps in to ink rather than Guice doing it himself; it feels like the edge is lost, and everything feels a bit more wishywashy which is a shame, but it's hardly poor, just a drop in quality.
Endings and beginnings, onwards and upwards.
I'm not sure if it's just my naivety or good storytelling, because this volume got me twice with clever reveals I hadn't even considered, one near the beginning, and another near the end. Both of them flip the story on its head and keep things fresh, and for that to happen twice in four issues is a pretty good feat.
I enjoyed how all of the plot lines from the beginning of the book collide in the last issue, and it feels like a culmination of a much longer story, even if it is only nine issues at this point. Plus there are seeds for later stories already sown in (Bloodshot Island, anyone?), so it works as part of the larger narrative as well. I must say I really do enjoy this more human Bloodshot, and I hope he sticks around in other books as well as here.
The art this time around is by Butch Guice, who is a lot less detailed than Mico Suayan from last volume, but he brings his own unique style to things. The visuals take a bit of a tumble in the latter half of the book when Tom Palmer steps in to ink rather than Guice doing it himself; it feels like the edge is lost, and everything feels a bit more wishywashy which is a shame, but it's hardly poor, just a drop in quality.
Endings and beginnings, onwards and upwards.
December 27, 2016
Ray is slowly becoming bloodshot again and now he is hunting down the other nanites to complete the transformation. Ray is also being chased down by the police and with magic on his side ( the blond girl) he has to track the nanties down before other get more powerful than him. the story was much more focused and had elements of a crime book with the duel perspective of the police and Ray. I like this series because of that crime story mixed with the sci-fi of the nanites and bloodshot. Less demonic visions was also a plus, too much psychedelia in the previous book. Lemire carved out a solid story and it solidifies the overall series for me.
September 21, 2019
Este cómic viene cronológicamente después de The Valiant y después de Bloodshot Reborn, 1. En esta historia vamos a seguir teniendo como protagonista a ser Bloodshot (un personaje que cada vez me está gustando más). Bloodshot es una persona muy complicada psicológicamente, especialmente tras los acontecimientos de The Valiant. En este segundo tomo parece que va teniendo una cierta estabilidad con Magia, la chica que rescató en el primer tomo.
Bloodshot va saliendo de su etapa depresiva, gracias en parte a Magia, por lo que los dos personajes del primer tomo: Bloodsquirt y Kay desaparecen aquí. Recordemos quiénes son estos porque, aunque no salgan directamente, sí lo harán de forma indirecta. Bloodsquirt es un personaje en forma de niño quien representa la maldad, la violencia y las ganas de sangre de Bloodshot y sus nanitos. Kay representa a ratos la cordura y a ratos el verdadero camino que debe tomar Bloodshot pero que, por miedo, no lo sigue.
En este segundo vamos, vamos a encontrar a los otros Bloodshots y dos agentes de policía. Recordemos que los nanitos han desaparecido del cuerpo de Bloodshot y se han instalado en otros cuerpos, poseyéndolos y realizando masacres. Bloodshot tendrá que ir dándoles cazas, recuperando así los nanitos, pues solo él parece controlarlos. De entre los agentes, vamos a tener al agente Hoyt, quien llevaba la investigación en un principio, y a la Agente Especial Diane Festival. Esta es una mujer joven con una serie de capacidades especiales y que provocará algunas reticencias y problemas con Hoyt. Ambos van a ir siguiendo la pista de Ray Garrison, aka Bloodshot, y van a encontrar informes secretos del Proyecto Espíritu Renacido (PER), como por ejemplo la misteriosa Isla de Bloodshot.
La trama de este segundo tomo sigue está llenísima de acción y de sangre. Vamos a encontrar una trama principal y varias subtramas. La principal es la persecución de Bloodshot a los nuevos nanomejorados para evitar nuevas masacres y que los nanitos puedan corromper a otras personas. Pero se va a topar con otro nanomejorado que también va dando caza a los otros Bloodshots para hacerse con todo el poder, por lo que la lucha final va a estar muy igualada. Por lo tanto, vemos que Lemire deja de lado la trama de locura y psicosis para dar un giro argumental hacia lo policíaco. De las subtramas, vamos a encontrar las investigaciones de Hoyt y Festival y alguna información secreto que desconocíamos sobre el Proyecto Espíritu Renacido, como los orígenes y los proyectos futuros. Todo ello parece que va a parar a la misteriosa Isla de Bloodshot.
