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Kareem Ali 4.5

Armor Hunters: Bloodshot #1

 

  • The good

    Excellent combination of character development and story progression, which perfectly captures Bloodshot and his context in the Armor Hunters crossover. Great action

  • The bad

    His fight is limited to the beasts sent and not one of the armor hunters. The colonel not initially understanding the dire situation like previous issues in crossover

  • The ugly

    • Armor Hunters: Bloodshot #1 is a 3-part miniseries written by Joe Harris chronicling Bloodshot’s activities during Valiant’s massive Armor Hunters crossover. It opens up with Bloodshot having flashbacks about how he was on the run weeks ago trying to escape Project Rising Spirit through the jungles of Columbia with soldiers on the hunt for him. However the hunters can easily become the hunted when dealing with Bloodshot because his healing abilities due to the nanites coursing through him can repair any injury, and those same nanites give him the ability to infiltrate any digital environment, leaving the soldiers communications crippled. So the only thing they have that’s to their advantage is the sheer number of soldiers but with Bloodshot it’s only a matter of time before those numbers dwindle. However those flashbacks might distract from the current situation, and considering the Armor Hunters destroyed an entire city, M.E.R.O. could use all the help it can get to fight them. The only obstacle is the lack of trust in his mental state because of his dangerous reputation but with the Armor Hunter’s next wave of attacks being set in motion with their target being Malgam, Bloodshot is their best chance at defending the base and preventing the Armor Hunters from reaching Malgam.

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    One thing I felt was lacking in the previous Armor Hunters entries was Bloodshot, so it goes without saying that I was excited to read this. And the start of this issue did an excellent job in not only establishing Bloodshot’s capabilities in a way where newcomers and fans alike could appreciate it but his importance in the current crisis due to the Armor Hunters was made clear. The exposition between the Colonel and Livewire was also crucial in establishing the view of others towards Bloodshot, and showing just how precarious the entire situation was due to recent events. And as a result the interactions between the Colonel and Bloodshot due to Malgam felt very authentic, and even though Bloodshot’s actions would show he was a true badass, it was crystal clear it was because of what he could do, and not because of any similarities with Malgam. I could say this is due to Bloodshot being a really cool character, however it’s the writing by Joe Harris that makes every interaction feel intense and revelatory but not forced. So the flashes throughout the issue of his previous predicament would fit in the respective moment, and I’m glad this issue wasn’t dominated by a stubborn Colonel unable to see how Bloodshot is helping, and only makes the situation worse. Of course there would be plenty of action in this issue, and despite being just one of the beasts unleashed by the Armor Hunters, this issue still managed to keep the suspense high while raising the stakes even further with its story developments. The artwork would work in the action sequences, and I had no problem with it during the lead up to it but it’s more functional in the sense that there are relatively few background details so the focus here is on the characters and their immediate situation. In the action sequences it captures the energy being expended very well, and one panel with Bloodshot being hit by a sonic blast still on my mind. I’ve been waiting for an issue featuring Bloodshot during this event for a while and this was definitely worth the wait.

     

    SUMMARY

    Armor Hunters: Bloodshot #1 is a very satisfying issue considering how much I’ve been anticipating Bloodshot’s involvement in the Armor Hunters event, and it didn’t disappoint me in the least. The character development takes place in such a wonderful way in conjunction with the story progress that even if one is being introduced to Bloodshot for the first time his capabilities could be fully appreciated. We’ve gotten teases of Bloodshot in previous Armor Hunters issues but this is his first full appearance and it is indeed grand.

     

    Release Date: 7/23/14

    Writer: Joe Harris

    Artist: Trevor Hairsine

  • Rating ( 9.25 )
  • Total score 9.3

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