Writer Duane Swierczynski

Penciler Barry Kitson

Inkers Stefano Gaudiano with Barry Kitson

Color Art Brian Reber

Letters Rob Steen

Cover Dated June 2013

Cover Artists Kalman Andrasofszky, Patrick Zircher and Matthew Waite

To start, I don’t have much experience, that I know of, with Valiant.  I enjoyed that first trade of Sonar, the Solar Man.  So I don’t now Bloodshot and there is a Harbinger Wars banner on the cover but I can’t tell if anything in this issue builds towards that or is dealing with it.  Also, and I sort of like this policy, there are no ads in this issue, besides house ads.  Apparently, the summer of Valiant is back, so there are a few first issues coming out.

Luckily there is a recap that might cover the previous eleven issues, from the three paragraphs.  I’ll try to summarize with what takes place in the issue itself.  Project Rising Spirit (PRS) Frankenstein monster-ed Bloodshot into existence, so he can be the perfect weapon.  He has a healing factor, due to these nanites, that also give him – strength, speed and control over computers.  He has no memory – which is when I start getting the Wolverine vibe, Bloodshot even has artificial memories!  His main purpose is to collect psiots – super powered children.

HIs former handler, Kuretich, freed Bloodshot of his programming.  The nanites go by the name, Goldie Boy, and Bloodshot made a friend of EMT Kara Murphy.  Together, they attacked the facility that created him, and escaped with a group of psiots. They all have been on the run ever since.  The Harbinger Foundation founder, Toyo Harada, who is also a telekinetic and telepath – of course – comes after the group.  Bloodshot fought Harada (this paragraph is a tad confusing, I imagine it is explaining the past four or five issues), and was badly hurt and his healing factor was maxed out.  Luckily, he had a protocol that created a pulse that knocked Harada out and Bloodshot, Murphy and the psiots got away, which is where this issue picks up from.

But first, we have a flashback.  Project Rising Spirit Facility.  Nevada Desert.  Years Ago.  Kuretich is saying farewell to Bloodshot, before his programming goes live.

Now.  Kuretich is trying to kill Bloodshot, as he wants to use the psiots (a word I seem to not be able to memorize) for his own means.  Bloodshot’s limbs have been cut (he is currently missing his left arm and right leg) and his already taxed healing factor is barely functional.

Three Hours Earlier (Revenge style!).  Bloodshot wants his revenge!  Murphy wants him to abandon that goal and take the psiots to Las Vegas, where they will be safe.  The kids are getting hungry.

Quantum and Wood’s first issue is coming out, I heard the series was very funny.

Murphy asks Bloodshot to locate the nearest place for food and he directs them to Gangemi Meat Solutions, which does not thrill the children, at all.  Of course, this is all a set up as PRS has caught up to the group.

X-O Manowar issue 15 is coming out.  I played a very difficult video game of him and Iron Man together – which I wonder how the copyright on that worked.  It just wasn’t any fun.

Bloodshot is inside the meat processing plant and the military is gassing those inside the car, so that they fall asleep.   Bloodshot is doing against the military guys but they start cutting deeply into his limbs.

Inside Bloodshot’s Mental Space.  Since Goldie Boy is gone, Bloodshot has to manually force the nanonites to perform their tasks.

Bloodshot issue zero is coming out.  He also has a Bloodshot and H.A.R.D.Corps issue 14 coming out.  He must be a big deal in the Valiant Universe.

Bloodshot gets his nanonites to shut down the power in the center, so the kids are able to break out of the vehicle.

Bloodshot finally regains his senses and kills the soldiers and Kuretich.  I like one of the cows going, moo?

Bloodshot kills the militiary guards on the outside and the issue ends with him deciding that the children are more important and will take them to Las Vegas.  He also gives them steaks to eat.

Eternal Warrior 1 is coming out, issue 13 of Bloodshot states to bet on Bloodshot.

Letters from Keith Etheridge / Comic Creator Robert Venditti and Andrew from Texas.

Back cover adveritses – Harbinger Wars 4 / Harbinger 14 / Bloodshot 13 / Archer & Armstrong 11 / X-O Manowar 15 and Shadowman 8.