Este tomo tiene unos dibujos alucinantes, con una detallada anatomía y con todo lujo de detalles. Quizás, podría decir que los dibujos son incluso mejores que el primero. También es un dibujo fuerte y totalmente real, fomentado en gran medida por los contrastes de colores y de luces y sombras. Las ilustraciones poseen un perfecto estudio del rostro y de sus expresiones, llegando a transmitir una serie de sentimientos más que el propio texto. Esto, junto con una lectura ágil y rápida cargada de acción y de aventuras, hace de este cómic una maravilla.
Por último, esta edición contiene los números del 6 al 9 de Bloodshot Reborn. Al final de tomo también encontramos, como en todas las ediciones de Medusa, una galería con dibujos y bocetos. Todo esto hace que aprecies y te guste mucho más esta historia y ver cómo de una idea inicial ha salido dicho resultado.
En definitiva, este tomo contiene una historia increíble. Vemos un cambio en la trama, pasando de la locura y psicosis del primero a una trama algo más policíaca en este. Una caza por parte de Bloodshot hacia los otros infectados pero con un enemigo fuerte que va matando a los demás para hacerse con el control de todos los nanitos. Una trama muy oscura y muy sangrienta, llena de muchísima acción en la cual vamos a conocer muchas más cosas del Proyecto, pero que abrirá las puertas a muchos interrogantes. Un cómic con una lectura muy rápida, que atrapa y con unas ilustraciones increíbles, hasta mejores que el primer tomo. Una serie y, sobre todo, un personaje muy recomendable.
Más en mi blog La Gran Biblioteca de David: https://lagranbibliotecadedavid.blogs...
Bloodshot va saliendo de su etapa depresiva, gracias en parte a Magia, por lo que los dos personajes del primer tomo: Bloodsquirt y Kay desaparecen aquí. Recordemos quiénes son estos porque, aunque no salgan directamente, sí lo harán de forma indirecta. Bloodsquirt es un personaje en forma de niño quien representa la maldad, la violencia y las ganas de sangre de Bloodshot y sus nanitos. Kay representa a ratos la cordura y a ratos el verdadero camino que debe tomar Bloodshot pero que, por miedo, no lo sigue.
En este segundo vamos, vamos a encontrar a los otros Bloodshots y dos agentes de policía. Recordemos que los nanitos han desaparecido del cuerpo de Bloodshot y se han instalado en otros cuerpos, poseyéndolos y realizando masacres. Bloodshot tendrá que ir dándoles cazas, recuperando así los nanitos, pues solo él parece controlarlos. De entre los agentes, vamos a tener al agente Hoyt, quien llevaba la investigación en un principio, y a la Agente Especial Diane Festival. Esta es una mujer joven con una serie de capacidades especiales y que provocará algunas reticencias y problemas con Hoyt. Ambos van a ir siguiendo la pista de Ray Garrison, aka Bloodshot, y van a encontrar informes secretos del Proyecto Espíritu Renacido (PER), como por ejemplo la misteriosa Isla de Bloodshot.
La trama de este segundo tomo sigue está llenísima de acción y de sangre. Vamos a encontrar una trama principal y varias subtramas. La principal es la persecución de Bloodshot a los nuevos nanomejorados para evitar nuevas masacres y que los nanitos puedan corromper a otras personas. Pero se va a topar con otro nanomejorado que también va dando caza a los otros Bloodshots para hacerse con todo el poder, por lo que la lucha final va a estar muy igualada. Por lo tanto, vemos que Lemire deja de lado la trama de locura y psicosis para dar un giro argumental hacia lo policíaco. De las subtramas, vamos a encontrar las investigaciones de Hoyt y Festival y alguna información secreto que desconocíamos sobre el Proyecto Espíritu Renacido, como los orígenes y los proyectos futuros. Todo ello parece que va a parar a la misteriosa Isla de Bloodshot.
Este tomo tiene unos dibujos alucinantes, con una detallada anatomía y con todo lujo de detalles. Quizás, podría decir que los dibujos son incluso mejores que el primero. También es un dibujo fuerte y totalmente real, fomentado en gran medida por los contrastes de colores y de luces y sombras. Las ilustraciones poseen un perfecto estudio del rostro y de sus expresiones, llegando a transmitir una serie de sentimientos más que el propio texto. Esto, junto con una lectura ágil y rápida cargada de acción y de aventuras, hace de este cómic una maravilla.
