Bloodshot Reborn #6 Discussion

[greg]

This issue was a nice surprise since I just expected more of the same "hunt down another nanite-infused killer" issue story. The idea that there's a Jet Li The One scenario playing out is more fun than taking them out one at a time.

[KXXX]

This issue was a nice surprise since I just expected more of the same "hunt down another nanite-infused killer" issue story. The idea that there's a Jet Li The One scenario playing out is more fun than taking them out one at a time.

An excellent reference! Had the same thought, that was about all I enjoyed though.

Slow pace.

Boring art.

Sexy Festival? Nah.

[Blood of Heroes]

Slow pace.

Boring art.

Sexy Festival? Nah.

agreed

[BugsySig]

Seems like forever since the last issue. I liked the issue, but it does makes the entire last arc just seem like set up for this one, and not really meaningful in any way.

Are we supposed to feel bad for the kid because he was killed before he turned evil? Hate the new bad guy because he killed him? We weren't made to feel sorry for the guys Ray killed for their Nanites, or hate him for killing them. What would he have done? Could he have gotten the Nanites back from the kid any other way?

Didn't see the Festival thing coming, but it seemed cheap and unnecessary. I did like her conversation in the car prior. And I get the sense she's a Psiot.

Didn't mind the art. Kind of a throw back. Still very noir.

3.5/5 1 and a

[agent_graves]

Festival

The scenes with Ray and Magic, could have easily been the conclusion of the Colorado arc, even with the twist.

[tiredofmyself]

with Unity ending, this book will probably be the weakest link. The art style is great. Magic is boring but I get to see her in lingerie.

But I prefer seeing Kay in lingerie, given choice.

[Donovan]

I've been *really* harsh on this title from day one. Didn't like Bloodsquirt. Found the art too stiff.

THIS issue, however... Wow. Gorgeous art with some thought and effort put in to storytelling. Butch Guice is a genius, and elevates this book to where it needs to be. I just never got that feeling from the first five issues. I'm on board now.

David Baron... wow. Nice little touches not indicated in Guice's art, like the rear view mirror reflection on Ray's face in the car near the end.

Down side...? I still am not feeling Ray's hesitancy to look in the *SQUEE* envelope.

Can't wait for OTV:VCR - given Hawkeyeps' feelings towards Armstrong and Mary-Maria, we should have quite the chrant in this week's episode!

[Donovan]

And I liked the Festival twist.

There's some nefarious intentions under her surface that we're not seeing. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K...

[omega_override]

I'm calling it now, Rampage makes his grand re-debut next issue

[Bone-A-Fach-ee]

Guess I'm in the minority, but I was really blown away by this issue. The art was spectacular in my opinion.
I don't mind a slower paced story as long as it's meaty, and I felt that this was.
Bugsy, in regards to the kid being killed before he turned evil, I think he already had the nannies in him, and therefore WAS evil, we just didn't get to see it. The kid was killed FOR his nannies, and they were taken, so he didn't look ghostly white laying on the floor there.

My question is though, if someone else out there starts collecting nanites, will they at some point collect MORE than Ray, and be more powerful?

Yeah, the one thing I don't like is him not reading what's in the folder. Kinda strange to me, but small gripe.

[wwise03]

I'm definitely in the camp that loves this book and loved this particular issue. I thought the art was fantastic as well!

[Brapbrap]

Ray has always been unsure about learning his identity, ever since bloodshot and h.a.r.d. corps this has been part of his character, is worries that he is purely synthetic which is why he doesn't want to look at the folder

[CongoBill]

Ray has always been unsure about learning his identity, ever since bloodshot and h.a.r.d. corps this has been part of his character, is worries that he is purely synthetic which is why he doesn't want to look at the folder

I'd think that if he was purely synthetic that Magic might have a different reaction to being with him than she did (since she did read the file). Unless she's into doing it with people who aren't actually people, that is.

I also enjoyed this issue. Although it's not the beginning of a new arc. It's the same arc, just no Kay or Bloodsquirt. But I don't mind the slow-burn story as long as it leads up to something interesting, which I hope is something where Rising Spirit gets involved with bigger far-reaching effects into the VEI universe, and not just a showdown between Ray and the other big nanite collector with Ray defeating him and then onward to the next story arc.

The Festival twist was, um, "interesting," but not really sure I totally bought into that she'd do that. But then again we are just learning about this character so we obviously don't know her as well as we thought we did.

And I liked the art quite a bit. I do like Mico Suayan's detailed art style, but I agree it can look stiff and overly posed -- he's probably best as a cover artist when you get down to it. Guice's art maintains the photo-realistic stylings of Suayan but is more expressive and real.

[Dallow Spicer1]

I enjoyed this book and Lemire has rescued this character from the downward spiral since Duane Swicerzynski left the book. And more than anything, at least Lemire has found a plausible explanation of why and how Bloodshot has a red circle on his t-shirt (ie he paints it on) so let's be thankful for that! Now if VEI can explain how Archer has an endless supply of blue tshirts with a yellow star and how Armstrong's clothes immediately repair after being shot, stabbed, sliced etc then I'll be happy!

I liked the slow pace to this book and I expect it'll be leading to an all out action issue pretty soon. Art was good too.

