Comics Review: BLOODSHOT BOOK ONE

BLOODSHOT BOOK ONE by Tim Seeley, writer and Brett Booth, artist. (Valiant Entertainment, December 2019) Trade paperback, 112 pages. ISBN # 1682153428 / 9781682153420  

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Bloodshot, the unstoppable supersoldier trapped in a never-ending war…

Once, he was the perfect living weapon, created to follow orders. Now, Bloodshot works alone, using his lethal skills to protect those who cannot protect themselves. But a mysterious and powerful organization is watching, and they’re not about to let something as dangerous as Bloodshot remain free…

From electrifying writer Tim Seeley (Revival) and superstar comic artists Brett Booth (Teen Titans) and Tomás Giorello (X-O MANOWAR), comes an all-new, pulse pounding Bloodshot adventure that will set the ultimate soldier on a mission to make sure the future isn't weaponized.

Collecting BLOODSHOT (2019) #1–3, along with material from the VALIANT: BLOODSHOT FCBD 2019 SPECIAL. 

My review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     I’ve lost track of how many different writers have had a crack at depicting the actions of Valiant Entertainment's troubled nanite-enhanced cyborg mercenary Bloodshot. Jeff Lemire's version is my favorite, as he introduced more heart into the character, by depicting his family and brotherly earlier versions of Bloodshot. 

     Beyond that, I'm all up for a slam-bang battle tale with Bloodshot doing what Bloodshot does best -- kill multiple villains and terrorists with efficiency and much malice. Writer Tim Seeley frees him of the entrapment of being a living weapon created to follow the orders of Project Rising Spirit or whatever covert organization has control. 

     Now, he's free of influence and ready to use his deadly abilities to protect the innocent. All that is made abundantly clear in the opening story in this book, where Bloodshot takes out the biker brigade Last Sons Of The Flesh. He rescues a beautiful military scientist who, when she asks him how can she repay him, Bloodshot replies "Use your influence. Use your platform. Make sure the future isn't weaponized. Make sure there's never another me."

    His activity garners the attention of Black Bar, a covert cadre spun off from Project Rising Spirit, who use advanced armor suits and a special weapon to take him down. Poor Bloodshot, out of the frying pan and perhaps into the fire when yet another covert organization (The Burned) effect a rescue. Are they more noble, as they claim, or just another group wanting to manipulate Bloodshot for their own ends?  A nice ending and lead-in to Volume Two. Lots of action and mayhem makes for entertaining escapist fun.