Por último, esta edición contiene los números del 6 al 9 de Bloodshot Reborn. Al final de tomo también encontramos, como en todas las ediciones de Medusa, una galería con dibujos y bocetos. Todo esto hace que aprecies y te guste mucho más esta historia y ver cómo de una idea inicial ha salido dicho resultado.
En definitiva, este tomo contiene una historia increíble. Vemos un cambio en la trama, pasando de la locura y psicosis del primero a una trama algo más policíaca en este. Una caza por parte de Bloodshot hacia los otros infectados pero con un enemigo fuerte que va matando a los demás para hacerse con el control de todos los nanitos. Una trama muy oscura y muy sangrienta, llena de muchísima acción en la cual vamos a conocer muchas más cosas del Proyecto, pero que abrirá las puertas a muchos interrogantes. Un cómic con una lectura muy rápida, que atrapa y con unas ilustraciones increíbles, hasta mejores que el primer tomo. Una serie y, sobre todo, un personaje muy recomendable.
Más en mi blog La Gran Biblioteca de David: https://lagranbibliotecadedavid.blogs...
August 18, 2025
It is Wednesday, August 13, 2025, and I pick up the start of the new “Valiant Beyond” initiative, “Valiant Beyond: Bloodshot,” Issue number one.
Bloodshot is fighting and siphoning the nanites from Vampire Yakuza. There is some really wack lines that sound quite similar to some transphobic rhetoric, and Bloodshot is acting like Lobo instead of the Bloodshot I’ve come to expect from my readings of him since May of this year. “My” Bloodshot is serious, Punisher-like. He doesn’t take a piss on vampires with holy beer, and hears the nanites singing “Singing in the Rain” as he does it. I finish the book, disappointed and quite shocked at the rhetoric and how it got past several readers. I want to edit and write these things for a living, and I try to imagine what led to this point. What led to the conceptualization of this character.
It goes back to Bloodshot Reborn.
In fact, it goes back to the most famous aspect of Bloodshot: Reborn — Citizens getting the bloodshot abilities through the Nanites being scattered. Although the new issue involves Vampire Yakuza getting the abilities, Both stories are playing on the idea that Bloodshot has lost an aspect of himself, and they’re trying to get it back. One of them does it in quite a crappy way (I’m talking about “Beyond”) while this one does it pretty well while also not making some weird statement about a group of people.
Valiant is in a funny place in my mind right now. I’ve spent an odd amount of time playing around with these characters and contemplating all of them. The so-called return and resurgence of the Valiant Universe, meant to kick off this new era for the company, ends up being so controversial that shops are sending their comics back. It is sucky to think of oneself as a Valiant fan. So when I finished this book, it feels like I’m returning to something that I’m oddly nostalgic about, even though I only started reading the Valiant books in May. And I finished this, and realized that damn, this new series took all the wrong lessons from this thing that, 9 issues in, really does get what “Bloodshot” is about. As Ray loses his humanity more and more, and reunites with the nanites, he tries to grapple with who he was, and who he wants to be. Ray is genuinely trying to be a hero in this, and as we reach the climax with him versus the “hunter,” someone I predicted to have nanites in the first volume, it felt really good.
What Bloodshot benefits from is character driven narratives, and not as a world-building tool. I noticed, reading the later series by Tim Seeley, that Bloodshot will suffer from a lack of side characters, and also from a lack of moments to breathe. If it’s balls-to-the-wall action, BS suffers. We need him grappling with losing his memories, with trying to be a better man than he once was. Lemire seems to get that, and the earlier Bloodshot books really set that status quo. I know this review kind of plays two roles as I’m trying to really settle my thoughts on both the new version of the character and this version, but I really liked everything here with Magic, and the stuff with Agent Festival.
Bloodshot, when his mind is clear and he’s not an agent of some government entity, is a hero for the masses. For the downtrodden, for the poor. He’s not a crazed maniac (which is what Bloodsquirt and these other Bloodshot beings are trying to make him be), and it’s crazy that the latest take doesn’t get that one bit.
