Valiant announces new Bloodshot ongoing comic series ahead of film

Valiant Comics' year continues to come up red and white, as in Bloodshot. The publisher has announced a new ongoing series ahead of the 2020 feature-length film starring Vin Diesel. Propelled by Valiant's 2019 Free Comic Book Day giveaway, Bloodshot will be written by Tim Seeley and feature the artwork of fan-favorite artist, Brett Booth with inks by Adelso Corona.

Booth's art was recently seen in Batman Beyond, but he is one of the best in the biz when it comes to illustrating action stories — and SYFY WIRE has the exclusive reveal of four pages of uncolored art of the first issue, due out this September.

In this series, Bloodshot is on the run, no longer under the control for someone to use as the ultimate living weapon. Now that he is a free agent, Bloodshot is looking to help those who cannot protect themselves, but someone as powerful as him is also highly coveted by those who wish to activate him for their purposes and thus needs to stay ahead of those who wish to make him their tool. 

"When we begin this series, Bloodshot has decided only he gets to choose what side to be on, and he's decided that means his only guidepost is using himself to defend the innocent," Seeley told SYFY WIRE. "He doesn't have much in the way of needs, and he now has no one to worry about, having distanced himself as much as possible from his family. He's going to begin this series as a pure superhero, saving lives because it's the right thing to do. But of course, the best-laid plans of mice and nano-enhanced men and all that..."

Another big part of Seeley's run will introduce new surroundings, new suspicious characters and new threats. "Bloodshot is being tracked by a military taskforce so secretive that their name is literally the black bar that crosses out their name. The leader's name is General Grayle, except, of course, that's not his name. Eidolon is one of their field agents, and she's very much going to be one of the most dangerous enemies Bloodshot has ever faced. Plus, she's got some pretty interesting ties to his past (of course she does, this is an epic superhero comic!)."

Bloodshot #3 will also be a key early issue as the Burned and Agent Nix will be introduced. "We're filling out every dark corner of the Valiant U with cool new factions who all want a piece of Bloodshot," Seeley added.

One draw of launching a new series of an established character, is putting one's stamp on the legacy. Seeley is taking this new chapter of Bloodshot into contemporary times, while trying to keep up with the rapidly evolving field of nanotechnology, a key element. of Bloodshot. "It changes so fast that since the debut of Bloodshot in the new Valiant seven years ago, the real-world applications and advances have already changed," Seeley shared. "My job is to keep up with the real world so the fictional parallels feel as up-to-date and grounded as possible, while also being crazier and more imaginative."

With Bloodshot #1 hitting local comic shops in September, this new series is sure to build some momentum by the time Bloodshot hits theaters in February 2020. While you wait, check out our full four-page preview of Booth and Corona's art for Bloodshot #1 below and keep this title on your radar in the summer when readers can preorder it.