One of the major players in Valiant's superhero universe is Project Rising Spirit – a nefarious private arms contractor that created, among other many other things, the nanite-enhanced commando called Bloodshot.
Could they be responsible for Donald Trump too?
In today's aptly titled Bloodshot U.S.A. #1, writer Jeff Lemire and artist Doug Braithwaite infect New York City with a machine-made Bloodshot virus – secretly released by Rising Spirit to "make America strong again" – that turns the city's entire population in rampaging agents of chaos.
But, before the action begins, we flash back a year to sit on a session of the defense contractor's executive board, led by CEO Morris Kozol, who grouses that Americans have gone soft since 9/11 and need a pandemic to whip them back into shape:
…But Kozol's plan doesn't stop there. When panic is sufficiently saturated nationwide, they'll swoop in, save the day, and use their newfound hero status to install a presidential candidate of their choosing…
And Kozol thinks he knows just the guy:
Brilliant, indeed.
Bloodshot U.S.A. #1 is in stores today from Valiant Entertainment.