Bloodshot (2019) #1 Covers Part 1

 

Bloodshot (2019) #1 Cover A by Declan Shalvey

Valiant Entertainment launched this series of Bloodshot with a wide variety of covers. Naturally, even more store variants were available. I thought I'd go back and shine a spotlight on the ones officially released by Valiant, in case you missed any that you might like to add to your collection.

That is, before any new series of Bloodshot kicks off, and fans head down to their local comic shops, and ask, "What do you have from previous series?"

Declan Shalvey's Cover A is the best known, as it was featured on posters. As a Cover A, it was also the cover for Valiant's Bloodshot #1 gold edition. Declan gives us an unconventional glimpse of our hero, clad in an overcoat. 

Declan's painting always made me think of classic police detective comic character Dick Tracy. I don't know if editor Lysa Hawkins had him in mind when she commissioned Declan for his cover. Still, she's referred to Ninjak as "the lovechild of James Bond and Modesty Blaise," two other classic characters from comics (and novels, and movies). So perhaps I'm not entirely wrong about the Dick Tracy/Bloodshot connection.

In any case, the red gunsite framing his face reminds us that Bloodshot is a hunted man. The overcoat suggests he's disguising himself to evade the authorities. The yellow on the cover could suggest that a Wanted poster aged by the elements. It reminds us that Bloodshot is a classic character, having been around since the 1990s. 

The yellow could also hint at the desert country of Yemen, featured in this first issue. The glowing yellow spots no doubt represent a hail of bullets flying Bloodshot's way, which also occurs in this issue. As will, need I add, a great many explosions!

All in all, Declan Shalvey gave us a terrific Cover A, rich in associations. Cue the James Bond movie intro. See Bloodshot walk through the red gunsite.  

Bang! 

And thus, a terrific new series of Bloodshot was born.

Dragon Dave