Bloodshot is fighting and siphoning the nanites from Vampire Yakuza. There is some really wack lines that sound quite similar to some transphobic rhetoric, and Bloodshot is acting like Lobo instead of the Bloodshot I’ve come to expect from my readings of him since May of this year. “My” Bloodshot is serious, Punisher-like. He doesn’t take a piss on vampires with holy beer, and hears the nanites singing “Singing in the Rain” as he does it. I finish the book, disappointed and quite shocked at the rhetoric and how it got past several readers. I want to edit and write these things for a living, and I try to imagine what led to this point. What led to the conceptualization of this character.
It goes back to Bloodshot Reborn.
In fact, it goes back to the most famous aspect of Bloodshot: Reborn — Citizens getting the bloodshot abilities through the Nanites being scattered. Although the new issue involves Vampire Yakuza getting the abilities, Both stories are playing on the idea that Bloodshot has lost an aspect of himself, and they’re trying to get it back. One of them does it in quite a crappy way (I’m talking about “Beyond”) while this one does it pretty well while also not making some weird statement about a group of people.
Valiant is in a funny place in my mind right now. I’ve spent an odd amount of time playing around with these characters and contemplating all of them. The so-called return and resurgence of the Valiant Universe, meant to kick off this new era for the company, ends up being so controversial that shops are sending their comics back. It is sucky to think of oneself as a Valiant fan. So when I finished this book, it feels like I’m returning to something that I’m oddly nostalgic about, even though I only started reading the Valiant books in May. And I finished this, and realized that damn, this new series took all the wrong lessons from this thing that, 9 issues in, really does get what “Bloodshot” is about. As Ray loses his humanity more and more, and reunites with the nanites, he tries to grapple with who he was, and who he wants to be. Ray is genuinely trying to be a hero in this, and as we reach the climax with him versus the “hunter,” someone I predicted to have nanites in the first volume, it felt really good.
What Bloodshot benefits from is character driven narratives, and not as a world-building tool. I noticed, reading the later series by Tim Seeley, that Bloodshot will suffer from a lack of side characters, and also from a lack of moments to breathe. If it’s balls-to-the-wall action, BS suffers. We need him grappling with losing his memories, with trying to be a better man than he once was. Lemire seems to get that, and the earlier Bloodshot books really set that status quo. I know this review kind of plays two roles as I’m trying to really settle my thoughts on both the new version of the character and this version, but I really liked everything here with Magic, and the stuff with Agent Festival.
Bloodshot, when his mind is clear and he’s not an agent of some government entity, is a hero for the masses. For the downtrodden, for the poor. He’s not a crazed maniac (which is what Bloodsquirt and these other Bloodshot beings are trying to make him be), and it’s crazy that the latest take doesn’t get that one bit.
October 5, 2020
I think this was my favorite volume so far.
Not only does Lemire turn the tables a bit here by having one of the remaining people with nanites also hunt the others, but the noticeable absence of a certain mass killing cartoon character is explained pretty neatly towards the end as well.
So as we learned in the last volume, a bunch of random people were given a bit of Bloodshot's nanites, which are causing said people to go crazy. He has to go after each one in order to get back the nanites, which will make him become Bloodshot again. He has 4 left at the beginning of this volume, and more importantly, he has a girl, Magic, that he is becoming romantic with. Now, I only just began to read Bloodshot, but I think this is a horrible idea. To have a person, any person, following Bloodshot is just ... not safe at all. But Bloodshot cant help himself as he is genuinely falling for her and her him.
The relationship between Magic and Bloodshot is fascinating. Especially after she decides to stick by him after he has reacquired all of the nanites. In other words, he is a cold, non feeling, killing machine and she's like, this is cool. Let's see how that pans out.
Overall, a really great and satisfying conclusion to the first storyline by Lemire. I think he really is deconstructing Bloodshot to his core to give us some emotional resonance down the line. Cant wait to see where he takes the story.
Not only does Lemire turn the tables a bit here by having one of the remaining people with nanites also hunt the others, but the noticeable absence of a certain mass killing cartoon character is explained pretty neatly towards the end as well.
So as we learned in the last volume, a bunch of random people were given a bit of Bloodshot's nanites, which are causing said people to go crazy. He has to go after each one in order to get back the nanites, which will make him become Bloodshot again. He has 4 left at the beginning of this volume, and more importantly, he has a girl, Magic, that he is becoming romantic with. Now, I only just began to read Bloodshot, but I think this is a horrible idea. To have a person, any person, following Bloodshot is just ... not safe at all. But Bloodshot cant help himself as he is genuinely falling for her and her him.
