Bloodshot #8 Discussion

[Keith]

After last month's flashback issue, we pick up exactly where things left of in issue #6. Pulse vs. Gamma, Cara vs. Chainsaw Command, Bloodshot vs. what remains of Chainsaw... and the Harbinger children are on the loose.

Best issue of Bloodshot yet? I do think so. This one had it all. Equal parts action and ominous intrigue. The violence you've come to expect. The overall foreboding sense of "Ruh Roh" as the children flee their cells. Begun, this Harbinger War has.

And I can't wait for the speculation that one oversized panel will initiate. When I saw it (and without spoiling anything), my first thought was "Oh... is that who I think it is?"

You will all know what I mean.

[pixierosa]

This was a fun issue. Totally agree about the balance between action and intrigue. Gamma is one bad mofo and her powers are frightening in a different sense.

Ditto on the oversized panel.

I hated to see this book end so soon. Looking forward to picking up the next one - hoping it keeps the momentum.

[BugsySig]

After last month's flashback issue, we pick up exactly where things left of in issue #6. Pulse vs. Gamma, Cara vs. Chainsaw Command, Bloodshot vs. what remains of Chainsaw... and the Harbinger children are on the loose.

Best issue of Bloodshot yet? I do think so. This one had it all. Equal parts action and ominous intrigue. The violence you've come to expect. The overall foreboding sense of "Ruh Roh" as the children flee their cells. Begun, this Harbinger War has.

And I can't wait for the speculation that one oversized panel will initiate. When I saw it (and without spoiling anything), my first thought was "Oh... is that who I think it is?"

You will all know what I mean.

Agreed. Best issue yet. Gamma is frightening. A definite candidate for "Kill of the Month". Chainsaw is no more, which will please many. A possible precursor to HARD Corps. Lots of juicy Psiot Kid tidbits (I see where you are going with that panel, but I'm not sure it's what you are thinking).

My only complaint is the end of the issue felt more cut off then cliff hanger. Minor gripe, though.

[cavemold]

Gamma is so MEAN. Loved this issue favorite issue so far

[somewhatlazy]

Man, this issue ended way too fast . . .

[VEI Reborn]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

[BugsySig]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

I believe some may be pondering a Rai connection to Clem, the boy in the tube. I think he's just the kid who raised the dead from the flashback issue, though.

The Chainsaw Command did seem to hint at HARD Corps...Military vet, badly injured, experimented on...It's a nice lead in.

[pixierosa]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

I believe some may be pondering a Rai connection to Clem, the boy in the tube. I think he's just the kid who raised the dead from the flashback issue, though.

The Chainsaw Command did seem to hint at HARD Corps...Military vet, badly injured, experimented on...It's a nice lead in.

I figured it was the necromancer boy (is he truly a necromancer?) from the previous issue, but given the panel space that they gave him, I'm expecting bigger things from he and Cloud during the Harbinger Wars. I believe he also manipulates the living but struggled against the pesky nanos in Bloodshot's brain.

[BugsySig]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

I believe some may be pondering a Rai connection to Clem, the boy in the tube. I think he's just the kid who raised the dead from the flashback issue, though.

The Chainsaw Command did seem to hint at HARD Corps...Military vet, badly injured, experimented on...It's a nice lead in.

I figured it was the necromancer boy (is he truly a necromancer?) from the previous issue, but given the panel space that they gave him, I'm expecting bigger things from he and Cloud during the Harbinger Wars. I believe he also manipulates the living but struggled against the pesky nanos in Bloodshot's brain.

Yeah, he said something about hacking into people's brains, and the thing about Bloodshot, so I'm pretty sure he can hack living or dead brains.

[somewhatlazy]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

I believe some may be pondering a Rai connection to Clem, the boy in the tube. I think he's just the kid who raised the dead from the flashback issue, though.

The Chainsaw Command did seem to hint at HARD Corps...Military vet, badly injured, experimented on...It's a nice lead in.

The homage panel hinted more towards the one thing than Command's dialogue did towards the other. Exciting either way.

[hawkeyeps]

What if these kids are part of the new HARD Corps?

If tube kid can control and transmit to brains and Livewire can control machines what if there was a union of the two and this resulted in the new HARD Corps?

