In Bloodshot #8, unthinkable monsters are unleashing Hell on Earth! Surrounded by enemies, who can Bloodshot trust?
It has been a long time since the previous issue was released, although there was an expanded edition with some bonus features released last month under the guise of Bloodshot #7 Fully Loaded Edition, but there wasn’t any new story content in that comic. On the off chance you didn’t pick that one up just for the bonus features, and I understand why you may not have, the good news is that you don’t need to remember Bloodshot #7 all that much to be able to enjoy this book because writer Tim Seeley has structured the comic in such a way that a chunk of time has passed between issues seven and eight. It’s not explicitly stated how much time, and whether this was an incredible stroke of luck given the break between issues because of Covid 19, or Seeley was able to adjust the dialogue just enough to convey a longer chunk of time passing than he originally intended, I’m not sure.
Frankly, as far as my enjoyment of the comic goes, I don’t particularly care which it was because the story and dialogue flow so well across every page (but I am genuinely curious as to whether he needed to adjust the text at all).
The story finds Bloodshot atoning for releasing a horde of formerly imprisoned enemies that all have some form of super powers, and may or may not have been used by their respective governments. Granted, he wasn’t in control of himself when he did it, but still he feels responsible for unleashing what he has.
Bloodshot has been one fast-paced and frenetic issue after another. It has been a great ride for the last seven issues. I’ve certainly enjoyed the series for what it is; a popcorn comic that has a depth to it that’s revealed further with each issue. Tim Seeley gives you a little more of his plan with each release. There are moments in this issue that change or enhance your idea of the characterizations of some characters inbetween the action. It’s this balance that allows you to fly through the book while still feeling like you’ve read more than the twenty-odd pages.
Seeley is joined by artist Marc Laming, inker Adelso Corona, colorist Andrew Dalhouse, and letterer Dave Sharpe. All of whom combine for an aesthetic that appeals enormously to me. The style gives me a sense of nostalgia for the comic art I read growing up; it’s dynamic, clean and yet full of life and vibrancy.
If the above paragraph or two feel familiar to you it’s because I copied it from the review of the last issue. It was as true then as it is for this issue, and I didn’t feel like I should try and craftily rewrite the same thing when my feelings on the books hasn’t changed. Personally, I love how this book looks. The lines are clean and it’s very easy to discern what’s happening on every page. It’s an awesome book that consistently surprises me.
Every time I open an issue of Seeley’s Bloodshot, it reminds me why I love reading comics; it’s fun, looks great, and there’s always more meat to the story on the second and third read through as you pick up on the subtleties of Seeley’s dialogue and the details in the art. You can’t go wrong with this book – it’s a must-read for all the right reasons.
Story: Tim Seeley Art: Marc Laming Ink: Adelso Corona Color: Andrew Dalhouse Letterer: Dave Sharpe Story: 9.0 Art: 9.2 Overall: 9.2 Recommendation: Buy
Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.
Written by TIM SEELEY Art by PEDRO ANDREO Colors by ANDREW DALHOUSE Letters by DAVE SHARPE Cover A by TYLER KIRKHAM Cover B by DIEGO BERNARD Cover C by CRYSSY CHEUNG Preorder Variant Cover by SHAWN CRYSTAL On sale SEPTEMBER 16th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
Unthinkable monsters are unleashing Hell on Earth!
Tyler Kirkham has covered a lot of comics. The artist has provided covers for the biggest publishers drawing us to check out the excitement within.
Kirkham has brought that excitement to Valiant delivering the “A” covers for Bloodshot “Burned” which runs through issues #7-9.
We got the exclusive to ask him a few questions about his process and what might have changed with the character making his big-screen debut.
Graphic Policy: Can you talk us through your creative process when coming up with these covers?
Tyler Kirkham: I’ve been doing a lot more digital coloring recently. So, these have been a good test for me. I roughly sketch them out and start painting them. I wanted a more serious feel on these, so I went a bit darker and grittier with the textures.
GP:One of my favorite covers from the series so far is your cover for Bloodshot #7. Where did the idea for the cover come from?