The relationship between Magic and Bloodshot is fascinating. Especially after she decides to stick by him after he has reacquired all of the nanites. In other words, he is a cold, non feeling, killing machine and she's like, this is cool. Let's see how that pans out.
Overall, a really great and satisfying conclusion to the first storyline by Lemire. I think he really is deconstructing Bloodshot to his core to give us some emotional resonance down the line. Cant wait to see where he takes the story.
May 21, 2020
This covers both Volume 1 (Colorado) and Volume 2 (The Hunt).
Takeaway: Bloodshot doesn't like technology.
Jeff Lemire moves Bloodshot forward (or backwards?) after the events of The Valiant. Overall, I enjoyed these two volumes and look forward to the follow-through with the next two stories.
The artwork throughout is fantastic, perfect for this title. Mico Suayan and Butch Guice handle the majority of the images and there is a gritty, noirish feel to them that works well w/ the detective story that unfolds here.
I wonder now if the situation with Magic, towards the end of this arc, wasn't handled a little too easily. I wonder further about the possibilities that could have presented themselves if Lemire had decided to pursue the (brief) change to Magic. But, clearly, Lemire has other things in mind.
Those who enjoy the PRS angle of Bloodshot will be a little disappointed if they are looking for further conflict on that front. Aside from a brief exchange focusing on a folder (and the Bloodshot Island namedrop) there really isn't a lot here. I kind of missed that aspect too, but I also give Lemire props for taking the character in a new direction, on the outskirts of the Valiant universe. Besides, we know that PRS will be back in some way at some point, right?
Takeaway: Bloodshot doesn't like technology.
Jeff Lemire moves Bloodshot forward (or backwards?) after the events of The Valiant. Overall, I enjoyed these two volumes and look forward to the follow-through with the next two stories.
The artwork throughout is fantastic, perfect for this title. Mico Suayan and Butch Guice handle the majority of the images and there is a gritty, noirish feel to them that works well w/ the detective story that unfolds here.
I wonder now if the situation with Magic, towards the end of this arc, wasn't handled a little too easily. I wonder further about the possibilities that could have presented themselves if Lemire had decided to pursue the (brief) change to Magic. But, clearly, Lemire has other things in mind.
Those who enjoy the PRS angle of Bloodshot will be a little disappointed if they are looking for further conflict on that front. Aside from a brief exchange focusing on a folder (and the Bloodshot Island namedrop) there really isn't a lot here. I kind of missed that aspect too, but I also give Lemire props for taking the character in a new direction, on the outskirts of the Valiant universe. Besides, we know that PRS will be back in some way at some point, right?
May 15, 2019
On the one hand, I do enjoy Valiant trades when I get to them despite the proliferation of "kewl" 90s-era names. And hey. writer Jeff Lemire and artist Butch Guice are both top notch creators. Here, Ray Garrison finally finds the hosts for the last of the nanites that he had thought he'd gotten rid of, and once again, he becomes the supersoldier Bloodshot.
But Valiant trades all have the same problem: they're so darn short. Most of them only reprint four issues, and that's about the point where the trades just start to get interesting.
But Valiant trades all have the same problem: they're so darn short. Most of them only reprint four issues, and that's about the point where the trades just start to get interesting.
March 16, 2020
The second volume of BLOODSHOT REBORN takes Ray Garrison on a search to safe innocent lives by sacrificing his own humanity again and become BLOODSHOT once more. Ray finds himself again falling in love and although he knows that her life will always be in danger because of Bloodshot, her stubbornness and his need to be understood and, in some ways she is the link to his humanity, he brings her along his journey to regain the nanites that created Bloodshot.
It is a wild ride and the hunter becomes the hunted.
It is a wild ride and the hunter becomes the hunted.
July 15, 2017
The chase in this series is very well done. The Magic character still feels thin and is one of my least favorite characters of the series. Lemire did a great job strengthening the personality of both Hoyt and Festival characters.
August 31, 2020
Bloodshot Reborn
Vol. 2 is even better than the first. Love the Magic character in this story. Good for Ray to have someone good on his side, keep him on the hero's path so to speak. Can't wait to see how this relationship works out.
Vol. 2 is even better than the first. Love the Magic character in this story. Good for Ray to have someone good on his side, keep him on the hero's path so to speak. Can't wait to see how this relationship works out.
December 16, 2020
This could have been really boring and repetitious, but Lemire saved it and added a couple surprises that made it in enjoyable. Not going crazy about this series, but it's definitely better than I thought it would be.