3.75/5 -

Extra shout out to the Garry Brown 'terminator' cover (cover D) and the great layout to the cover by the VEI design team putting the title and logo at the bottom of the page, very effective!

[agent_graves]

I thought the art was fantastic as well!

I forgot to mention this in my first post, but I really liked the two page spread, where the panels are laid out over a map, dialogue and art really merge well on those pages, nice creative idea by Butch.

[Sven the Returned]

Really liked it, hope the grandpa banging will pay off.

[jmatt]

Guess I'm in the minority, but I was really blown away by this issue. The art was spectacular in my opinion.
I don't mind a slower paced story as long as it's meaty, and I felt that this was.

I agree, it was a great issue. I don't mind a slower, story building issue every now and again.

Didn't mind the Festival almost-fling either; it creates more tension for the characters. In fact, a failed liaison is even better for those purposes. Imagine being trapped in a car (or a professional relationship) with a younger woman that you don't like but you couldn't get it up for. That's humbling and it would hang over your future interactions like a black cloud in your mind. Every time you wanted to argue with her you'd just be waiting for her to cut you down with that.

Art was fantastic. I, too, enjoyed the mirror shine in his face and the map page.

Her license plate... M16 ORA. MI-6 Aura?

And good call on Rampage!

[grendeljd]

I didn't enjoy this issue as much as some of the previous issues, it felt like more of the same, re-hashing what we've already seen play out but at a much slower pace (& therefore more painful to read for me personally).

The big twist reveal that another nanite-infused 'victim' was also harvesting others fell flat for me, but I think that's just from my overall ambivalent mood toward the rest of the issue. It's actually a pretty cool idea.

The scenes between Festival & Hoight took up far too much of the issue for my taste (the 'procedural cop drama' angle has been my least favourite aspect of the series to date), and that fling seemed really out of place.

[String]

Yes, loved the art in this issue. The tone, the coloring, the detail, it all looks like something you'd see in an FX show. I'm thankful that Bloodsquirt's over-cartoony form wasn't present to distract from the high quality of the art.

I don't feel sorry for the kid. If you accept that animal mutilation is a possible early sign of sociopath behaviour, then the kid was just getting started so his future reign of mayhem was cut short. Actually, it's a nice twist about another infected doing the same as Ray so looking forward to the obvious upcoming showdown.

As for Festival, yeah, that was kinda out of left field (though I loved the setup for it, having the one-page shot of Ray and Magic kissing before this scene). Their preceding conversation in the car did help root this action more though. And like Bugsy mentioned, I'm wondering if she is indeed a latent psiot.

Magic is growing on me. It still seems a tad early for their relationship to reach this point, but I'm glad Lemire was taking the time to establish it. (The shots of Ray leaving her at the motel were very well done, especially the close-up of her crying).

I think this book is still a winner for VEI.

[grendeljd]

I'm behind on sharing links to the show, but if anyone would like to hear our OTV:VCR podcast discussing/reviewing this issue (+ Timewalker #9 & RAI #10), please follow the link;

http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/vcr33/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wasn't able to co-host on this episode, but MarkRoseHfx was there to take up the slack

Thanks to any who listen in

[grendeljd]

Yes, loved the art in this issue. The tone, the coloring, the detail, it all looks like something you'd see in an FX show. I'm thankful that Bloodsquirt's over-cartoony form wasn't present to distract from the high quality of the art.

I don't feel sorry for the kid. If you accept that animal mutilation is a possible early sign of sociopath behaviour, then the kid was just getting started so his future reign of mayhem was cut short. Actually, it's a nice twist about another infected doing the same as Ray so looking forward to the obvious upcoming showdown.

As for Festival, yeah, that was kinda out of left field (though I loved the setup for it, having the one-page shot of Ray and Magic kissing before this scene). Their preceding conversation in the car did help root this action more though. And like Bugsy mentioned, I'm wondering if she is indeed a latent psiot.

Magic is growing on me. It still seems a tad early for their relationship to reach this point, but I'm glad Lemire was taking the time to establish it. (The shots of Ray leaving her at the motel were very well done, especially the close-up of her crying).

I think this book is still a winner for VEI.

I forgot to mention it in my post, but yes - love Guice & Baron's work in this issue. Outstanding drawing & colouring work.

And I'm in agreement about Festival, she seemed like a latent psiot from the get-go to me - nice to see it further hinted at here.

[QUARTZ]

Art was spectacular, stellar, awesome...story was blah...talking heads...and a slight twist on the hunt for the nanites. Interesting twist, but I felt like there was a lot of fat in the story. It'll be interesting to see where it leads but after seeing Bloodshot basically on the side line for all this time it'd be nice to get back into some uber action.

[leonmallett]

A better issue for me than the preceding five (not least because of the absence of Bloodsquirt), but still flawed. I enjoyed the art; Magic is starting to have a place in the book; the pacing felt right this issue.

The flaws for me were the Festival/Hoyt (non)relationship beat - it felt very unlikely given what went before - two professionals who barely know each and still have to work together compromising themselves like that (even if Festival is the apparent instigator)? I just didn't buy that.

Further, this just feels like more of the first arc, so much that I don't see it as something separate. That seamlessness is good in one sense, as a reader the sense of it being part of a larger whole, but honestly I think it has caused the book to be told at a very languid pace - with a moderate amount of story stretched over many issues.