INTERVIEW: ‘Bloodshot’ is back
Image courtesy of Valiant / Cover art by Declan Shalvey / Provided with permission.
Bloodshot is one of the most beloved characters in the comics industry today, and Valiant is about to relaunch the famous title with a new series penned by Tim Seeley and featuring art by Brett Booth.
Bloodshot #1 comes to comic book stores Sept. 25, and it will serve as a perfect jumping-on point for new fans (old fans will be more than satisfied with the continued adventures). For those not in the know, Bloodshot is a supersoldier powered by nanites, and his unbelievable power proves to be that time-honored tradition of being both a curse and a blessing. In the series, he must get to the bottom of the mysterious Black Bar and find answers about his past.
Bloodshot fury is truly at an all-time high because Vin Diesel is set to play the main character in an upcoming movie adaptation, so this new comic series is perfectly timed. Plus, it’s first issue is only a few days before New York Comic Con, so no doubt Valiant will be promoting the first issue throughout the festivities.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Booth about the new project. He is best known for Backlash and Teen Titans. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How do you go about honoring the look and feel of past Bloodshot comics but making this iteration your own?
Basically, I just kept his design and just went with my gut. The story [writer] Tim [Seeley] turned in is big on action, so I went with more of a big action look — bit old-school Image but with realistic weapons and feet.
Really, the only thing I ‘added’ were eyebrows. That’s it. Maybe a few pouches, but I didn’t stray from his regular design really. When [editor] Lysa [Hawkins] first asked me about doing the book, I did a quick sketch to see if I’d like drawing the character. When I sent that in, everyone was happy with it, so I just went with that.
Was there any hesitancy about relaunching an iconic comic with a popular character?
By now, I’m used to it! So, no! With all the relaunches everywhere it’s more second nature to me than anything. For me, it’s who am I working with, what are the types of stories that are going to be done.
What’s it like working with Tim Seeley?
Great! He’s been a blast to work with! And the rest of the art team of [inker] Adelso [Corona] and [colorist] Andrew [Dalhouse] have been making me look way better than I actually am!
You have several panels that take different shapes than the typical rectangle. It works especially well with the action scenes on page 5 of issue #1. Do artistic decisions like that come during the storyboarding phase?
Yeah, I started doing it years ago because I saw another artist say they hated it and that it didn’t work. I did it to see if it did actually work and found out it can be useful, especially for action and chaotic scenes. I know of a few people who still don’t like it but the vast majority of people who see it really like it because it does make things more exciting and, if you do it right, easier to read.
How long on average does it take to complete one page?
It depends on the page, what’s on it and who. A big explosion might take three to four hours, but a page with a large group might take 12 or more. The average is usually six to eight.
Do you work in silence? With music on? What’s your process like?
During the day, I have music on, stuff I’ve downloaded on shuffle. Sometimes I’ll listen to YouTube videos, usually science stuff. At night, I turn on the TV, and if I’m busy I’ll put on things I’ve seen before — movies, TV shows or anime. I like to have the ambient noise because if I’m focusing and a dog starts snoring, I can’t not hear that, and it drives me insane. :’) Process wise I read the script, do a quick thumbnail, transfer that to the board and then start working.
When did you first fall in love with comic books and art?
I’ve always wanted to do art. It was either art or paleontology. Art had less writing and more drawing, so I went with that. I didn’t get interested in comics until I was 13. I wound up with two study halls my freshman year of high school, and one was very long. My buddy handed me a comic to draw so I wasn’t bored, and that hooked me. Thank you, Art Adams!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Bloodshot #1, written by Tim Seeley and featuring art by Brett Booth, will be released by Valiant Sept. 25. Click here for more information.