TK: Well, skeletons are fun to draw and I thought it was fitting with him being an experiment. It kinda just came to me and I was super happy that Valiant let me roll with the concept. Sometimes when I get asked to draw certain characters, I’ll have images pop in my head immediately that I think will make great covers. I just have to get them on paper and hope they turn out the way that did in my head.
GP:How does creating a cover differ from working on the interior of the comic?
TK: I don’t do too much interior work these days. My main focus has been on covers for the last few years. I am able to spend more time focusing on getting it right. I enjoy drawing new characters. This was my first time ever drawing Bloodshot, so it was refreshing.
GP:With the film and some readers coming from that, does that factor in at all as to what direction you went with the covers?
TK: Yeah, I looked at some of the posters and screenshots from the film for inspiration. What I was really happy about was my covers were coming out at the same time as the film. I still need to watch it again!
GP: Thanks so much for chatting. And you can check out Tyler’s awesome covers below!
Valiant has announced that it is restructuring its New York and Los Angeles offices to bring their publishing, tv, and film projects closer together.
The New York offices are moving to a new location that is currently under construction and will open in Fall 2020. The company has been working remotely since Mid-March due to COVID-19. Some rumors have swirled around the closing of their current NY office.
In Los Angeles, Valiant has hired comic industry veteran David Wohl as a Senior Editor.
The company has revealed some recent plans including the return of X-O Manowar in November with long-awaited X-O Manowar #2.
In March, the publisher announced a remastered 1999 Shadowman game from Nightdive Studios. They are also working with Blowfish Studios to develop new video games featuring characters from the Valiant universe.
This is on top of the release of Bloodshot, the film released by Sony in theaters and soon after on demand due to the pandemic, the continued work on Harbinger which is still slated to be released in 2021, and Faith: Taking Flight a young adult novel published by an imprint of HarperCollins.
Valiant’s supersoldier must hunt down monsters, aliens, living weapons, and other terrifying threats after they’re set loose from a top-secret facility in “The Burned” Part 1 – plus exclusive new content, and commentary from Kevin VanHook! All in the Bloodshot #7 Fully Loaded Edition!
Note: The story hasn’t changed at all in the Bloodshot #7 Fully Loaded Edition, and you’ll find the review for that below. This update is specifically talking about the added content to the comic.
Content that is designed to pull those who have already purchased the comic back to buy another one with a half dozen pages of extras, but is it enough? Eh… maybe. If you’re a super fan, or somebody who loves to learn about the history and the behind the scenes of comics, the answer is obvious, just as if it is if you haven’t read the book at all: Absolutely.
But if you’re more interested in the story? Well that can get a bit trickier. There’s a page with scenes from the comics that inspired the movie, which honestly, is two thirds a crock of shit with two panels taken from this series, which was released after the movie had finished filming, but before it hit cinemas. It feels like that was thrown in as filler, with panels that look kinda similar, so why not try it?
The next two pages of the extras are worth reading as Bloodshot co-creator Kevin Van Hook takes you on a tour of the character’s origin. It may be a story some are familiar with, but if you’re not then it’s a worthy read, followed by Tim Seely taking us on a quick look inside a certain page.
After that we get a breakdown of the characters in the series, which is great for new fans, but maybe less exciting for some.
Is the Bloodshot #7 Fully Loaded Edition worth buying if you’ve already picked up the story the first time it came through? Maybe – it depends on your interest in the character. For me, it’s a book I’ll be picking up when I hit up my LCS, but I’m one of those fans who loves the history of comics, and Van Hook’s section is worth the price of admission for me alone.
Original Review:
What better way to release a comic featuring the first character to appear on the big screen than by having it start with a new jumping on point? A first issue, you could say, and you wouldn’t be wrong – but with the comic already having had seven issues released (including Bloodshot #0) it would have been a touch disingenuous to renumber the series with the story still ongoing. Nobody would ever do that. Certainly not.
If you are looking to check the character out ahead of the movie, or you’re reading this after having seen the Sony Pictures Bloodshot movie starring Vin Diesal, then you’ll be happy to know that Bloodshot #7 is fairly new reader friendly. Cleverly paced dialogue that flows without feeling like forced exposition tells you everything you need to know.
