BLOODSHOT: UNLEASHED #4, from Valiant Entertainment on December 28th, 2022, ends the arc with a test of wills and memories between two soldiers who’ve seen it all but can’t forget.
The Details
- Written by: Deniz Camp
- Art by: Eric Zawadzki
- Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
- Letters by: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
- Cover art by: Jon Davis-Hunt (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: December 28, 2022
Is It Good?
BLOODSHOT: UNLEASHED #4 is a poignant, emotionally deep issue with a bizarre ending that marks the end of the series.
You’re probably thinking – “End of the series? What are you talking about, Mr. Reviewer?”
That’s right. The series simply stops at the end of this issue. Let’s cover the issue first and then talk about what this means for Valiant.
This issue is a mixed bag. Deniz Camp piles on layer after layer of catharsis about a soldier broken by too much violence. Bloodshot is sent to stop the soldier before more lives are lost while recognizing kinship with the broken, suffering soldier. Camp effectively gets you to empathize with Sgt. Michael Verlane and Bloodshot as the two soldiers scrape and claw their way toward a final confrontation. The physical fight isn’t the only battle going on as each soldier wrestles with his own memories and personal demons.
The downside of the issue is the wonky narrative flow. Verlan sees and doesn’t see Bloodshot as his vision is clouded by trauma. Bloodshot sees Verlane but simultaneously relives a memory about the “death” of his family that may or may not be real against an enemy that may or may not have ever existed in reality. In effect, one issue has four different stories happening at once, with a heavy suspicion that some pieces of those stories are not real, so keeping it all straight is a chore.
Regarding the art, this is our first exposure to Zawadzki’s work, and his art style here is a close approximation of Jon Davis-Hunt’s excellent work on the previous three issues. The line work is super detailed. You can count every drop of blood and lick of flame, and the character’s expression of pain, anguish, and suffering are palpable. As first exposures go, Zawadzki makes a great first impression.
Now, about Valiant. It’s no secret Valiant is in the news lately for running into financial woes. It’s telling that this issue ends the series with a simple “End.” without any sense of a resolution to the arc or anything remotely resembling a conclusion. You get the impression Valiant needed to be done with the title, which doesn’t project confidence. That said, we wish good things for Valiant in 2023, and we sincerely hope the publisher’s troubles will soon be over.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BLOODSHOT: UNLEASHED #3 review to find out how Bloodshot fared on his previous hunt.
We begin with a mutated brute, Hobbes, attacking Bloodshot and his family in their home. Hobbes is determined to rip the family to pieces. Bloodshot fights with all his power, but it takes the help of his daughter, who’s just like him, to even the odds.
In the real world or the present (it’s not clear which), Bloodshot finds a broken soldier, Sgt. Michael Verlane, entrenched in a wooded area after killing and injuring multiple law officers sent to apprehend him. Bloodshot endures mines, sniper shots, and booby traps as he slowly claws his way to Verlane’s location.
The narrative frequently switches to Verlane’s perspective, where he sees law officers, Bloodshot, and anything that could pose a threat as monsters and demons from past missions. Words of assurance and pleading sound like threats and gibberish. We conclude the issue with the promise of a future talk and understanding.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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BLOODSHOT: UNLEASHED #4 ends the arc and the series with a battle of strength and will between two damaged soldiers. The personal anguish of each soldier resonates loud and clear, and the replacement artist’s work is commendable. However, the narrative flow of the plot is super confusing at times, and the ending simply stops the series without any resolution.
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