September 12, 2017
Another solid arc. Simple storytelling and some truly memorable art. It kind of ended exactly how it needed to, I'll say.
Kind of a confirmation than this character has a new direction.
Kind of a confirmation than this character has a new direction.
January 27, 2018
I think I liked this series so much because it was so surprisingly dark for Lemire, but also because this dark writing was so well matched with this wicked brutal artwork.
August 12, 2018
Me han gustado muchísimo los dos primeros volúmenes, el guión de Lemire mantiene un nivel bastante bueno.
March 10, 2019
This one had more impact on me than the previous one, I'm now looking forward to read more.
April 30, 2020
Another action movie in words and pictures, great edge of the seat stuff
October 16, 2024
Great series
The art was not great but the story was good. Vol. 1 had way better art. Was still a fun read though. I am invested in it.
The art was not great but the story was good. Vol. 1 had way better art. Was still a fun read though. I am invested in it.
March 10, 2016
Valiant drops the ball with Bloodshot Reborn's second installment. I LOVED the first volume of Reborn, but am entirely disappointed with the second. For some reason, Valiant as a company does not seem to value long-term creative teams, and over the course of the company's renaissance, this attitude has ruined a number of books. The latest casualty of policy is unfortunately Bloodshot Reborn, where what amounts to a bit of clean-up that could have been condensed into an additional two-issues in trade number one, turns into an ugly, spread-out affair, hopefully putting us back in the right direction for the next story arc. The book struggles most visually, with Guice's pencils paling in comparison to volume one's dark, lush imagery. For every decent panel there's a muddy face, wonky proportion, or coloring error. Even more egregiously, Lemire's doodles of Bloodsquirt do not make a return, causing even more visual disharmony. Story-wise, we glide through the predicted patterns that volume one already broadcast succinctly and intelligently. We hammer through our last couple blood-dudes, on our way to a twist everyone saw coming, and sinfully, Lemire doubles down on the "IT DON'T MATTER WHO I WAS, I'M BLOODSHOT NOW" character arc, managing to truly offer us nothing new at all to justify this trade.
This could have been edited better. If not bound by Valiant's four-issue structure, this could have been resolved and paced well in one volume. If not for Valiant's rotating artist policy, it wouldn't been an ugly book either.
Hopefully the next installment is better. I'll be there to read it, fingers crossed for the best.
This could have been edited better. If not bound by Valiant's four-issue structure, this could have been resolved and paced well in one volume. If not for Valiant's rotating artist policy, it wouldn't been an ugly book either.
Hopefully the next installment is better. I'll be there to read it, fingers crossed for the best.
August 5, 2016
During Ray's search for others infected with the rogue nanites, he discovers he's not the only one on their trail.
Some dramatic moments for Ray and Magic this issue, as well as their government pursuers. Nice to see the character development continuing and everyone searching for a connection with others. These relationships really draw readers in and keep us concerned about what happens to the characters as well as how significant their sacrifices can be.
Compelling book with terrific artwork!
Merged review:
This is a quiet, yet tense chapter in the story. Ray is compelled to pursue the one remaining carrier and absorb the nanites before his adversary can do the same. Meanwhile, the investigators continue to doggedly follow the clues, but can't piece together the role that Ray plays.
A nice issue where we get to see more of Ray's growing feelings for Magic and his concern for her safety. He struggles with his feelings for her, but can't deny them. The focus is very much on Ray this issue and the burdens he feels. Makes the reader really empathize with him and understand his drives.
Such a compelling story with deep characterizations!
Some dramatic moments for Ray and Magic this issue, as well as their government pursuers. Nice to see the character development continuing and everyone searching for a connection with others. These relationships really draw readers in and keep us concerned about what happens to the characters as well as how significant their sacrifices can be.
Compelling book with terrific artwork!
Merged review:
This is a quiet, yet tense chapter in the story. Ray is compelled to pursue the one remaining carrier and absorb the nanites before his adversary can do the same. Meanwhile, the investigators continue to doggedly follow the clues, but can't piece together the role that Ray plays.
A nice issue where we get to see more of Ray's growing feelings for Magic and his concern for her safety. He struggles with his feelings for her, but can't deny them. The focus is very much on Ray this issue and the burdens he feels. Makes the reader really empathize with him and understand his drives.
Such a compelling story with deep characterizations!
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