Bloodshot has been one fast-paced and frenetic issue after another. It has been a great ride for the last seven issues. I’ve certainly enjoyed the series for what it is; a popcorn comic that has a depth to it that’s revealed further with each issue. Tim Seeley gives you a little more of his plan with each release. There are moments in this issue that change or enhance your idea of the characterizations of some characters inbetween the action. It’s this balance that allows you to fly through the book while still feeling like you’ve read more than the twenty-odd pages.
Seeley is joined by artist Marc Laming, inker Adelso Corona, colorist Andrew Dalhouse, and letterer Dave Sharpe. All of whom combine for an aesthetic that appeals enormously to me. The style gives me a sense of nostalgia for the comic art I read growing up; it’s dynamic, clean and yet full of life and vibrancy.
If the above paragraph feels familiar to you it’s because I copied it from the review of the last issue. It was as true then as it is for this issue, and I didn’t feel like I should try and craftily rewrite the same thing when my feelings on the visuals haven’t changed. Personally, I love how this book looks. The lines are clean and it’s very easy to discern what’s happening on every page.
Bloodshot #7 isn’t the most original story. It won’t shake you to your core or have you asking yourself deeply introspective questions. But not every comic needs to do that. What Bloodshot does, it does very well. Seeley, Booth, and co have been remarkably consistent issue to issue, and I can’t really find any fault in an issue that does exactly what it says on the tin (that may be an obscure reference for you – it’s from a UK add originating in the late 90’s from a company called Ronseal).
Bloodshot remains one of the series I look forward to reading each month. This wasn’t the best comic I’ve read this week, but it still comes with a big fat stamp of approval from me.
Story: Tim Seeley Art: Marc Laming Ink: Adelso Corona Color: Andrew Dalhouse Letterer: Dave Sharpe Story: 9.0 Art: 9.2 Overall: 9.2 Recommendation: Buy
Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.
Written by TIM SEELEY Art by MARC LAMING, JASON MASTERS Colors by ANDREW DALHOUSE Letters by DAVE SHARPE Photo Cover feat. Vin Diesel as BLOODSHOT On sale AUGUST 12 | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
Valiant’s supersoldier must hunt down monsters, aliens, living weapons, and other terrifying threats after they’re set loose from a top-secret facility in “The Burned” Part 1 – plus exclusive new content, and commentary from Kevin VanHook!
The Valiant 2020: The Year of Heroes FCBD Speical is available at your local comic shop and it includes two all-new adventures starring Bloodshot and X-O Manowar!
Featuring Vin Diesel’s Bloodshot on the cover, the must-read Free Comic Book Day issue features an action-packed Bloodshotmission by New York Times bestselling writer Tim Seely and rising star Jason Masters.This explosive short story will also include the first appearances of Bloodshot movie characters Wilfred Wigans and KT in the Valiant Universe!
Plus: A captivating X-O Manowar story by multiple Eisner Award-nominated writer Joshua Dysart and artist Doug Braithwaite! Enjoy a first look at the engrossing tale starring Valiant’s flagship hero, below.
Bloodshot #7 kicks off an action-packed story that basically unleashes hell on Earth as Bloodshot must hunt down monsters, living weapons, and other threats after they’re set loose from a top-secret facility. Written by Tim Seeley, Bloodshot #7 features pencils and inks by Marc Laming and he’ll provide the same for Bloodshot #9, the final chapter of the storyline. A new “Fully Loaded Edition” is on sale August 12 and features 8 bonus pages of content including an interview with co-creator Kevin VanHook.
Marc Laming is a British born artist who has worked on a plethora of characters ranging from Judge Dredd to the Incredible Hulk over a career spanning three decades.
We got a chance to ask Marc a few questions via email about his work on Bloodshot #7 and #9.
Graphic Policy: Hi Marc! How’s tricks?
Marc Laming: Good thank you, I’m keeping good and busy during these difficult times.
GP: With Bloodshot, you’re both pencilling and inking the book. Do you approach the art differently when doing both verses when just penciling?
