Bloodshot 2: The Rise and the Fall

Comic Info

Bloodshot (3) #6 Variant

Reprints Bloodshot (3) #5-9 (November 2012-March 2013).  Bloodshot is on a mission.  He wants to know his past and who he is.  When he learns that the truth might be hidden in Project Rising Spirit, Bloodshot is gunning for a way in.  However getting into Project Rising Spirit is only step one, and Bloodshot finds what’s hidden in Project Rising Spirit might not only be his past but it could be his death.

Written by Duane Swierczynski and illustrated by Manuel Garcia, Arturo Lozzi, and Matthew Clark, Bloodshot Volume 2:  The Rise and the Fall is a five part storyline that is a follow-up to Bloodshot Volume 1:  Setting the World on Fire.  The story is a means to lead up to Valiant’s first big “event” crossover Harbinger Wars.

Bloodshot was a surprise.  The old Valiant version of Bloodshot was just a glorified Punisher, but the new Valiant version was more solid and experimental.  He wasn’t just a guy with a gun (I realize the old version wasn’t just a guy with a gun, but he often felt like it).  Bloodshot 2:  The Rise and the Fall was a strong follow-up to the first book.

Bloodshot (3) #9 Variant

Swierczynski continues to explore the idea of the nanites inside of Bloodshot.  The abilities of the nanites and how Swierczynski uses them is part of the fun of the series.  Here, Bloodshot is able to get into the system through Kara who carried the nanites in the bloodstream.  It adds a nice sci-fi, cyberpunk tech style to a guys and guns story.

The story also continues to look at the hidden past of Bloodshot when he was an agent of Project Rising Spirit.  Here we learn that Bloodshot helped gather the Psiot children that are being trained for war (becoming their boogyman), and pairing a guy off against children always creates moral dilemmas that are ripe for stories.  Plus, you get the creepy Gamma.

Bloodshot 2:  The Rise and the Fall works, but the future of Bloodshot is worrisome.  The Valiant relaunch has worked because they are solid, self-contained series with limited effect on the whole universe.  With Bloodshot 2:  The Rise and the Fall, the series starts a crossover and crossovers (to me) always seem to ruin good things.  I hope that Swierczynski can keep Bloodshot from spinning out of control because I really enjoy it here, but I do not know if that will be possible in the high competition market of comic books.  Bloodshot 2:  The Rise and the Fall is followed Bloodshot 3:  Harbinger Wars.

Related Links:

Bloodshot 1:  Setting the World on Fire