Kids with Psiot abilities protected at a central base brodcasting their powers to trained soldiers in the field, almost like a drone concept (which has become a central idea in modern war fare).

Meanwhile Harada is deploying his young psiots directly to the field, sounds like a huge disadvantage for Harada. If Harada's psiots manage to kill a highly trained HARD Corps operative with multiple powers they can just send another one and another one or a whole team of them

"Nobody wants another Harbinger War"

I do

[hawkeyeps]

A nice twist would be that tube kid and Livewire would be needed on either end to make the thing work, one of them would always have to be in the field and one of them would always need to be at base

Both this issue and A&A exceeded expectations, the stage is really set for Harbinger Wars it's going to be huge!!

[jmatt]

Wow, love the speculation.

Remote Harbingers would be a definite improvement on the brain-implant basis of the original HardCorps.

And definitely the Kill of the Month, ala Predator. I liked the sound effect that accompanied yanking someone's head and spinal column out of their living body. Gruesome.

And an issue where Bloodshot isn't riddled to pieces with machine gun fire. Is that a first?

It would appear that Bloodshot's pal Kuretich was simply using him to free the kids. Double crossed again!

[hawkeyeps]

What about Kara's brother the wounded Vet?

Maybe his nickname is Gunslinger

[David_Cody]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

No *SQUEE*' *SQUEE*. I've been on this board for what...10 years now. And now I have to go to a "special" section to talk about VU comics and then when I come to the "special" section, everyone is wringing their hands, lamenting about...spoilers.

It's comics, everyone. We're not talking about curing freakin' polio!

God, I miss the old board. Where men were men and weren't afraid writing what they came to right about...

VALIANTfans.com

[greg]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

No *SQUEE*' *SQUEE*. I've been on this board for what...10 years now. And now I have to go to a "special" section to talk about VU comics and then when I come to the "special" section, everyone is wringing their hands, lamenting about...spoilers.

It's comics, everyone. We're not talking about curing freakin' polio!

God, I miss the old board. Where men were men and weren't afraid writing what they came to right about...

VALIANTfans.com

Not sure what you're ranting about...

I think VEI Reborn was asking FOR info, not trying to stop it.

"Let's have it" means "let's talk about it".

[somewhatlazy]

This is the spoiler area so lets have it on the speculation.

No *SQUEE*' *SQUEE*. I've been on this board for what...10 years now. And now I have to go to a "special" section to talk about VU comics and then when I come to the "special" section, everyone is wringing their hands, lamenting about...spoilers.

It's comics, everyone. We're not talking about curing freakin' polio!

God, I miss the old board. Where men were men and weren't afraid writing what they came to right about...

VALIANTfans.com

Nine years, fool.

[Bone-A-Fach-ee]

Man, this issue ended way too fast . . .

Yup, I agree. when I got to the last page, I did not feel fulfilled at all! Went by too quick, and there wasn't a cliffhanger, just we kinda walked away in the middle of a fight?
Plus, I don't feel that all that much really happened. Cara is still in the same spot. Bloodshot's still in the same spot. Inferences to Kuretich and Oreck, but who knows? Seemed like a lot of filler to me.

[VEI Reborn]

Man, this issue ended way too fast . . .

Yup, I agree. when I got to the last page, I did not feel fulfilled at all! Went by too quick, and there wasn't a cliffhanger, just we kinda walked away in the middle of a fight?
Plus, I don't feel that all that much really happened. Cara is still in the same spot. Bloodshot's still in the same spot. Inferences to Kuretich and Oreck, but who knows? Seemed like a lot of filler to me.

Which is great for TPB format

[MarkRoseHFX]

The pulling the head and spine out kill was badass, reminded me of Mortal Kombat.

Bloodshot wins! FATALITY!

Good issue. Very interested to see more of the Psiot kids and Gamma is scary as hell.

[SJS4]

Loved this issue, but then Bloodshot is seriously becoming my favorite VEI title so far. Love Garcia's artwork, hope he sticks around for a long time at VEI.

This title definitely got me pumped for the upcoming Harbinger Wars crossover. Cannot wait for the next issue...