ML: I haven’t just pencilled a book since the early 2000s when I was working for DC/Vertigo. Since then the market has tended to prefer hiring artists that are self-contained units and I had to learn really quickly to ink my own work so I was happy with the results.
GP: You’ve drawn a large variety of characters over your career. How does drawing Bloodshot differ from others you’ve drawn?
ML: Bloodshot gives you the opportunity to draw so many different things! It covers the obvious action and adventure but there are sci-fi elements across all of the Valiant universe that make it loads of fun and Bloodshot being a very different kind of hero allows for quiet more personal moments too.
GP:Can you take us through your process when you take on a new character?
ML: The writer’s script and the story’s requirements come first and then it is a question of deciding if they are larger than life or something more real world based. Then it is just a question of doing some research based on the script and starting to draw character sheets in my sketch books and on the Cintiq until we are all happy with the look of the new character.
GP:We’ve seen with other artists and publishers that a film can influence the look of a character or comic. Has that factored in at all?
ML: It depends on the project but on Bloodshot I was taking much more inspiration from the incredible work done on the series by artists such as Lewis Larosa, Brett Booth, Paolo Rivera and Dougie Braithwaite than I did on the movie spectacular as it is.
GP:With Bloodshot #7, you were able to add a lot of nuance to an action packed story by way of Bloodshot and Eidolin’s expressions and body language. I might have forgotten my question… Oh – when it comes to the visual storytelling, do you prefer the subtle moments or the big bombastic ones?
ML: I like them both but those quiet more tender moments really allow you to put all the emphasis on character and acting in the drawing.
GP:When it comes to drawing locations you may or may not have visited, do you use a lot of visual reference or just kinda wing it?
ML: I use probably much more reference than I really need – In issue nine for example all the buildings and streets in the Russian city are real and you could visit them if you went there. The same of course is true of the London locations including the sewers which were fully researched too!
GP: You’ve worked on Ninjak (with Eternal Warrior) and Archer & Armstrong in the past; what other Valiant character would you like to get your hands on?
ML: I’d love to do a historical Eternal Warrior story and I love the characters from Divinity so any of those would be great to work on in future, oh and Livewire.
GP: What have you got in store for us in the near future after Bloodshot #9? Anything that you can tell us?
ML: I’m currently working on a large graphic novel but that’s all I can say about that right now, but I’m sure I will be shouting about it on my social media soon.
Valiant Entertainment has revealed its updated publishing schedule for Summer 2020 after consulting with comic retailers and partners throughout the industry.
Through August, Valiant will complete the fun and critically-acclaimed limited seriesDoctor Tomorrow and Quantum & Woody! The ongoing sci-fi series RAI is back with a brand-new story arc and a trade paperback collecting the first fan-favorite story for only $9.99! Plus: a new edition ofBloodshot #7, which kicks off a thrilling new story, arrives with eight pages of bonus content, including an interview with the hero’s co-creator Kevin Vanhook!
DOCTOR TOMORROW #3 (of 5)
Written by AJELANDRO ARBONA Art by JIM TOWE Colors by DIEGO RODRIGUEZ Letters by CLAYTON COWLES Cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
The entire world vs. a madman… the world is going to need more heroes!
It’s the can’t-miss clash of 2020 as Hadrian stands against the Valiant Universe!
On sale JUNE 24th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
QUANTUM & WOODY #4 (of 4)
Written by CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS Art by RYAN BROWNE Colors by RUTH REDMOND Letters by HASSAN OTSMANE-ELHAOU Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is JUNE 15th
Home Alone, the boys are left to defend their lair against would-be bandits!
What is Woody’s dark secret? The truth is finally revealed!
On sale JULY 8th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
DOCTOR TOMORROW #4 (of 5)
Written by AJELANDRO ARBONA Art by JIM TOWE Colors by DIEGO RODRIGUEZ Letters by CLAYTON COWLES Cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is JULY 6th
The true origin of Doctor Tomorrow is finally revealed!
Can Bart Simms ready himself in time to rescue the Universe from complete annihilation?
