Street Fighter VS The Valiant Universe # 1 Cammy VS Bloodshot

 By Mark Rodriguez

Over the years the Street Fighter characters have had several crossovers with the like of G.I Joe and the Ninja Turtles. Usually the World Warriors are more in character when Udon is behind the wheel, such as their several Street Fighter and Darkstalkers crossovers. Let's see how things go with this new crossover story. I may not know the Valiant Universe characters but I do know the Street Fighters.

"Weapons" opens with Bloodshot, traveling along Northeastern Uganda, armed with a big knife and a bigger gun. He monologues that he usually travels the globe while being in the service of an army or organization, or both. In this case he is here because he wants to be, following a lead.

Bloodshot swats a mosquito off her shoulder. He crushes it and eats it, saying its better off this way. His nanite-infused blood would taken the insect over. He checks his gun and has Cammy in his sights. 

Elsewhere, Delta Red agent Cammy is scaling a mountain. She is in search of a Shadaloo base, though she questions what they would want with a lab in a very rural part of Africa.

Cammy monologues that this mission is personal for her. She was born in a lab, created with the DNA of Shadaloo's overlord, Bison. She was turned into one of his Dolls infused with his Psycho Power. She would eventually snap out of it but sadly she left a trail of death before she did.  

Cammy notices a slain hippo and draws her knife. She monologues how she hates people using others as unwilling weapons. It influences the types of missions she takes from MI6 as she fancies herself the weapon against the weaponmakers. 

Cammy leaps out behind Bloodshot, armed with a knife and gun, and says he is under arrest. Bloodshot has a red circle on his chest, and Cammy says if he resists she will stain the rest of him red. Bloodshot notices he was caught off guard. 

Cammy lands on Bloodshot with a jumpkick before he can swing his machete at her. Bloodshot says he needs to get rid of Cammy's uzi as fast as he can, so he tosses his blade at her to disarm her. He swings his gun at her since firing it will alert everyone of his location. Cammy leaps out of the way and then springs back towards him. Both fighters compliment each other's skills but think 'he/she is just a man/woman'. Just then Cammy leaps in and stabs Bloodshot in the chest.

Bloodshot pretty much stands there and asks Cammy if she's done. Bloodshot thinks she should be screaming, while Cammy thinks he should be drowning in his own blood. Cammy withdraws the knife and Bloodshot heals. She recognizes him as part of Project Rising Spirit and introduces herself as Agent Cammy White from MI6. Cammy determines that he must be Bloodshot, another weapon against the weaponmakers.

Both of them are after the same thing and Bloodshot says they're close. Cammy kicks the side of a mountain revealing a metal door underneath. Bloodshot sets his hand on the palm reader and overrides the security systems so the door will open. Cammy is impressed by his technopathy and says she heard he's diligent in his crusade against human experimentation. Bloodshot says the hard part is after the experiments, the things he hunts are no longer human.

Just then a huge white ape baring the Shadaloo symbol on his chest lands in front of them. The ape swats Cammy away. Bloodhunt shoots at it but the bullet wounds heal as he has nanites in his system. He gets punched as well as is sent flying across the room. The ape approaches Cammy as she says it will be embarrassing to be done in this way.

 

Bloodshot determines that the lab will be full of electronics and computer surveillance systems. He opens up a control panel and grabs onto it. He uses it to zap the ape, which makes it run off. Bloodshot helps Cammy to her feet and she tells him that the symbol on the ape's chest belongs to Shadaloo. Bloodshot is familiar with them. Cammy says she is even more familiar and this is why she understands that the power that flows through Bloodshot can never belong to them.

Elsewhere we see a scientist working on the ape. He explains that once the nanites kick in, the ape will be as good as new. The scientist says the ape killed its own mate and offspring during the test run and will do the same for Shadaloo. The person he's talking to says this is on par with Rising Spirit. The scientist asks if he can return to Japan soon as the heat is getting to him. The man says that his brain being cooked explains why a man would give up a once in a lifetime opportunity  and leak information on his own project. The scientist says that the man has always been the cruelest of Bison's lieutenants. The man is revealed to be Vega and he runs the man through with his claws. He says that Dr. Kawa's contract is cancelled.

Cammy and Bloodshot rush in. Cammy says Vega is under arrest after she beats him up first. Bloodshot laments that he can't save the scientist's life. Cammy would rather beat up Vega since she has personal beef, but she will help the doctor and will leave Vega to Bloodshot. Bloodshot throws a punch at Vega, saying he needs to hit something, but he blocks it with his claw. Vega slashes him across the face, saying he gets bored unless he draws new blood.

