Bloodshot #1
Recap
A seedy new black ops organization has it out for our boy Bloodshot, but just who they are and what they have planned for the world's most dangerous soldier..well those are harder questions to answer. Bloodshot himself is back to basics, no more brooding, no pontificating about the nature of what makes Bloodshot well Bloodshot.
This is a man on a mission to save lives from mercenary scum and the shady underbelly of political reindeer games. Destroying some human traffickers leads our hero smackdab in the middle of black OPs crazy we haven't seen him handle in some time. The real question becomes for all his power is Bloodshot up to the challenge of facing an unknown foe well prepared for the task of taking him down.
Review
Tim Seeley is renowned for having his finger on the pulse of all things covert military awesome, well add that to a clear understanding and love of what makes Bloodshot great and you’ve got a debut issue overloaded with win. Seeley uses this issue as a refresher course, if you’re new to Bloodshot then you now know the score. If you’re a grizzled veteran of Bloodshot comics then this is the love letter you’ve been itching for.
Not only does he skillfully flex all the aspects that make Bloodshot deadly as a living weapon; his healing powers, his ability to murk chumps in just about any situation with whatever he gets his hands on (or with nothing but his mitts), Seeley also reminds us of Blooshot’s shapeshifting abilities which for whatever reason quite often go overlooked. If you have any doubt Seeley knows what he’s doing going into this you’d have to brain dead to still think so by the end. He hands us a perfect blend of quips and chaos that makes you feel like a kid again watching classic action movies like Rambo for the first time.Everything from the brutal kills to the numerous easter eggs to older runs of the character drizzled throughout the book makes this a fanboy’s dream come true. As I said Tim Seeley clearly loves Bloodshot and it shows in just about every positive way one can name panel after panel.
Brett Booth is another industry veteran who brings his A-game to Bloodshot #1. His high energy, hyperkinetic style brings every page to life. Booth proves from the first panel to the very last Valiant made the perfect choice selecting him to be the leading force behind Bloodshot’s vicious return to glory. When paired with the sleek inks of Adelso Corona and the undeniably bombastic colors brought by Andrew Delhouse, if you aren’t hyped enough to light off illegal fireworks while blaring Born in the USA on repeat by the end of this you need to ask yourself one thing: Why do I hate fun?
Bottom line everything a newcomer or a returning fan could hope for in a Bloodshot #1 is here in spades. Nonstop adrenaline, Jason Bourne type mystery and the promises of more bloody action to come is indeed the perfect recipe for a smashing opener to a Bloodshot series.
Final Thoughts
In order to keep my inner Stan in check I reread this issue several times over the last couple weeks to make sure I wasn't letting nostalgia cloud my judgement. Final verdict: Tim Seeley and Brett Booth are the winning team on Bloodshot I didn't know I needed so badly. They make perfect sense paired together on this title.
Bloodshot #1: Back to Bloody Basics
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 8/108/10