[bribri]

Yup, I agree. when I got to the last page, I did not feel fulfilled at all! Went by too quick, and there wasn't a cliffhanger, just we kinda walked away in the middle of a fight?
Plus, I don't feel that all that much really happened. Cara is still in the same spot. Bloodshot's still in the same spot. Inferences to Kuretich and Oreck, but who knows? Seemed like a lot of filler to me.

I had the same thought. I think the only progress that was made in the story was that Chainsaw is dead and we saw a little more of the kids. That's about it.

Nevertheless, there was a ton of action and I loved the issue. Think I'll get more out of it on second reading or with the entire arc.

[BugsySig]

What if these kids are part of the new HARD Corps?

If tube kid can control and transmit to brains and Livewire can control machines what if there was a union of the two and this resulted in the new HARD Corps?

Kids with Psiot abilities protected at a central base brodcasting their powers to trained soldiers in the field, almost like a drone concept (which has become a central idea in modern war fare).

Meanwhile Harada is deploying his young psiots directly to the field, sounds like a huge disadvantage for Harada. If Harada's psiots manage to kill a highly trained HARD Corps operative with multiple powers they can just send another one and another one or a whole team of them

"Nobody wants another Harbinger War"

I do

Remote Harbingers would be a really interesting concept...something we haven't really seen before. robots operated by soldiers, or even the whole "Avatar" thing, but this would be a unique spin. It also would make more sense with the limitations on powers (one at a time, etc). The relationship between the kids and soldiers would be interesting too. Hell, if Dysart/VALIANT doesn't do it first, you and I should write that book

I definitely see Kara's bro playing a role at some point. It also made sense why the Chainsaw Command's story would get to her.

[Phoenix8008]

What if these kids are part of the new HARD Corps?

If tube kid can control and transmit to brains and Livewire can control machines what if there was a union of the two and this resulted in the new HARD Corps?

Kids with Psiot abilities protected at a central base brodcasting their powers to trained soldiers in the field, almost like a drone concept (which has become a central idea in modern war fare).

Meanwhile Harada is deploying his young psiots directly to the field, sounds like a huge disadvantage for Harada. If Harada's psiots manage to kill a highly trained HARD Corps operative with multiple powers they can just send another one and another one or a whole team of them

"Nobody wants another Harbinger War"

I do

Remote Harbingers would be a really interesting concept...something we haven't really seen before. robots operated by soldiers, or even the whole "Avatar" thing, but this would be a unique spin. It also would make more sense with the limitations on powers (one at a time, etc). The relationship between the kids and soldiers would be interesting too. Hell, if Dysart/VALIANT doesn't do it first, you and I should write that book

I definitely see Kara's bro playing a role at some point. It also made sense why the Chainsaw Command's story would get to her.

Wow. Neat theory. You are right, that would be one hell of a way to do HARD Corps! Alot more tension and dynamics in that setup than normal. Do you think Livewire would 'turn' to work with/for someone that is a 'Harada Active Resistance Division'? Last we saw, she still bent the knee to Harada. Although that was before he mind raped her. Maybe she still thinks there needs to be a balancing force against him and if she was allied with a group like that, it would be powerful enough to serve as a counterbalance in case Pete isn't sufficient.

In fact, I predict here and now that PRS doesn't survive either Bloodshot's invasion, or the Harbinger Wars. Maybe after so much interference, Harada takes them out. Then there needs to be another government agency to handle the Psiots once the war brings them out into the open. Since the biggest threat is Harada and his organization, that's where they'll focus their attention. Wouldn't surprise me if Harada's phone call to PRS after the debacle at Kris's house was to Simon Oreck himself, or someone higher up the chain.

[hawkeyeps]

I also think that Clem being in the tube was how PRS was dampening the powers of the psiot kids and keeping them in check, when the power went down the kids were able to use their powers again. This implies a connection between Clem, technology and the ability to control psiot brains.

It wouldn't make sense to see 12 year olds out fighting in the field so how could those power sets be put to use without jeopardizing the children?

The whole wounded soldier with tech upgrades is already established and we have Kara's brother who is a wounded Vet

The more I think about it the more I can see these pieces coming together to form the new HARD Corps and I think the concept would be way more interesting than original.