Artist Mac Laming unleashes eye-popping artwork as the truth behind Bloodshot’s mission is revealed in Bloodshot #0!

After reading Bloodshot #0 part of me wondered why the comic hadn’t been released in sequence. This comic bridges the gap between the end of Harbinger Wars II and the beginning of the current Bloodshot series. It addresses how the events of Harbinger II and how he dealt with what he was forced to do.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the answer is not well.

The comic opens with Bloodshot in hiding. He’s trying to disappear and avoid the killing machine he once was, working on a pipeline in northwestern Siberia. Writer Tim Seeley takes a step back from the frenetic pace he’s been using in the six issues so far. He really delves into the psyche of a man who has been used and abused by friends and enemies alike.

Not only does Seeley explore Bloodshot’s broken soul, but he also shows us how he ends up doing what he’s doing at the beginning of Bloodshot #1. There’s a lot of story in this issue. It still doesn’t feel like you’re trying to fit seventeen eggs into a twelve pack.

Under Tim Seeley’s pen, Bloodshot has been one of the more consistent series that Valiant is currently publishing. It’s often a fast-paced action comic with enough hidden depths in each issue to stop it from being overly shallow. With the zero issue, Seeley has shown what he can do with the character when he slows the pace down. And it makes me hopeful that we’ll get more moments like this in the future.

Seeley is joined by artist Marc Laming who handles the art for the first time this series, colorist Andrew Dalhouse, and letterer Dave Sharpe. Laming’s style acts as a visual bridge between Doug Braithwaite’s art at the end of Bloodshot Salvation and Brett Booth’s take on the character in the latest volume. The cold desolation of the comic’s setting is evident in the shades of blue and grey used when the scenes take place outside.

There’s a great full-page around the middle of the comic that emphasizes Bloodshot’s view of himself; a weapon to be used.

But who gets to use the weapon?

The comic does a great job of asking the question and offering an answer that we’ve been reading for the past six issues.

Bloodshot #0 is probably the best comic in the series so far. It is successful as a bridge between stories, as a single issue standalone story and as an introduction to Bloodshot #1 and the character as well. All in all, that’s a home run for the zero issue, which is far more than I expected from an issue which has often been little more than a stop-gap between the numbered issues.

Story: Tim Seeley Art: Andrew Laming
Ink: Adelso Corona Color: Andrew Dalhouse Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.2 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.