Bloodshot 8 Review: Those Caught Between

Cover A by Tyler Kirkham

 In Bloodshot #8, super-powered beings--once normal people--roam the Earth.

Meanwhile, writer Tim Seeley reminds us of an ongoing conflict that most ordinary Americans have forgotten about, but still impacts our world.

This conflict originated with the Saur Revolution of Afghanistan, before morphing into Soviet-Afghan War. Sometimes called Russia's Vietnam, the prolonged conflict weakened the USSR, and left the Taliban in charge of Afghanistan. Of course, we all remember the thousands who died in New York on September 11, 2001, and how the Taliban enabled that act of terrorism. Despite American efforts to support a representative democracy, the Taliban remains a very real power in Afghanistan in 2020.

As in Vietnam, many outside powers got involved in the Soviet-Afghan War. These nations, including the United States, aided the Taliban with training and armament.

Just how high tech was this armament? In a world where biological and chemical weapons are developed and deployed, Tim Seeley suggests that countries such as the United States supplied the ultimate in bio-tech weapons. These are called the Glorymen, just one of the superhuman bioweapons Bloodshot inadventently released from a Black Bar facility in Bloodshot #7.

Pedro Andreo's pencils and Andrew Dalhouse's coloring demonstrate just how much power is coursing through these enhanced human soldiers. Their words--translated from Arabic by letterer Dave Sharpe--reveal a hatred for their former masters equal to their superpowers. 

The words of the leaders who altered them--who fashioned them into tools of the powerful--reveal how much they valued these soldiers as individuals.

The late Terry Pratchett, remembered the world over for his Discworld novels, once said, "Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things." This has certainly proven true for Bloodshot, a man who has forsaken any semblance of a normal life. He will always be sought out, and used--willingly or unwillingly--by nations, and less-well-known organizations, such as Project Rising Spirit, Omen, Black Bar, and The Burned. 

Like the Glorymen, he was fashioned into a tool. Whether he likes it or not, he remains a weapon to be wielded by those who can control the nanites, or tiny machines, that course through his bloodstream.

Chronologically, this series began in Russia, with Bloodshot #0. There, in a poor Siberian town called Veles, Bloodshot launched onto his current mission to help ordinary people caught amid the conflicts created by powerful factions and nations. 

In Bloodshot #1, he moved to Hodeidah, Yemen. In this port city, crucial to the importation of food, he foiled soldiers who would have let the Yemeni poor go hungry.

You know, just in case the wrong people--drafted into fighting for a faction in the ongoing conflict--wanted to eat.

Cover B by Diego Bernard and Candice Han

In Yemen, Bloodshot met Mina Nez, a psiot acquired by Project Rising Spirit, and sold to Black Bar. As psiots who survive activation are difficult to find, she has also forgone any hope of a normal life, and goes by her new name Eidolon.

Cover C by Cryssy Cheung

Bloodshot #8 features a guest appearance by Aric of Dacia. Like Bloodshot, the 5th Century Visigoth was captured and used by others, and thrust into our modern world. In X-O Manowar #1 by writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum, Aric's desire to safeguard those caught in the conflicts of powerful factions and nations take him to the Ukraine. There, amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, Aric tries to quell the fighting, and make life safe for ordinary Ukrainians.

Cover D by Shawn Crystal

These are interesting times at Valiant, with converging stories and themes, and superpowered heroes fighting in ongoing conflicts for ordinary people like you and me. It's important to stay informed, lest you get caught up in the fighting, and events overtake you. To learn the latest about the forces shaping our interconnected and complicated world, pick up Bloodshot #8, in stores today.

Dragon Dave

P.S. The world-shaking events portrayed in Bloodshot #8 were overseen by the editorial team of Drew Baumgartner, Lysa Hawkins, and Robert Meyers, in consultation with X-O Manowar editor Heather Antos.

Valiant Press Release: Virtual Panel For New York Comic Con's Metaverse

 

VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL PANEL FOR 

NEW YORK COMIC CON'S METAVERSE

 

September 9th, 2020 (New York, NY) – The future of Valiant Entertainment will be revealed at New York Comic Con's Metaverse.

 

 

Before Paramount's HARBINGER movie hits the big screen next year, the "Valiant Heads to Hollywood" virtual panel will be a must-watch event for comic fans as it explores all that the critically-acclaimed publisher has to offer! The panel will delve into a currently classified new series and its vivid new take on a classic Valiant team. Plus: many other secrets and fresh artwork will be revealed.