Bloodshot throws punches and kicks but Vega backflips and dodges all of them. Vega says Bloodshot is the inspiration for Shadaloo's Pale Shadow Project. He says Bloodshot is slow and cumbersome but there's room for improvement. Bloodshot says he talks too much and punches him in the face hard enough to shatter his mask and make him bleed. Vega has been insulted and says the punishment will be pain over and over again. He slashes Bloodshot across the chest.

 

Cammy tends to the scientist but he's already losing a lot of blood. Dr. Kawa says it's too late for him but Vega has the controller for Project Pale Shadow. The Pale Shadow gets behind Cammy, and she flips out of the way as it slams his fists down on the scientist. 

Bloodshot headbutts Vega and tells Cammy that if Pale Shadow is like him, she will have to override its systems. She will have to hit it with multiple fatal strikes in quick succession. Cammy says she is well versed in killing in more ways. She knocks the ape back with her Spiral Arrow. She grabs it with her legs and slams it down with a leglock suplex. She then rolls behind it and snaps its neck. As the ape starts to heal, Cammy prepares to finish it off with her Cannon Spike to end its pain and memory of what it did to its loved ones under Shadaloo's service.

Cammy suddenly hesitates and remembers her time as a Shadaloo Doll working for Bison. She stops herself. Vega and Bloodshot have a face off. Vega is glad to have this marvelous match up, and Bloodshot says this isn't a street fight. Cammy shoulder-tackles Vega back. She tells Bloodshot that she can't kill the ape because it's not his fault. She will deal with Vega and get the controller while Bloodshot has to heal Pale Shadow. Bloodshot watches as the wild ape dashes right at him.

Pale Shadow knocks Bloodshot down and rips one of his arms off. Bloodshot wants to regrow his arm and continue to fight but then he thinks about Cammy. Despite having remnants of Pycho Power and her memories of being Killer Bee, Cammy doesn't use them to hurt others the way she has been hurt. Instead Cammy displays empathy, something Bison would never do. As the ape prepares to attack, Bloodshot shoves what's left of his arm in the animal's mouth and activates his nanites.

Cammy fights with Vega as he blocks her attacks. He says he finds her beauty distracting but not enough to let her take away the device that ensures the beast serves Shadaloo. Vega monologues about working for Bison for years and how he enjoys being his mercenary where he gets to kill when told to. He enjoys being the weapon, but sometimes even he wants to hold the weapon. He holds up the device and presses the button. Bloodshot appears behind him and grabs him. He slams him onto his back with a pile driver (that looks like a Steiner Screwdriver). He is about to stomp Vega's face into mush but Cammy stops him. The ape has now returned to normal (also sporting it's original dark fur) and Cammy says they should let nature takes it course. Bloodshot kicks Vega towards the ape and we can hear his screams echo across the jungle base.

Had to ask my wrestling indie buddy, Rikki Roxx, what this variation of the pile driver was called.

Later on, Cammy and Bloodshot leave the base with the ape. Bloodshot monologues about how his nanites overrode the tech used on the ape, as Rising Spirit remains the top brand. It was a risk, as both could have succumbed to their anger and Bloodshot could have been stuck with the mind of a gorilla. Pale Shadow finds his family and laments their loss. Bloodshot says the grief will sit with him too, and like the ape, he can't express that into words.

Cammy's report states that Bloodshot leaves without words. She should pursue him as he is a wanted man which controls the most dangerous biotech experiment ever devised. However, Vega must see justice for his crimes (as he somehow survived getting mauled by an angry gorilla). Cammy says she shares and understanding with Bloodshot, one they share with the silverback gorilla. They understand that life hurts, but the only cure to that pain and grief is knowing one is not alone. Cammy boards a helicopter alongside her MI6 buddies and it flies off as the gorilla watches.

"The Inner Mysteries of Yoga" opens in the Dhalsimer Temple where Dhalsim is meditating among others. Ninjak arrives, saying he is here to obtain mastery of yoga, as he draws his sword. Dhalsim says he should have left his weapons at the temple door. Dhalsim launches himself towards him as he spins and stretches, catching the ninja by surprise. Ninjak says he won't let anything get in the way of completing his mission. Dhalsim says that peace and tranquility are the only mission that matters. Ninjak says he'll be at peace once he wins this fight, as he dodges Dhalsim's arms which are stretching all over the place. Ninjak leaps in to strike but Dhalsim vanishes.

 

Ninjak is confused and the other men in the temple stand up to face him. Ninjak tells them that his mission does not concern them. The men transform into elephant men (???) and one of them socks Ninjak right out of the temple. Ninjak comments that the elephant guy hits as hard as X-O.

