Bloodshot U.S.A #1

Written by: Jeff Lemaire
Art by: Doug Braithwaite
Published by Valiant Comics

Project Rising Spirit's evil plan goes into effect in this first issue of this mini-series. Project Rising Spirit has been the main villain of the Bloodshot series since day one, and this series their plans for the last 3 years come together in the form of the Bloodshot virus that is infecting cities of people. The counter to Rising Spirit is G.A.T.E with Mi6 who jointly run a taskforce of the world's super humans called Unity. Our hero Bloodshot was last seen floating on a raft with his squad of older model Bloodshots, having escaped the Bloodshot Island and Rising Spirit's new weapon Deathmate, the reanimated body of the former Geomancer Kay McHenry. Rising Spirit has released a virus into the air and drinking water of New York City. The Unity team of Livewire, Gin-GR have been dispatched to try to keep the infected Bloodshot people from hurting anyone, while Ninjak has been tasked with finding Bloodshot in the hope that he can bring this virus to an end. While our heroes be successful? Will there be violence? It's a Bloodshot comic, of course there will be.

This basically is just another story arc of Bloodshot, so I am confused why it is being put out as a mini-series, but it's Valiant choice so here I am reading it. Lemaire set up the terrible things that Project Rising Spirit was going to do in the last issue of Bloodshot Reborn really well, and he expanded on it here in the opening half of this issue. We get a couple of things explained that I am glad we got, such as why and how Rising Spirit ended up with the dead Geomancer's body and why she is suited to be Deathmate. We got the return of Magic, Bloodshot's....girlfriend? Companion? I don't think it has really be established in the proper Bloodshot comic what they are at this point, and Agent Festival the police investigator who had been investigating Bloodshot, but turned her attention to Project Rising Spirit.

Doug Braithwaite handles the art chores here in this series. Although overall I enjoyed the art there were a couple things that stood out negatively to me, a couple of the people in the backgrounds look like zombies or something. This might have been intentional but I am not sure. It doesn't detract too badly but it did take me out of the story for a minute. The highlight art wise was the last couple pages. I won't spoil it, but it was awesome! I can't wait for next issue.

Overall it was another solid issue of the Bloodshot, and I can't wait to read the rest of the mini-series. It's the best of both worlds, strong storytelling and awesome action. If you love action movies then this book is for you.