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Bloodshot (2012) #1-3
Bloodshot Definitive Edition
Before BLOODSHOT hits the silver screen in 2020, experience the hit series that debuted Valiant's nanite-enhanced commando with this essential standalone volume!
Killed in action, soldier Ray Garrison is brought back from the dead by Project Rising Spirit, a private military contractor trafficking in violence. Infused with cutting-edge nanotechnology, Bloodshot’s nanites make him a nearly unstoppable killing machine. His enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and healing make him the perfect weapon, and he serves his masters at PRS very well. But after defying his programming and escaping his captors, Bloodshot will fight to rediscover the secret of his true identity and expose the billion dollar black-bag operation that created him once and for all.
From acclaimed writers Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey) and Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT) and all-star artists Manuel Garcia (Black Widow), Barry Kitson (The Amazing Spider-Man), Arturo Lozzi (Immortal Weapons) and more – the BLOODSHOT DEFINITIVE EDITION trade paperback collection re-presents the blockbuster first year of the breakout Valiant series behind the upcoming major motion picture from Sony!
Collecting BLOODSHOT #0–13.
Killed in action, soldier Ray Garrison is brought back from the dead by Project Rising Spirit, a private military contractor trafficking in violence. Infused with cutting-edge nanotechnology, Bloodshot’s nanites make him a nearly unstoppable killing machine. His enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and healing make him the perfect weapon, and he serves his masters at PRS very well. But after defying his programming and escaping his captors, Bloodshot will fight to rediscover the secret of his true identity and expose the billion dollar black-bag operation that created him once and for all.
From acclaimed writers Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey) and Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT) and all-star artists Manuel Garcia (Black Widow), Barry Kitson (The Amazing Spider-Man), Arturo Lozzi (Immortal Weapons) and more – the BLOODSHOT DEFINITIVE EDITION trade paperback collection re-presents the blockbuster first year of the breakout Valiant series behind the upcoming major motion picture from Sony!
Collecting BLOODSHOT #0–13.
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 24, 2019
15 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Duane Swierczynski
523 books914 followersDuane Swierczynski is an American crime writer who has written a number of non-fiction books, novels and also writes for comic books.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 2, 2020
I forgot there was a movie coming out.
And because of that, I got this thinking it was something I hadn't read before. But this is actually volumes One, Two, & Three of Swierczynski's Bloodshot.
However, it's a fabulous collection and I ended up reading the whole thing again.
I've been actively begging people to read Bloodshot for a while now because I think it's a great title and largely overlooked by folks who don't stray outside of Marvel, DC, or Image. And with a flick in the works, I'm hoping this character will get some of the attention he deserves.
Also, for once, I can definitely say that this is the PERFECT jumping off point for new readers.
Highly Recommended.
And because of that, I got this thinking it was something I hadn't read before. But this is actually volumes One, Two, & Three of Swierczynski's Bloodshot.
However, it's a fabulous collection and I ended up reading the whole thing again.
I've been actively begging people to read Bloodshot for a while now because I think it's a great title and largely overlooked by folks who don't stray outside of Marvel, DC, or Image. And with a flick in the works, I'm hoping this character will get some of the attention he deserves.
Also, for once, I can definitely say that this is the PERFECT jumping off point for new readers.
Highly Recommended.
September 8, 2020
"No Kevlar in a war zone, tough guy?" -- nameless gun-for-hire guy, swinging a machete
"My whole body is Kevlar." -- Bloodshot, with an elbow (KRAK!) to the throat
Duane Swierczynski is a great, relatively new author I discovered at the start of this year, and I can't wait to read more of his Philadelphia-set (woot-woot!) crime novels. However, I wish I had the same enthusiasm for this sci-fi/action fourteen-chapter graphic novel -- it's now my third book in a row that I'm giving a mediocre review to this week. The title character seems to have been influenced by parts of Wolverine, Colossus, and The Punisher from the Marvel Universe. (That is, an indestructible / self-healing soldier who is experienced with all many weapons, fighting disciplines, etc.) However, this is one of those stories where there are A LOT of villains and morally ambiguous players, but no one who is really a hero in the conventional sense. It felt overlong, downbeat and was often too brutal for my tastes. The best part was the origin chapter, which was annoyingly placed at the end.
"My whole body is Kevlar." -- Bloodshot, with an elbow (KRAK!) to the throat
Duane Swierczynski is a great, relatively new author I discovered at the start of this year, and I can't wait to read more of his Philadelphia-set (woot-woot!) crime novels. However, I wish I had the same enthusiasm for this sci-fi/action fourteen-chapter graphic novel -- it's now my third book in a row that I'm giving a mediocre review to this week. The title character seems to have been influenced by parts of Wolverine, Colossus, and The Punisher from the Marvel Universe. (That is, an indestructible / self-healing soldier who is experienced with all many weapons, fighting disciplines, etc.) However, this is one of those stories where there are A LOT of villains and morally ambiguous players, but no one who is really a hero in the conventional sense. It felt overlong, downbeat and was often too brutal for my tastes. The best part was the origin chapter, which was annoyingly placed at the end.