On sale JULY 29th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
RAI BOOK ONE TPB
Written by DAN ABNETT Art by JUAN JOSÉ RYP Colors by ANDREW DALHOUSE Letters by DAVE SHARPE Cover by JUAN JOSÉ RYP Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is JULY 13th
Welcome to the 41st century: New worlds, new characters, new adventures.
The cyborg ronin named Rai embarks on a thrilling quest to save the future. Side by side with his prototype and predecessor – the robot boy called Raijin – the spirit guardian of the fallen nation of New Japan will journey into the wastelands of Earth to set right the wrongs of their onetime overlord once and for all.
Multiple New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Dan Abnett (Guardians of the Galaxy) joins forces with breathtaking artist Juan José Ryp (X-O MANOWAR) to begin the essential sci-fi series of the next two thousand years!
Collecting RAI (2019) #1–5.
On sale AUGUST 5th | 208 pages, full color | $9.99 US | T+
BLOODSHOT #7 “FULLY LOADED” EDITION
Written by TIM SEELEY Art by MARC LAMING Colors by ANDREW DALHOUSE Letters by DAVE SHARPE Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is JULY 20th
An explosive new story starts here
Featuring Vin Diesel’s Bloodshot on the cover, the BLOODSHOT #7 “Fully Loaded” Edition is packed with eight epic pages of bonus content that includes new artwork, classified information, and commentary from Bloodshot’s co-creator KEVIN VANHOOK!
On sale AUGUST 12th | 40 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
RAI #6
Written by DAN ABNETT Art by JUAN JOSÉ RYP Colors by ANDREW DALHOUSE Letters by DAVE SHARPE Cover by NETHO DIAZ Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is JULY 27th
A brand-new arc of the critically-acclaimed series begins here!
Rai and Raijin are drafted into the positronic Roman legions to face a savage threat.
On sale AUGUST 19th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
DOCTOR TOMORROW #5 (of 5)
Written by AJELANDRO ARBONA Art by JIM TOWE Colors by KELLY FITZPATRICK Letters by CLAYTON COWLES Cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is AUGUST 3rd
After a universe-spanning journey, Doctor Tomorrow must face his greatest foe yet — himself!
Will the combined forces of the Valiant Universe be enough to avert total annihilation?
After the epic conclusion will there be a tomorrow?
On sale AUGUST 26th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
Every Monday for the next few weeks, Valiant Entertainment is running a poll on their Twitter feed to provide fans with some escapism while new comics are in short supply. The poll allows Valiant fans the opportunity to select the Hero Of The Week from four choices – this week, the poll features Toyo Harada, Master Darque, Eidolon and Father. The week’s hero villain will then be the focus of free pdfs featuring the character, videos from Valiant staff, giveaways, and more.
Which supervillain would make the best office boss: Toyo Harada, Father (New Japan), Eidolon, or Master Darque?
Vote to decide the Hero (Villain) of the Week, and tell us your reasoning in the comments!#ValiantAndQuarantine
At Graphic Policy, we’re going to be running a spotlight on the winning character all week through various features depending on the character, but at the very least you’ll see our favorite covers and stories.
But Valiant has a lot of great characters, and it’d be a shame to not let you know which stories to read to get to know some of them a little more in case they don’t end up winning the fan vote. This week’s characters are a prime example of this, and the exact reason that we wanted to shine a little light on all four ahead of the week.
Below you’ll find a brief snapshot of the character and a trade paperback or two to check out. For fun, I’ll also note who I think is most likely to win (bear in mind this is being written on Sunday).
Toyo Harada
Who is he? One of the most complicated and interesting characters in comics, this is a man who has lived through utter horror and who just happens to be one of the most powerful people in the world. Toyo Harada is the kind of character that lives in the moral grey area; more often than not, I’ve found myself actually agreeing with and rooting for him, because his entire raison d’etre is to secure peace and improve the lives of people at any cost. Initially, he’s subtle and manipulates world events behind the scenes… but eventually Toyo Harada wages war on the world. He’s introduced in Harbinger, and so a lot of the stories that you’ve seen recommended in Peter Stanchek‘s spotlight you could expect to see for Toyo Harada.
