Bleeding Cool has been told by several separate and well-connected sources that Valiant Comics creators have been given a 'pencils down' edict from editors and executives. Told to stop working on all their comic books immediately, and that Valiant will be shuttering for the next month, rather than editorial working remotely. As a result, creators are being asked not to continue their assignments, as there is no way to get paid in the interim.

Gregg Katzman, Valiant Marketing Manager would not confirm or deny these reports but gave Bleeding Cool an official response from Valiant, saying "The response we've been receiving from the retailers is their request for us to adjust our publishing schedule for major titles coming this year when this unprecedented situation resolves itself. As always, Valiant is listening to the comic book industry."

And I understand that completed books, such as the new issues of Bloodshot and Rai are already heading to the printers. But anything not completed, may not be for some time.

This should have been a grand week for Valiant, with the release in cinemas of the Bloodshot movie starring Vin Diesel, but the coronavirus dampened that release somewhat, though the movie will now be released digitally.

Valiant Comics was founded in 1989 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter along with lawyer and businessman Steven Massarsky. In 1994, the company was sold to Acclaim Entertainment. After Acclaim declared bankruptcy in 2004, the company was restarted as part of Valiant Entertainment by entrepreneurs Dinesh Shamdasani and Jason Kothari in 2005. After receiving Chinese investment, Valiant was acquired by DMG Entertainment in 2018.

Bleeding Cool has been looking at the decisions made by a number of comic book publishers in the light of the coronavirus pandemic today, and you can see recent coverage with this tag. Here are those two titles still coming down the pipe…

BLOODSHOT (2019) #8 CVR A KIRKHAM

(W) Tim Seeley (A) Marc Laming (CA) Tyler Kirkham

Unthinkable monsters are unleashing Hell on Earth!

Surrounded by enemies, who can Bloodshot trust?In Shops: Apr 08, 2020

SRP: $3.99

RAI (2019) #6 CVR A DIAZ

(W) Dan Abnett (A) Juan Jose Ryp (CA) Netho Diaz

A brand-new arc of the critically-acclaimed series starts here!

Rai and Raijin are drafted into the positronic Roman legions to face a savage threat.In Shops: Apr 08, 2020

SRP: $3.99