March 15, 2020
THE GOOD
- Intense, fast-paced
- Art was fine
- Interesting
THE BAD
- Horrible ending. Or should I say non-ending? Lack of an ending. Extremely frustrating.
- Deals with a lot of bad, horrible things. Might make you depressed.
- Not big on character development
- BSC
I haven't seen the movie, so I have no comment on that.
- Intense, fast-paced
- Art was fine
- Interesting
THE BAD
- Horrible ending. Or should I say non-ending? Lack of an ending. Extremely frustrating.
- Deals with a lot of bad, horrible things. Might make you depressed.
- Not big on character development
- BSC
I haven't seen the movie, so I have no comment on that.
May 6, 2021
Bloodshot is the kind of graphic novel that is very much geared toward an audience of men. Not just any men, MANLY men. Men who like violence, rescue damsels, and never eat their vegetables.
The basic of premise of Bloodshot is... stupid. Bloodshot is a sort of super soldier, one of those "ultimate weapons" that manly media like to portray. However, the problem is always the same. It never ever makes sense to have a sentient weapon. We've seen this concept fail so many damn times! Why does anyone think they can do it right? It's just... stupid.
to continue to the full review please visit here https://amanjareads.com/2021/05/04/bl...
The basic of premise of Bloodshot is... stupid. Bloodshot is a sort of super soldier, one of those "ultimate weapons" that manly media like to portray. However, the problem is always the same. It never ever makes sense to have a sentient weapon. We've seen this concept fail so many damn times! Why does anyone think they can do it right? It's just... stupid.
to continue to the full review please visit here https://amanjareads.com/2021/05/04/bl...
January 26, 2020
A friend of mine is obsessed with Valiant, and since we're in the same graphic novel book club this book eventually came up. I won't lie the ending to this book was largely unsatisfying for reasons I won't get into (spoilers and all that claptrap), but I really did love this book. Bloodshot is a character that is more than a social commentary on run-away military-industrial complex or just a chance to see some badass kill bad guys. Bloodshot is a wonderful exploration of finding personal identity when lost in seemingly endless violence. This collection follows the character as he is liberated by the organizations and people who have controlled and manipulated him and pushes him to try and outrun his past while also trying to find it and understand it for what it is.
Fans of Bloodshot will love this book, and I would argue even non-comics fan will find something to appreciate.
Fans of Bloodshot will love this book, and I would argue even non-comics fan will find something to appreciate.
March 14, 2020
Fun action packed thrill ride of a comic
This was a fun comic to read tons of action. I love the art style and the story is interesting. What if nanites exist.
This was a fun comic to read tons of action. I love the art style and the story is interesting. What if nanites exist.
March 19, 2020
I saw the preview for the movie starring Vin Diesel and this was the first I had heard of this character. Quickly determining that it was based on a Valiant publication I ordered the graphic novel to give it a look see. I can tell you that based on the reviews, the movie was a dud, but the graphic novel lives up to the expectations of the movie trailers.
Duane Swierczynski has created a Steve Austin on steroids type of hero. Here is a guy that was chopped up, but restored through the use of nanites. Little tiny robots that imbue him with amazing recuperative abilities (So long as he eats plenty of protein) and gives him very heightened powers. Yep, he is better, stronger, and faster. All of this comes at a cost however, as he works for a shadowy organization whose aims appear somewhat dubious and they really enjoy messing with this guy's mind. A lot of what goes on in this book remains mysterious, and that is what will pull the story along if you decide to purchase subsequent volumes. Yes, a lot of it will seem like a re-tread as there have been countless versions of this story. However, it has been given a fresh coat of paint, an upped body count, and creative villains.
I had a hard time trying to rate this as the story did not have me totally engrossed, but the art work, the unrelenting action, and the slowly unravelling clues kept me hooked so I went for four stars. At the end of the day, if the movie had followed this story, it would likely have done better as this would have been terrific on the big screen. in the interim, if you saw the previews, do yourself a favor and get this book instead.
Duane Swierczynski has created a Steve Austin on steroids type of hero. Here is a guy that was chopped up, but restored through the use of nanites. Little tiny robots that imbue him with amazing recuperative abilities (So long as he eats plenty of protein) and gives him very heightened powers. Yep, he is better, stronger, and faster. All of this comes at a cost however, as he works for a shadowy organization whose aims appear somewhat dubious and they really enjoy messing with this guy's mind. A lot of what goes on in this book remains mysterious, and that is what will pull the story along if you decide to purchase subsequent volumes. Yes, a lot of it will seem like a re-tread as there have been countless versions of this story. However, it has been given a fresh coat of paint, an upped body count, and creative villains.
I had a hard time trying to rate this as the story did not have me totally engrossed, but the art work, the unrelenting action, and the slowly unravelling clues kept me hooked so I went for four stars. At the end of the day, if the movie had followed this story, it would likely have done better as this would have been terrific on the big screen. in the interim, if you saw the previews, do yourself a favor and get this book instead.
