Rai Vs Raijin: Crusades, Type A Personalities, and Cleo McDougal

Recently, I've been reading Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing by Allison Winn Scotch, which Amazon Prime gave me free last month as part of their First Reads program. It's an involving novel about a woman whose philosophy "Only Forward" has propelled her to the United States Senate, and given her a shot at the presidency. Yet when a former friend dishes dirt on her in the public sphere, Cleo's efforts at damage control lead her to take a long hard look at her life. As she does this, Cleo comes to realize, perhaps for the first time, that there is a very big difference between having a career, and having a life.

In Valiant Entertainment's current Rai series, Rai's relationship with Raijin is getting rocky. In issues #1, 2, and 3, the two androids regarded each other with camaraderie and brotherhood. Issues #4 and 5 brought conflict, revealing how differently they saw the world. In that two-issue story by Dan Abnett, Rai sought to destroy a machine that helped a Human community feed itself. Raijin and others remind him that, while Rai wants to destroy all traces of the tyrannical artificial intelligence Father, people still need to eat.

 

In issue #6, Rai and Raijin again find themselves at odds. The robot community of Romanus regards him as someone who can protect them against the continual animal attacks. In a world without a rule of law, or any form of organized government outside such enclaves of civilization, Raijin points out that all people, whether biological or positronic, need to be protected. 

Rai's single-minded focus on his goals reminds me of Cleo McDougal's "Only Forward" mantra in Allison Winn Scotch's novel.

 

 

Rai's unwillingness to acknowledge others' needs also brings to mind medieval crusaders who marched off to free the Holy Land from what they saw as a great evil. Similar comparisons can be drawn to 9/11, and acts of terrorism perpetrated in the years since. A comparison could also be made with people who cry patriotism, while perpetrating acts of torture. Always there is the focus on a righteous cause, and a disregard for lesser rights or needs.

I don't know if the Type A versus Type B comparison could be applied to Rai and Raijin's relationship, but Rai reminds me of someone who is goal-focused, while Raijin seems more people-oriented. In our own lives, most of us strive for a balance between those two mindsets. That doesn't mean we find the task easy, or that we get along with others any better than Rai and Raijin are at the moment.

Issue #6 also makes me wonder what Rai and Raijin talk about between issues, as they wander this post-apocalyptic landscape in search of traces of the malign A.I. Father. Would they talk about the weather? Mutual friends they've left behind, or people they met on their travels? Music that they like? Or would it be a lonely quest, with Raijin continually trying to engage Rai, and all his efforts met with grunts or silence? After the first three issues, I would have thought they shared an enjoyable and enriching dialogue. Now...

Dragon Dave

P.S. Rai #6 goes on sale tomorrow. If you haven't already reserved a copy, get to your local comic shop early to secure this exciting issue.

Rai #6 Review: Rome 4002

 

In Rai #6, Roman soldiers tramp through the forest. Then the leader orders a halt, and the squad prepares for a fight. 

 

 

Our minds are drawn back to Britannia, the four issue series by writer Peter Milligan and artists Juan Jose Ryp and Raul Allen. What's going on here? Have our heroes Rai and Raijin somehow traveled back in time to 65 AD?

 

As the battle commences, and their foes beset the legion, we realize that, no, we are still in the year 4002. 

The Romans' enemies are the intelligent animals we saw in Fallen World. In that series, the animals allied with Rai, and fought on the side of mankind against Father, the super-powerful artificial intelligence that once controlled the orbital city of New Japan. 

 

Now it seems that these intelligent animals see man as their enemy. Either that, or the animals just don't like Romans. But then, Aric of Dacia, who would later don the sentient armor of Shanhara and become known as X-O Manowar, didn't exactly love the Romans either.

In any case, letterer Dave Sharpe brings intensity to the battle scenes with his sound effects, and colorist Andrew Dalhouse adds vibrancy and depth to each panel.

When Rai and Raijin appear in the forest, they help drive off the animal army. Or at least Rai does, displaying a mastery of the sword that amazes the Romans. The legion brings the travelers back to their city, where they hail Rai's fighting skills.

 

In the original Rai series, writer Matt Kindt showed us some of the different sectors of the orbital city of New Japan. Each featured entertainment on a par with the original Futureworld and Westworld movies. Or perhaps, I should say, well beyond those shown in the films, let alone the recent Westwood TV series.

 

One of the highlights of the sequel series, the four issue event 4001, showcased a sector given over entirely to prehistoric animals, for example. 

Of course, there were many more sectors we never got to see.

It would seem there was a Roman Sector of New Japan where citizens could immerse themselves in ancient Roman culture, and watch gladiatorial games. Amid the fight between Rai and Father in the series 4001, the orbital city fell to Earth. As a result, much of the richness and diversity, as well as the decadence of that highly technological society, was lost. 