 

 

Moderated by Tiffany of YouTube's ComicPOP, she'll be joined by the co-writers of the top-secret new series, plus NINJAK writer Jeff Parker, X-O MANOWAR writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum, and Senior Editors Lysa Hawkins and Heather Antos for a can't-miss discussion on Valiant's upcoming comics and more.

 

 

ReedPOP's virtual event will take place from October 8th-11th. Keep an eye on New York Comic Con's YouTube channel for Valiant's panel. See below for the panel's complete description.

 

Valiant Heads to Hollywood

 

Before Paramount's HARBINGER movie hits the big screen in 2021, learn all about Valiant Entertainment's upcoming comic [CLASSIFIED] and witness this bold new take on the classic franchise. Plus, exclusive reveals from NINJAK, BLOODSHOT, X-O MANOWAR, RAI, and more!

 

Moderated by Tiffany of YouTube's ComicPOP, join writers [CLASSIFIED], [CLASSIFIED], Jeff Parker, Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum, and Senior Editors Heather Antos and Lysa Hawkins for an exclusive look at the future of the Valiant Universe and its must-read new comics.

 

Stay safe and stay Valiant, everyone.

 

 

 

 

Valiant Press Release: Virtual Portfolio Reviews for Writers

 

Here's a great opportunity for comic book authors I wanted to share with you.

VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES SECOND ROUND OF THE  
VIRTUAL PORTFOLIO REVIEW PROGRAM FOR WRITERS

August 27th, 2020 (New York, NY) – After an overwhelmingly positive response to the Virtual Portfolio Review program, Valiant Entertainment is incredibly proud to announce a second round of the program to assist aspiring comic book creators and discover new voices for future projects. For this second round of the program, the award-winning publisher's Senior Editors will be offering virtual one-on-one portfolio reviews for aspiring writers.

These digital one-on-one sessions will occur with senior editors Heather Antos(X-O MANOWAR, SHADOWMAN) or Lysa Hawkins(BLOODSHOT, PUNK MAMBO) and will run for approximately ten minutes. 20 people in total will be selected to have their work reviewed. 

Please read the below information very carefully for submission details and deadlines.

Dates of Digital Portfolio Reviews 

• Thursday, September 10th from 12pm-2pm EST
• Friday, September 11th from 12pm-2pm EST

How to Submit

• Email your submission to PortfolioReview@valiantentertainment.com
• Subject line:Name, Discipline, Available Date
• Subject line example:Colin King, Writer, September 10th & 11th
• Please note:Submissions should be no more than 20 comic pages, plus a credits/contact page. This can be a one-shot, combination of various scenes or short. stories.Do NOT submit any scripts or pitches. They will be deleted immediately. Only previously published comics may be submitted(self-published is okay).

Submission Deadline

• All submissions are due September 3rd at 5pm EST
• Those selected for the first day of sessions will be notified by Wednesday, September 9th no later than 10pm EST
• Those selected for the second day of sessions will be notified by Thursday, September 10th no later than 10pm EST

"Breaking into comics and getting your foot in the door is no easy task for any creator – but I especially feel for new writers," said Heather. "Editors are often so busy it's hard to find time to read the scripts for their current projects – let alone read the work of new talent. Which is why it was really important to us to include writers in our next batch of portfolio reviews. We want to hear your voices. We want to see who's out there!"

"Just by the very nature of things, portfolio reviews tend to mostly be reviewing the artwork on the comic book page, not the content of the words themselves," added Lysa. "That's why Valiant is super excited to be giving the writers the chance to shine. This is an opportunity that doesn't present itself often, so seize the day, you could be the next Stan Lee! Heather and I can't wait to see what you come up with!"

Please remember to review all of the above information carefully before sending your submission. Valiant's senior editors look forward to reviewing your writing!

Didn't I say this was a great opportunity? But then, what else would you expect from the publisher of Bloodshot, Ninjak, X-O Manowar?

Dragon Dave

A Fond Look Back At Doctor Tomorrow #1

 

In honor of today's release of Doctor Tomorrow #5, the final issue of the series (for now), I thought it'd be fun to relive some key moments from issue #1. Spoiler Alert: While nothing here will surprise people who have read my previous reviews, or read the first four issues, if you've yet to read Doctor Tomorrow #1, you may wish to go out to your local comic store, and purchase Doctor Tomorrow #1, before reading this fond look back at Doctor Tomorrow #1.

Okay, I'll stop mentioning Doctor Tomorrow #1 now, and get on with the fond look back part.

 

 

First up is when young Bart's seemingly ultimate self appears, and tells the boy, "Help me save your world." Talk about a great hero moment!

