In Bloodshot #11, Bloodshot, KT, and Wilfred Wigans attend a protest in Washington, D.C. But their participation is just a cover. In a strange convergence of fiction and reality in the United States Capital, they are there to stop a plot to wrest democracy from the American people.
Remember, even before the publication delays caused by the current pandemic, comics are always written many months before they appear in your stores. In other words, Tim Seeley's script would have been written long before the events of January 6, 2021.
All too soon, the trio break away from the protest to begin their real mission: to infiltrate a secret underwater Project Rising Spirit facility.
I love the glow around the illuminated buildings, and how the lights inside each building each have their unique color. I also love the sheen on the water. In the scene, colorist Andrew Dalhouse captures the magic of a peaceful, moonlight night.
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While I'm a certified SCUBA diver, I gave up the sport after a few years. I only went on a few night dives, but those were magical experiences. The ocean looks so different and alive after dark.
As they're swimming without lights, I don't know how well Wigans would see his surroundings. But I love the graduated blues of the water and the plants. I feel the stark simplicity of the night-time, without the sunlight to give the plants more color.
As you no doubt remember from the Bloodshot movie, KT doesn't need to wear a mask to breathe underwater due to her unique enhancements. When she and Wigans emerge from the pool inside the P.R.S. facility, she looks composed and ready for action, while Wigans is floundering and needs to get that mask off. What I find most interesting here is the way Andrew Dalhouse has colored the sheen on KT's arms. I like how the overhead lights are reflecting on her wet arms.
This is your prototypical action shot, with the hero taking on the villain. Even though they are in a well lit facility, the orange surrounding the firing gun makes the air explode. The bullets plow through that disrupted, ionized air, their paths illuminated in yellow. All that sets off the nanite-infused blood escaping from Bloodshot's wounds. What really showcases the brilliance of this moment is the darkness surrounding this explosive burst of gunfire.
This last panel reminds me of Frank Martin, Jr.'s coloring on Marvel's Guardians Of Knowhere series. Most colorists, such as Andrew Dalhouse, stick with nature's palette, and color surroundings mostly with blues, greens, and Earthtones. In Guardians of Knowhere, Frank leaned heavily into yellow, orange, and red. Through his coloring, he really made you see the Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as the space station Knowhere, in an entirely different way. It's worth checking out, and comparing Frank's work with that of Andrew Dalhouse on Bloodshot.
Anyway, that aside out of the way, I will also tease you with a character who returned in Bloodshot #10. He first appeared in Bloodshot Salvation, and if you have not read that series, you really need to. His name is Rampage, and he plays a major role in this issue. Although the preview pages Valiant sent me did not include his scenes, all you have to do is head down to your local comic book store today, flip open a copy of Bloodshot #11, and see Rampage, as big and bold and glorious as he ever was in Bloodshot Salvation.
The coloring in those early scenes featuring Rampage are just jaw-dropping gorgeous.
Dragon Dave
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