 

 

In this second Rai series, Rai and Raijin traverse the varied landscape of Earth in the year 4002. As they travel, they find a diversity of societies that evolved in isolation from the technological wonders of New Japan. They also find remnants of that orbital city: people, animals, and positronic creations that survived reentry in Earth's atmosphere and (presumably a crash-) landing. It would seem that robots from the Roman Sector survived the fall. These Romans have found a purpose, and formed their own self-sustaining city of Romanus.

The robots of Romanus live under constant threat of extinction, harried by constant attacks of these intelligent--but apparently very angry--animals.

 

In Rai issues #4 and #5, Gilad Anni-Padda, otherwise known as the Eternal Warrior, confronted Rai over the way he treated Raijin. While Rai uses Raijin to track down traces of Father, Gilad observed that Rai didn't always treat his brother with courtesy and respect. Because Rai sides for humanity's freedom over Father's desire to subjugate Humans, we tend to regard him as more than just a cold, unfeeling robot. Yet once again in writer Dan Abnett's series, it is Raijin who points out that sentient beings have needs, and the pursuit of Rai's goal to destroy Father cannot justify turning a blind eye to the suffering of others. 

In addition to the cover by Nethro Diaz and Candice Han, Rai #6 also comes with a cover by the artist Kano, and one by Jason Metcalf and Andrew Dalhouse.

There's much more I'd love to share with you, including the guest appearance of two popular characters. One of them is my favorite character from Fallen World. But I think I'll let you discover who they are, and see how Rai and Raijin resolve their argument, when you open your own copy of Rai #6.

Dragon Dave

P.S. Rai #6 goes on sale next Wednesday, August 19. With publishers printing fewer comics these days, I recommend getting to your local comic shop sooner than later.

 

 

 

 

Bloodshot #7 Fully Loaded Edition

I may have missed out on seeing "Bloodshot" in the theaters, but I'm glad Covid couldn't stop this "Bloodshot #7 Fully Loaded Edition" from coming out. I really enjoyed Kevin VanHook's essay on the origins of his famous character. It's hard to imagine an era in which comics from independent publishers like Valiant could sell more than a million copies of a single issue, let alone that some of the Marvel, DC, and Image releases sold several times that. 

 

 

 

His essay also contrasts the creators' thoughts behind Bloodshot and Rai: one a man enhanced by machines, the other a machine enhanced with humanity. Today, we may not be as fascinated with the idea of bionics, cybernetics, and nanotechnology enhancing our bodies as we were back then, but at least '90s superheroes like Bloodshot are still around to entertain us. Many thanks to Valiant Comics for putting out this special edition!

Oh, and just for fun, in case you're curious as to the rest of this week's pickups, here's a look:

Aside from Bloodshot, the rest were Free Comic Book Day releases, $1 books, and $5 trades. It was a fine day indeed at the comics shops.

Dragon Dave

P.S. I'll return to my Bloodshot Reread series as soon as I can.

Last Week's Haul and a Valiant Connection

With Diamond releasing May's Free Comic Book Day titles on a piecemeal basis, I've been hitting my local comic store each Wednesday, to make sure I pick up the ones that interest me. Here's last week's haul, along with the comics I purchased.

The bottom row is the comics I purchased. Those on my pull list were Usagi Yojimbo and Star Trek Year Five. In order to help my local shop stay in business, I decided to try out the new Alien series, based on Dan O'Bannon's original script. Another indulgence was Horizon Zero Dawn. I like Titan's Doctor Who and Blade Runner 2019 comics, and Titan had produced a Horizon Zero Dawn FCBD Special that I enjoyed. But the real clincher was this beautiful cover by artist Peach Momoko.

As you may recall, Peach Momoko produced a beautiful cover for Valiant's Doctor Tomorrow #3. In case you missed it, here it is again.

Anyone who does good work, and contributes to Valiant's success, is beloved forever.

Dragon Dave

Valiant Press Release: X-O Manowar Returns in November

We interrupt this Bloodshot Reread for a very special announcement.

VALIANT'S FLAGSHIP HERO RETURNS IN X-O MANOWAR #2
THIS NOVEMBER
  

Cover art by Eisner Award-winner Christian Ward
 

August 10th, 2020 –  Valiant's flagship hero returns this November in X-O MANOWAR #2!

Aric of Dacia, aka X-O MANOWAR, is back and heading in a bold new direction with Harvey Award-winner DENNIS “HOPELESS” HALLUM (Star Wars: Darth Vader - Dark Visions) and astonishing artist EMILIO LAISO (Marvel’s Spider-Man: Velocity). The first issue earned a spot in the top 100 best-selling comics when it debuted. Now, the action-packed second issue is set to arrive in comic shops on November 25th, 2020, with covers by Eisner Award-winning artist CHRISTIAN WARD (Invisible Kingdom), NETHO DIAZ (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero), and a 1:25 variant by DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON (Wonder Woman: Dead Earth).

