REVIEW: Bloodshot Reborn #2

Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by MICO SUAYAN with JEFF LEMIRE
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: 05/20/2015

One of the strangest road trip crew ever, take to the Â highways following a nanite scent on the trail of a killer, to confront and stop the murders.

Jeff Lemire’s second issue of the reboot, continues with Ray and his travelling companions having their usual chats and compromises whilst Ray is drawn back into battle. Â Behind the scenes the F.B.I, led by a Fox Mulder like savant is also after the killer.

There are a couple of twists in the issue which helps propel the story forward, yet it’s the ongoing banter between Bloodsquit and Ray that keeps the Â troupe on track. Â Looking at the trio, you could say that Kay represents the regret of past actions, Squirt could represent the futility of actions taken, specifically the loss of the nanites with Ray the only element that reflects the reality of the situation. Either way, the inner monologue of Ray shows how he feels whilst creating the sort of uneasy grip on reality that could make Ray question everything in his life. Â As such, the script is tight, with believable characters with believable dialogue.

The art, is a bit of a mix. Somewhere along the way, Mico Suayan seems to fall into photo-face syndrome. Â I think I have mentioned this phenomenon before with other artists. I generally don’t have that much of a problem with it,; artists use references all the time, but using this technique, I would assume, could eventually weaken your game. Â I am not saying this is definitely the case, only Suayan knows how he works, but to me, a couple of the faces are too detailed on places, then lack them at other times.

Bloodshot Reborn is a good way to get into an entry-level Valiant book. Issue one had flashbacks and issue two builds on that history. Bloodsquirt is likely to become quite a celebrity, but I do worry if the joke will get old, quick. As it is, it seems that Ray has a bit of a quest on his hands, effectively turning into a sort of The Fugitive, as Ray hunts for his own version of the one-armed man.

The book has loads of potential of being a huge hit for Valiant impressive portfolio of books, building on this good start is imperative especially as their own major summer crossover looms in the not to distant summer.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network