In the past, companies like Image and Dark Horse have tried to emulate DC and Marvel with their own superhero universes with various degrees of success. So far only Valiant Comics has been able to create a cohesive world of heroes that has been building a fan base in the last decade. It’s dramatically growing and in fact, Bloodshot—one of Valiant’s major characters—is getting his own movie from a major Hollywood studio.

There are some compelling arguments why Bloodshot and the other Valiant characters can hold their own against the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Batman, and Superman:

1. Visually striking character: Bloodshot’s character design stands out from the regular capes and tights set. His skin is chalk-white. His eyes are literally bloodshot. He’s dressed in a black-ops outfit with a bloody circle in his chest and packing lots of hardware. He’s more an action hero than a superhero. Bloodshot makes for a refreshing alternative for people who are put off by costumes and clear cut morals, just on the basis of his appearance.

2. Compelling story: CBR talks about the character’s backstory: an escaped test subject of Project Rising Spirit, he was injected with nanite blood that would grant him enhanced physical abilities and the ability to heal from most injuries. The Project brainwashed him using false memories designed to control and direct him to assassinate his targets. Bloodshot’s origin has familiar shades of Deadpool, Wolverine, and Jason Bourne, yet he is his own character. His writers would likely make his character more relevant and deeper by making him question his identity and be remorseful of his actions.

3. Top-notch creators: Into the Void previously noted that Marvel and DC are now focusing on diversifying their stable of talent to properly represent minority characters. Still, the two giant studios are holding on to their A-list writers and artists. While still working with the “Big Two,” some of these creators are drawn to Valiant for the opportunity to work on characters that don’t have as much creative limits. Creator Jeff Lemire is mostly known for his indie work on Image’s Descender, DC’s Justice League Dark, and Marvel’s Extraordinary X-Men, but he has been writing Bloodshot for a while now and receiving positive reviews on the title.

On top of that, Bloodshot has a deep bench of talented artists such as Mico Suayan, Lewis Larosa, Renato Guedes, and Doug Braithwaite. These artists have all left their own personal stamp on the character while maintaining the raw, realistic, and gritty atmosphere of the setting. Jeff Lemire handpicked Suayan himself to set the aesthetic tone that all succeeding artists would follow. “Mico struck me because his stuff is so incredibly photo realistic,” Lemire comments.

4. Creative freedom: io9 sees Valiant as a fresh alternative to Marvel and DC’s dominance over the comic book industry. Valiant characters have dense backstories but you don’t have to read piles of Bloodshot issues to understand the story. Spider-Man and Wonder Woman may be popular but it is their popularity that undermines what you can do with them creatively. Bloodshot is not constrained by these issues so he can undergo radical changes and delve into mature themes.

This is what people may see in the upcoming Bloodshot movie. Sony has cast Vin Diesel to be the titular character, and they intend to make it a hardcore action movie along the same lines as R-rated movies Deadpool, Robocop, and Terminator. It’s a smart move to stand out from the PG-13 superhero flicks, and we’re already starting to see Valiant’s marketing for Bloodshot at play. The comic book company has even farmed out the character to video game developers. Digital games provider Foxy Bingo has a raft of superhero themed titles including their very own Bloodshot game. It stays faithful to the source material by using similar art and themes. All in all, releasing more issues and doing collaborations is an effective grassroots campaign to build awareness for the character.

By the time the movie comes out in 2019, even moviegoers with no real knowledge of Bloodshot will recognize him. And after his debut, Valiant may become a wild card in the superhero cinema.







Author Details Daniel Bradshaw Contributor Daniel Bradshaw is a writer and film journalist from Newcastle, England, where he lives with his wife and kids. Cinema is his religion.