Featured image from the Miguel Sepulveda variant cover
Last month, we took a look at a sequence from “X-O Manowar” #1 from the pencils to the colors. When Valiant asked us if we were interested in the same treatment for “Bloodshot” #6, we wanted to take it a step further. And so, today, we can exclusively show you the process of taking the 13th page of “Bloodshot” #6 from Tim Seeley’s script, past the eyes of editors Lysa Hawkins and Drew Baumgartner, to penciler Brett Booth, inker Adelso Corona, and colorist Andrew Dalhouse. Enjoy!
Lysa Hawkins (editor): “When I first read over a script, I envision the way the artist(s) will bring the page to life. In this case, I imagine what Brett will come up with, but I am always surprised (and blown away) by how creatively he lays out a page. Then it’s off to Adelso who perfectly compliments Brett’s lines with his inks. Once inked, it goes to both Dave for the lettering and Andrew to add the outstanding colors. During each step of the way we see the art come in and the entire team gets to weigh in, which means, there is a lot of praise and encouragement being thrown about.There is something truly magical about seeing words become comic book art. One of the many reasons I love my job.”
Tim Seeley (writer): “We’re in the midst of an action scene as Bloodshot and Eidolon are pursued by both the forces of BLACK BAR commandos and cyberc-cult members from the SONS OF THE LAST FLESH through an abandoned mall. My job here is to set the stage, give the emotional high points, and then get out of Brett and Andrew’s way. Having worked with these guys over 6 issues now, I know what needs description, and what doesn’t. Thus, you get a short, sweet script page, ready for some awesome art.”
Brett Booth (artist): “I tend to work on pages when I’m in the right ‘mood’. I felt like doing some old school characters so when I was looking for a page to draw this one stood out as perfect for some fun. Tim gives me a lot of action and wiggle room so I just went in and WildStormed it up! I think I pulled the 2 bad guys from another page for some consistency and then added a bit more to their costumes because they were a bit small and obscured.
The hardest thing was the punch, because of the angle and what I needed to show I couldn’t get the full follow though I wanted, but for me, the goal was comedy so even a small hit works.
Then I hand it off to Adelso and later Andrew. It’s great working with people you trust because I don’t have to worry about how the work will come back. It’s always great so I can just focus on my part.”
Adelso Corona (inker): “I tend to work on pages out of order and as I was going through the ones I had left this one REALLY stood out to me. The character designs, the layout and just the overall feel of the page made it feel right for the day so I dove right in…
The first thing I must say is when you’re working with such a comprehensive penciler as Brett there’s not a lot of ‘guessing’ or ‘interpretation’ involved, all the information is there but he leaves just enough room for me, as the inker, to play which is perfect because I attack pages as a collaboration so I’m ‘drawing’ as I ink. That said, what I’m most conscious of as I’m working over Brett’s pencils is maintaining the always present energy while adding some depth, differentiating textures, clarifying and providing some pretty linework to hopefully do it all justice.
My favorite aspect of creating comic books is by far the collaboration so that pushes me to put in the work because I know that this page will come to life once it’s sent off to Andrew who always kills it on the colors!”
Andrew Dalhouse (colorist): “I usually don’t read the script until i start coloring pages, so that it’s all fresh in my mind what I need to do. Brett is a great collaborator. He send the jpegs of the pages as he does them to the entire team. I use those jpegs to start plotting how I’m going to approach pages when I get the inks. After getting the inks for Adelso that are always so pretty. I’m super excited to get started coloring. I really loved the designs Brett did for these characters and I wanted to give them color schemes that fit the designs. For the guy with the dreads, I went with a Rastafarian color scheme of red, yellow, green and black. The guy with Mohawk just said purple to me.”
Continued belowDrew Baumgartner (assistant editor): “There’s a lot to love on this page, from those wild Brett Booth designs to the quick rise and fall of the threat these guys pose, but for me, it’s all about showing off Bloodshot’s new invisibility powers. Tim wrote a great gag with Bloodshot appearing out of nowhere, and each member of the team just enhanced it from there. Brett added that glimmer of Bloodshot fading in behind the guy in panel 3, and Adelso and Andrew refined that effect so it reads clear as day. This is a creative team firing on all cylinders, and they’re all so enthusiastic about each other’s work, everyone ends up working that much harder to hold up their end. It’s an absolute pleasure to see pages like this as they come in.”
Thanks to Valiant for helping us put this together, and look for the issue on February 12 wherever comics are sold.
Written by Tim Seeley
Penciled by Brett Booth
Inked by Adelso Corona
Colored by Andrew Dalhouse
Lettered byThis issue will change Bloodshot forever, and you’ll never guess how it ends!