I’m hoping against hope that the fans vote for Toyo today, because I would love to explore his characterization a lot more.
What should you read?
Harbinger: Omega Rising
A better future. Or no future at all.
Super-powered teenager Peter Stanchek is on a dangerous path. Skipping across the country in a desperate attempt to stay one step ahead of the authorities, Peter is quickly realizing that he’s a psionically-charged “harbinger” with the potential to reshape the course of human history. But Peter’s plight has not gone unnoticed. Respected philanthropist and fellow harbinger Toyo Harada is about to offer Peter the chance at the things for which the boy has always longed — family, inner peace, self-control — and induct him into the sprawling, secret network of conspiracy and subversion known as the Harbinger Foundation. Now Peter begins his long road towards a destiny that will shake the very foundations of the Valiant Universe. His first lesson? All power comes with a price.
This volume kicks off an epic tale by Joshua Dysart that spans Harbinger and Imperium, and because I devoured the first twenty issues in two days I don’t really remember exactly what happened in the first volume, so I took the above text directly from Valiant’s website.
Who is he? Nicodemo Darque is the Valiant Universe’s most powerful necromancer. Initially introduced in the Shadowman series, he’s also popped up in Ninjak and as the antagonist in Book Of Death. Unlike toyo Harada, there isn’t much to Master Darque beyond his lust for power,; there’s not really an angle that allows you to root for him, but he does make for a high level threat for the heroes of Valiant to come up against. Arguably one of the more traditional villains in Valiant’s line up, Darque always elevates the stories he’s in.
What should you read?
Shadowman: Darque Reckoning
The true price of becoming Shadowman is always paid in blood…and Master Darque intends to collect…
Jack Boniface has just been to Hell and back. After surviving the horrors of the Deadside, Jack is taking his new abilities to the limit and discovering more about the legacy of the Shadowman with each passing night. But what if he wasn’t the only thing that managed to escape back to Earth? Something dark has arrived in New Orleans, leaving death and madness in its black wake. What’s more, the city’s deadliest cartel assassin is after Jack, and he refuses to die – literally…
I was going to suggest another book that has already been recommended here, but seeing as how I’m hoping you’ve read Book Of Death by now, why not look back to one of Darque’s first appearances?
Who is she? Anything that I say about the character here will only be a spoiler for the book recommended below, so I’ll be intentionally vague here; the newest character on the list, Eidolon’s story isn’t a happy one. Does she have ties to Bloodshot? Well, obviously. Because she’s in a Bloodshot comic…
What should you read?
Bloodshot Book One
Once, he was the perfect living weapon, created to follow orders. Now, Bloodshot works alone, using his lethal skills to protect those who cannot protect themselves. But a mysterious and powerful organization is watching, and they’re not about to let something as dangerous as Bloodshot remain free…
There’s really only two options for folks to read about Eidolon, and the other is the sequel to this one. Bloodshot Book One is a lot of fun, and features some pretty intense action sequences throughout the book. The sequel is where we’re really introduced to Eidolon in detail, but this is where you’ll want to start.
Who is he? The artificial intelligence responsible for keeping New Japan afloat, Father is also the creator of Rai. Guess what book you’ll want to read?
What should you read?
Rai: Welcome To New Japan
The year is 4001 A.D. – led by the artificial intelligence called “Father,” the island nation of Japan has expanded out of the Pacific and into geosynchronous orbit with the ravaged Earth below. With billions to feed and protect, it has fallen to one solitary guardian to enforce the law of Father’s empire – the mysterious folk hero known as Rai. They say he can appear out of nowhere. They say he is a spirit…the ghost of Japan. But when the first murder in a thousand years threatens to topple Father’s benevolent reign, Rai will be forced to confront the true face of a nation transformed…and his own long-lost humanity…
Father is largely a disembodied voice throughout this series, and rather obviously isn’t the main focal point of the book, but seeing as how this story eventually leads into one of my favourite Valiant runs (Dan Abnett on Rai from 2019), and also kicks off a pretty damn phenomenal story in its own right, then I’ll take any chance I can to recommend this series.
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