Dhalsim appears in front of him and says he's starting to understand the inner mysteries of yoga. Ninjak fights Dhalsim with his sword, but the yoga master blocks his every strike. Ninjak leaps out of the way of Dhalsim's Yoga Spear. The elephant men surround them and suddenly punch the ground. Both fighters fall through the ground as it collapses underneath them.

At a new location, Dhalsim and Ninjak are surrounded by samurai warriors. Both fighters team up and Dhalsim says 'may the sacred flames be forever by your side'. Dhalsim attacks one of the men with his Yoga Flame. Ninjak uses wrist-mounted flame throwers to take out the others. Just then a dragon shows up. Ninjak says the mission became a bigger headache than he anticipated. Dhalsim says this is destiny. They both charge towards the dragon.

Some time later the dragon is defeated. Ninjak says their fate was a messy one. Dhalsim tells Ninjak that it's time to learn a lesson in defeat. Ninjak sees their truce wasn't lasting. Both fighters get prepared as Ninjak now dons full-on ninja armor and Dhalsim turns into his blue (Champion Edition) color. Someone calls out both Colin and Dhalsim's names.

Dhalsim is mediating at his temple as a child arrives and says they're ready for today's lesson. Dhalsim tells the kids to open their minds to yoga and the possibilities are endless. Dhalsim bids Ninjax farewell until their next mental battle.

Elsewhere, someone (presumably Neville Alcott) apologizes to Colin for disrupting his mediation, but he is needed on his next mission involving a criminal organization known as Shadaloo. Ninjak decides that yoga is definitely not for him. 

My Thoughts- 

These were pretty fun stories. Rather than some big story where the Street Fighters team up with the Valiant Universe heroes, it's two stories where certain characters cross paths. I know little of the Valiant Universe, but I have heard of Ninjak before. He also mentioned X-O, which refers to another hero named X-O Manowar. I heard about him because he once had a crossover game (and tie-in comic) with Iron Man. I mean eventually every fictional character is going to meet everybody it seems. 

The game was made for the SEGA Saturn and Playstation... but also for the Game Boy? I'm afraid to see how that one turned out...

One thing I did find out while digging around was that Ninjak first appeared in an issue of Bloodshot's own series back in 1993 before he would branch out and get his own solo title in 1994. It's cool to get them both in this book. I guess this crossover fits since both Street Fighter and these Valiant characters are 90's properties. Super Street Fighter II which would introduce us to Cammy was also released in 1993.

The main story dealt with Cammy and Bloodshot, which was pretty cool due to their similar backstories. I feel Cammy was a little out of her depth here, seeing as the Shadaloo-powered gorilla nearly took her out, she can't really beat Bloodshot on account of his super powers, and Vega was extremely dangerous in this one. I guess it sort of evens out because for the most part, Vega was too fast for Bloodshot to land a hit on him unless he started monologuing.  

I did like the parallels to Cammy, Bloodshot, and the ape. While not mentioned outright, the ape being made to take out its own family is similar to how (at least in the Udon comics) the Dolls are sent out to take out their own families. Now that's some behind-the-scenes nightmare fuel we never get to see but exists somewhere in Juri and Juli's Udon backstories.

The Ninjak story was a bit confusing, with things like the elephant men and Dhalsim transforming into his Champion Edition colors, until I found out that the whole thing took place in both their minds. It was interesting story. Though the most confusing thing was whatever the hell Ninjak was doing on this bottom panel.

 

Since the comic is published by Valiant, I'm assuming Bloodshot and Ninjak are in character. Cammy, Vega and Dhalsim are all properly in character, especially Cammy since to this day she still deals with what Bison did to her. The character designs are also on point and the action is fast-paced. My only nitpick was when Cammy told Bloodshot to surrender, and then the next panel just looks like she attacked him anyway and said 'thanks I needed a workout'. It looks like Bloodshot swung his machete at her but it wasn't clear. We could have done with an extra panel showing Bloodshot attacking her outright, which would justify Cammy attacking him. I did like seeing Cammy packing a knife and gun. Being an MI6 agent, it makes sense to see her use weapons she would normally not use during a Street Fighter tournament, similar to how Chun Li should not be strangers to guns.

I guess the only downside was this was a one-shot special. It's a shame because I wouldn't have minded at least 2 more issues of this so I can also get introduced to other Valiant characters. I wonder which Street Fighter character or characters would have fit in with someone like X-O Manowar. 

I did notice the small Udon logo on the bottom right of the cover last minute. That explains the attention to detail to the Street Fighter characters. If only they were called to pitch in during that Ninja Turtles crossover.