Bloodshot has gone up against many foes in his lifetime, but few could match the caliber of vile hatred that exists within his next group of enemies: white supremacists. In Bloodshot Salvation, from Jeff Lemire and published by Valiant Comics, the altered super-soldier will come face to face with a neo-Nazi family that want to bring their daughter Magic, Bloodshot’s true love, back home with them.
Set to release on September 28, Lemire’s new series replacing his current Bloodshot Reborn (its final issue releases March 22) is only the latest to join a trend of comic book heroes socking it to neo-Nazis. This spring, Marvel will publish Secret Empire in which Captain America — outed as a sleeper agent of Hydra, Marvel’s horror sci-fi version of Hitler’s Nazi party — engages in a full-blown battle with the Marvel Universe. Bloodshot’s fight in Valiant is far less spectacular and more personal, but it’s where superheroes and anti-heroes like Bloodshot are directing their punches are all the same.
“Violence has always been a big part of [Bloodshot’s] DNA,” Lemire told The Washington Post. Bloodshot started in the ‘90s as a prototypical uber-violent character like the Punisher. “Then when I took over the character a couple of years ago, I kind of took a look at that and twisted it inside out.” Lemire has already used Bloodshot to explore issues like gun violence, so Bloodshot Salvation isn’t exactly unknown territory. “It’s certainly kind of still shocking and in the moment. I never really thought I’d be commenting on this stuff the way I am or feeling compelled to, that’s for sure.”
Cover of 'Bloodshot Salvation' #1 (2017)
Facebook commenters might hate it, yet comic books have never shied away from confronting ugly issues. But Bloodshot Salvation won’t be a purely political comic either. Half the story will be about Bloodshot’s daughter, Jessie, who might have the same microscopic computers called “nanites” that give Bloodshot abilities in her blood too. “I think anyone who becomes a parent, their world view instantly changes,” Lemire said. “Being this character that comes from such a history of violence and has so much violence built into him, I think that would be terrifying. You wouldn’t want to bring that into your child’s life at all.”
Bloodshot Salvation #1 will be released on September 28.