 Cover art by Netho Diaz

 

 Cover art by Daniel Warren Johnson
 

"X-O Manowar has always been a nuclear missile with the mind of a noble warrior," remarked Dennis. "He's unstoppable in combat. Need to defeat an alien warlord? Repel an intergalactic invasion or end a war? Aric's your guy. But this time, X-O Manowar is acting locally. What happens when a nuclear missile moves in down the street? How does a superweapon playing superhero save the neighborhood? How does he change the world?"

Check out the first four pages of X-O MANOWAR #2, below.

 

 

X-O MANOWAR #2 art by Emilio Laiso and Ruth Redmond

 

 

X-O MANOWAR #2 art by Emilio Laiso and Ruth Redmond

 

 

X-O MANOWAR #2 art by Emilio Laiso and Ruth Redmond

 

 

X-O MANOWAR #2 art by Emilio Laiso and Ruth Redmond

 
X-O MANOWAR #1 received critical acclaim, with CBR calling it "another win for Valiant." 

 

"…classic superhero fun…" – Shamus Clancy, Screen Rant
 

"…nothing short of beautiful…" – Adam Barnhardt, ComicBook.com

"…a stellar debut issue…" – Mike Fugere, CBR

"…an engaging reboot with a solid creative team behind it…" – Christa Harader, Multiversity Comics

"…a well-written start for a new reader interested in Aric’s adventures." – Gabriel Hernandez, Monkeys Fighting Robots

"…an action-packed beauty." – Joshua Rathbun, Outright Geekery

"…one of the best things from Valiant I’ve read in the last year." – Alex K. Cossa, Graphic Policy

Featuring colors by RUTH REDMOND and letters by Eisner Award-winner HASSAN OTSMANE-ELHAOU, X-O MANOWAR #2 arrives on November 25, 2020. X-O MANOWAR #1 is now available wherever books are sold. Visit ComicBook.com for more details.

 

While I wish it could arrive in stores sooner, it's great to learn that X-O Manowar will return to comic shops in November. As always, many thanks to the good people at Valiant Entertainment for sharing this X-O-lent news with us!

 

Dragon Dave 

Bloodshot Reread: Bloodshot #0 February 2020

 

In Bloodshot #0, we find Ray Garrison, aka Bloodshot, in Siberia. Here he works on a pipeline that will transport Siberian oil to Europe. We meet him in a bar, where he drinks to forget the terrible events that occurred in the Harbinger Wars 2 series, and how he was used as a weapon by people he formerly trusted.

 

There's even a memory, provided by artist Marc Laming, of Bloodshot fighting in HW2, along with Livewire, Ninjak, and this blog's namesake X-O Manowar. As it's a memory, colorist Andrew Dalhouse renders it not just in muted tones, but as if filtered through the nanites that swim through his bloodstream.

While drinking in a bar, we are reminded of the Bloodshot Reborn series, when Ray Garrison had been separated from the nanites. Without their presence in his bloodstream, and their influence on his consciousness, he often drank to forget. But since the nanites' return, he can only drink in moderation to dull the pain of his memories. If he drinks too much, the nanites will flood his system, and return him to full alertness.

 

We also learn that he is currently working under the name Ray Janus. This is an interesting touch by author Tim Seeley. While Bloodshot cannot remember his name before he was created to be a living weapon in a laboratory, he goes by the name Ray Garrison. Garrison evokes a group of soldiers, and Bloodshot's nanites transform him into a one-man strike team. The name Janus harkens back to the Roman god of gateways and beginnings, and the month of January was named after him. Clearly, Ray is trying to make a new beginning. Will he be allowed to break with his past? This is the question that drives this issue.

After returning to his rented apartment, there's an intriguing image of Bloodshot reminiscent of The Terminator reference in the Q&A section of the Bloodshot 2019 FCBD Special. While Ray looks weary of life, at the same time he looks like a humanoid machine, ready to snap into killing mode in an instant. 

 

The trigger comes when an agent for the Global Agency For Threat Excision, or G.A.T.E., contacts him. The agent is tracking the disappearances of locals, and asks for Bloodshot's help. But his memories of HW2, and his involvement with G.A.T.E. in that conflict, are too fresh, and Ray declines. He's through with his old life, tired of being controlled and used as a living weapon.

Although published later, I had remembered events in this issue as following the Bloodshot 2019 FCBD Special. But actually they come before it. The events that spur Ray to help the G.A.T.E. agent, and uncover the reason behind the locals' disappearance, mobilizes him to return to the world as Bloodshot. This time, there will be no trying to live an ordinary life, as in the latter issues of Bloodshot Reborn, and in the following Bloodshot Salvation series. This time, there will be no more working for others. This time, there will only be Bloodshot, working for the good as he sees it.

 

It is this Bloodshot, this Ray, that the military figure watches on his control room monitors in the Bloodshot 2019 FCBD Special. And it is the events in this issue, Bloodshot #0, that forge that man.

Dragon Dave

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