I wonder if author Alejandro Arbona dreamed of this happening to him in his youth.

 

 

Next up is when Hadrian appears in our world. Readers previously saw him defeat the Valiant heroes of another universe before destroying their world. Now he's busting in on us, and capturing something that could help him destroy our world. 

Way to capture such classic villainy, artist Jim Towe and colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick!

 

 

Here's that special moment every boy dreams of: young Bart puts on a superhero suit that gives him special powers and abilities. FWASH indeed letterer Clayton Cowles. FWASH indeed!

 

 

Finally, here's the introduction of two new characters in today's Valiant Universe. They're both scientists, and one of them is a dinosaur! COVID-19 may have cost us the release of the second Savage miniseries (for now), but at least Doctor Tomorrow gave us a little Dino-action, albeit in a totally different way. 

These two scientists play larger roles in Doctor Tomorrow #2, which is the only issue I didn't review. My bad. Maybe I can rectify that oversight in the future. 

Doctor Tomorrow #5 is in your local comic store now, so don't let me detain you any longer. Secure your copy before they're all sold out!

Dragon Dave

Review of Doctor Tomorrow #5: Our Ultimate Selves

This is both a happy and a sad post to write. For today I review the final issue, at least for now, of the Valiant Comics' series Doctor Tomorrow.

 

In the last issue of Doctor Tomorrow, young Bart Simms arrived in an alternate reality, where an older version of his friend Gretchen tutored and guided him along a path to maturity. Now, in Doctor Tomorrow #5, an older, wiser Bart returns to our universe. Our beloved Valiant heroes helped him fight Hadrian, as well as his other self, in issue #3. Still, as in all the major battles of life, a hero cannot rely on others to fight his battles. So in this final issue, our Bart must confront the older-brother figure he had once viewed as his ultimate self.

 

At first, his older self seemed so suave and assured. He had bonded with young Bart over his cool powers and a mutual love of The Simpsons. But this older self from another universe also revealed a brittle nature in issue #3. When his allies disagreed with his leadership decisions, he turned on them. 

For Bart's older, and seemingly cooler self, that battle didn't turn out so well.  

 

Still, he refuses to give in to our Bart. This alternate-universe Bart cannot see that he has become everyone's enemy. Nor can he see that his strong-handed, easy-way-out approach to achieving his goals has led him to ruin. Like every other bully, he attacks what he does not understand. 

This seems a very personal story for writer Alejandro Arbona. Life has clearly taught him that there are many paths open to us. Not all will take us to the place we ultimately want to be, or help us become our own ultimate selves. 

We have only to look around, and see how people in the media and in government treat others, to know that some use their power wisely, and others less so.

 

As in earlier issues, penciler Jim Towe and colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick breath life into this all-ages adventure. Likewise, letterer Clayton Cowles draws us to the epicenter of the climactic issue. And what a climax it is, with the glorious return of the giant robot GIN-GR, a certain Dinosaur scientist we saw too little of after issue #2, and this blog's namesake X-O Manowar.

A glance at the inside cover of this comic reminds us that there are casualties inherent in any battle or time of trial. Such has proven the case at Valiant, which like other comic book publishers has not battled this pandemic without suffering pain and loss. Neither of the editors who steered this series through the story-creation process--Assistant Editor Drew Baumgartner and Senior Editorial Director Robert Meyers--remain to see issue #5 arrive in stores next Wednesday. We can only hope and pray that they are well, and that wherever their own journeys take them, they find happiness and fulfillment.

As usual, Valiant offers us a selection of cover options for Doctor Tomorrow #5. 

 

 

Cover A was created by former X-O Manowar artists Clayton Henry and Ulises Arreola.

 

 

Cover B was created by former X-O Manowar artist Kano.

And finally, if your love of Valiant prompted you to commit to this entire series from the very beginning:

 

 

This Preorder Cover by former X-O Manowar artist Cary Nord will bring you right into the heart of Issue #5's climactic battle.

No bad choices there. Lovers of X-O Manowar may want all three!

Writer Alejandro Arbona has more Doctor Tomorrow stories to tell. If you loved this series, tell your friends about it. Send them to the comic book stores to pick up all five issues. Who knows? Once the pandemic is over, and normal production can resume, the good folks at Valiant Comics in our universe could produce another series of Doctor Tomorrow. But first, they need to know that you not only want it, but you demand it!

Doctor Tomorrow #5: on sale Wednesday, August 26, 2020.

Dragon Dave

 

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.