The Good
Who is Bloodshot? How was he created? These are questions we've all been since Valiant reintroduced the character in his series last year. Now, writer Matt Kindt is tasked with answering these questions and he does an awesome job throwing us face first into Bloodshot's bloody and twisted origin.
While diving into the past, Kindt has the gritty events narrated by a scientist who was tasked with giving Bloodshot... well, a soul/conscious. The format works well, allowing us to jump across various time periods without ever making it a jarring experience and, more importantly, the method gives off an organic voice to lead us through the story without ever feeling like we're reading forced exposition. This man's struggle to solve the riddle is thoroughly engaging and totally dark. Lives fade right in front of his eyes just for the sake of his experiment and we see Bloodshot once had a problem with "collateral damage." It's bleak and gripping stuff -- exactly what you'd expect from this title. It's a solid tale, filled with more than a handful of shocking and rather compelling moments for you to absorb.
Kindt also does a fantastic job pacing the issue, managing to throw in vicious action pieces without feeling like they're there just for the sake of including some of the title's signature violence. Artist ChrisCross and colorist Moose Baumann do a disturbingly impressive job bringing these graphic scenes to life. Heads explode, limbs are removed, guts are ripped out, and many, many people are riddled with bullets in absolutely horrific ways. There's a strong emphasis on making the blood bold and over the top, and the end result makes for some truly vivid bits of R-rated action. My only small gripe with the art is the handling of motion in a single moment, but it's by no means enough to overshadow the thorough work in literally every other panel.
The Bad
Honestly, I have no major complaints with this zero issue. Totally delivers and then some.
The Verdict
BLOODSHOT #0 is a super satisfying standalone story which answers the questions we've been asking since the very first issue. Who is Bloodshot? What makes him unique? Are those families real or even his? Kindt crafts a fascinating journey for us to enjoy and Cross/Baumann nail the brutal bits of chaotic action -- and yes, there are quite a few of them in this one.
A solid narrative and shockingly detailed violence... what more could you honestly want from an issue of BLOODSHOT? This is a must buy for anyone who loves the series and a more than serviceable jumping on point for everyone else.
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