October 29, 2019
Engaging story, thought-provoking ideas, interesting character development, brutality level 1000 (of 100) and absolutely amazing visuals. That's how 'a superhero comic for adults' should be. Although superhero isn't the right word, and neither is supervillain - since the eponymous character is a bit of both and beyond.
In its core, Bloodshot is a story about searching for one's identity while being used and abused as an extremely modified and enhanced soldier for a system that cares about you only as a machine, a 'project'. It's about being/staying/becoming human in the face of a brutal and heartless world. And last not least it's about effing nano-robots. NANO-ROBOTS, GUYS!
The only flaw (in my very, highly subjective opionion) is that the massive amount of fight scenes makes the reading experience a bit tiresome after a while (taking a break here 'n there might solve that problem, though).
In its core, Bloodshot is a story about searching for one's identity while being used and abused as an extremely modified and enhanced soldier for a system that cares about you only as a machine, a 'project'. It's about being/staying/becoming human in the face of a brutal and heartless world. And last not least it's about effing nano-robots. NANO-ROBOTS, GUYS!
The only flaw (in my very, highly subjective opionion) is that the massive amount of fight scenes makes the reading experience a bit tiresome after a while (taking a break here 'n there might solve that problem, though).
December 8, 2023
I picked this up today on a whim because Bloodshot is the kind of character who pops up on various comic instagrams and subreddits because his action sequences always make for cool screen grabs, and honestly having never read any of his stuff and this book claiming to be “definitive” I figured perfect! Not so much.
Bloodshot as a character is essentially a more powerful mashup of Punisher and Weapon X but suffers from the difficulties of not being compelling like Logan or having a quality writing team like certain Punisher runs. This is only exacerbated by the extremely confusing nature of this book which features a mashup from the 2012 reboot of the series which featured a significant tie-in with another Valiant series, meaning you frequently find yourself flipping back through the previous issue thinking “what the fuck did I just miss”? It’s a shoddily edited trade and one that discredits what might otherwise be a decent entry point for an exciting enough popcorn character.
Bloodshot as a character is essentially a more powerful mashup of Punisher and Weapon X but suffers from the difficulties of not being compelling like Logan or having a quality writing team like certain Punisher runs. This is only exacerbated by the extremely confusing nature of this book which features a mashup from the 2012 reboot of the series which featured a significant tie-in with another Valiant series, meaning you frequently find yourself flipping back through the previous issue thinking “what the fuck did I just miss”? It’s a shoddily edited trade and one that discredits what might otherwise be a decent entry point for an exciting enough popcorn character.
May 4, 2020
Forget about wolverine and weapon X, this dude is the real crazy killer! By the way, someone needs to tell Bloodshot about plant based proteins too... or maybe eat the evil humans you already kill Sr. Instead of those innocent cows... maybe.
January 3, 2024
Good blend of a vibe between Wolverine and The Punisher. Entertaining all the way through worth a read if you are looking for a fun action packed story. For the amount of story in book, it feels like this would be better for a tv series rather then a movie.
January 17, 2020
This is awesome. Full of action, full of outstanding art work. The whole concept is just superb in my opinion. Read this you won't be disappointed.
March 19, 2020
Entertaining action movie of a comic.
April 3, 2020
DPL hoopla
July 21, 2020
I had hoped to see the movie in the theaters but we all know what happened this year, the comic was great, good story and lots of action and the art was top notch.
July 27, 2020
If Frank Castle had Wolverine's healing ability...
That's what Bloodshot reminded me of. Interesting story, good writing.
That's what Bloodshot reminded me of. Interesting story, good writing.
August 18, 2020
I found the first 3/4ths of the book interesting but when it started delving into the Harvringer Wars later on I felt confused and disconnected from the story.
March 31, 2020
Usually, with mind-erased and manipulated characters, there are moments of identity, redemption, empathy - something you can bond with outside of basic humanity. Think of Anakin Skywalker, or Wolverine; they have humanity at some level that makes you want to root for them, even when they kind of suck.
The brilliance of Bloodshot - and particularly this arc - is that Valiant never tries to do that. We don't know who he is, what is real, or if he's redeemable, human, a good guy? Nothing. You get nothing other than what you are shown, so there is no mission other than this one, nothing to fight for except survival and what's before your eyes - this is it. You must base your assessment of the character on just this, because everything else is lies. Because of this, it's a little depressing and hollow, but masterfully done, and relentlessly executed. This edition is what you need for an introduction to the character, and while it does veer into a Valiant crossover event towards the end, if you embrace the confusion as the characters do, this, too could be interesting...
The brilliance of Bloodshot - and particularly this arc - is that Valiant never tries to do that. We don't know who he is, what is real, or if he's redeemable, human, a good guy? Nothing. You get nothing other than what you are shown, so there is no mission other than this one, nothing to fight for except survival and what's before your eyes - this is it. You must base your assessment of the character on just this, because everything else is lies. Because of this, it's a little depressing and hollow, but masterfully done, and relentlessly executed. This edition is what you need for an introduction to the character, and while it does veer into a Valiant crossover event towards the end, if you embrace the confusion as the characters do, this, too could be interesting...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews