Bloodshot Reread: Bloodshot 2019 FCBD Special

Valiant's Free Comic Book Day Special contains the first Bloodshot story written by Tim Seeley. It follows a group of criminals who call themselves the Sons of the Last Flesh. This group is led by Wotan Dawn, who believes the ultimate form of humanity involves the blending of people with machines.

Thanks to gorgeous artwork by penciler Tomas Giorello and colorist Diego Rodriguez, we watch enrapt as the group abducts noted scientist Dr. Alison Apte. 

For Wotan Dawn, there is only one recourse open to Dr. Apte: help the Sons of the Last Flesh achieve their ultimate forms, or die.

Ironically, a man who represents everything the group's desires stops them, and rescues Dr. Apte. The only thing he asks of the scientist in return is to not make more "weaponized" people like him.

Meanwhile, standing before a bank of monitors, several military figures look on.

Bloodshot has microscopic machines swimming through his bloodstream, capable of effecting any repair. These give him enhanced abilities that make him the ultimate soldier. I've often likened him to cyborgs like Robocop or the Six Million Dollar Man. Yet unlike policeman Alex Murphy or astronaut Steve Austin, people have occasionally used those tiny machines, called nanites, to control Bloodshot. 

Still, when Ernie Estrella of Syfy Wire likened Bloodshot to the Terminator in a Q&A with Tim Seeley, I didn't immediately see the connection. Still, all you have to do is look at this splash page to see that Ernie Estrella is right on the mark.

Sadly, letterer Dave Sharpe's talents are unnecessary here, as the artwork conveys the manner in which Bloodshot rescues Dr. Apte from Wotan Dawn and his followers. 

While I enjoy The Terminator movies, I've never really been hungry for more stories in novels or comics. Yet, with a dearth of new Valiant titles recently, I've collected and read the first half of the 1980s The Terminator series by Now Comics. I'm not really sure what drew me to the series, beyond the fact that the writer of the first issue, Fred Schiller, worked at Eclipse, my favorite 80s independent comic book company. Nonetheless, it's been an enjoyable read.

So, when I sought this series out, was it because I was really missing new Bloodshot stories? It seems likely, doesn't it?

Dragon Dave