Ray Garrison and a battered team of survivors have made their escape from BLOODSHOT ISLAND…only to drift straight into shark-infested waters! Marooned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with no defenses except the relentless will to survive, will the highly trained team of killers aboard this life raft band together…or throw each other to the prehistoric predators below? And, if they don’t kill each other first, will mother nature finish the job?’’

The above blurb makes the comic sound so much more action packed than it actually is. Bloodshot Reborn #18 serves both as an epilogue to Bloodshot Island, but also as an introduction to most of the gang of Bloodshots we’ve been reading about for the past four issues. Despite that sounding a little odd, it’s actually a welcome reprieve from the fast paced previous issues – but that’s the point of an epilogue, right? To give an after-story chapter that acts as a wrap up to the main plot while allowing readers to decompress from the action.

Or to serve as an interlude to the next chapter.

Either way, this issue was an interesting read, and shed some light on the backgrounds of some of the characters we’re likely to see more of in the upcoming Bloodshot USA mini series. But I’m willing to bet that it’s not essential reading to that story, as the only real story development is how the red eyed warriors escape being on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Ultimately, that’s nothing you need to worry about so long as you accept that they just did it as Bloodshot USA #1 commences.

Don’t get me wrong this is a good issue – and the art is superb – but it’s not exactly a comic that’s a must read in terms of additional story content.

Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Tomas Giorello
Colourists: Diego Rodriguez and Andrew Dalhouse
Story: 6.5 Art: 9 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.