Bloodshot Reborn #14 Review

Bloodshot Reborn #14 kicks off the Bloodshot Island arc, pitting a team of history’s best Bloodshots (and their doggie) against the vicious Deathmate.

Bloodshot Reborn #14
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Mico Suayan
Published by Valiant Entertainment

Bloodshot Reborn #14 doesn’t go on sale until Wednesday, June 29, so beware of spoilers below!

The last story arc of Bloodshot Reborn let Jeff Lemire take this high-tech soldier and run him through a Mad Max dystopia, proving that Lemire understands the emotional draw of a man with no identity, determined to make a life for himself and protect the people he loves.

All through the Reborn series, Lemire has looked at the ways this character defines himself without backstory. In the “Bloodshot Island” story arc, he’s going to meet four other men (and one dog) in his position, and it’s anyone’s guess what secret will connect them.

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In “Bloodshot Island”, Bloodshot wakes up on the island to the sound of explosions. He’s found by Bloodhound, a big dog with his white-and-red coloring, and Viet Man, a version of himself from the 1970s. They explain that they’re being hunted and bring him back to camp, where he meets Tank Man from World War II, Cold Man from the Russian side of the Cold War, and Quiet Man from the Gulf War. No sooner have they all exposited to him that the mysterious Deathmate is trying to kill them than she shows up ready for a slaughter.

Cover by Tomas Giorello

This was another terrific outing from Lemire and the gang. Bloodshot Reborn is better than just an action movie, but dang, it’s a great action movie. This could have been a tired Hunger Games rerun, but instead, letting Bloodshot work in a team with other survivors of Project Rising Spirit’s experiments allows for enormous potential. Each character gets a distinct personality and fighting strategy, and I am excited to learn more backstory from these other veterans.

Deathmate herself is scary, a ridiculously powerful figure with a chilling calm attitude toward violence and a secret identity, she comes across like Watchmen‘s Doctor Manhattan mixed with X-Men’s Lady Deathstrike, fitting for a story that feels like a better version of Wolverine’s endless battle against the Weapon X program. With a first issue this good, this arc is sure to be a treat for readers.

The Bottom Line: The more Bloodshots, the merrier. This classic action setting has tension galore, and Deathmate makes for an intriguing mystery.

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