Valiant Entertainment and Blackstone Publishing are collaborating on a new imprint that will contain new stories of Valiant’s popular characters in novel format. Characters who will appear in the trade publishing program include Bloodshot, Shadowman, Livewire, and Eternal Warrior.

Fred Van Lente, whose work includes Archer & Armstrong, will tell a reimagining of Bloodshot in the young adult novel, Bloodshot Awakening. In this story, Bloodshot is an 18-year-old who wakes up in a lab without his memory or knowledge of his powers. After breaking out of the lab, he tries to piece together his memories while trying to evade those who are chasing him.

In Shadowman: The Abyss Stares Back, first time novelist Shola Adedeji explores the shadow world of New Orleans when Jack Boniface/Shadowman returns to the city after his father’s death. He learns that his father was the supernatural warrior known as Shadowman, and gets pulled into the frightening world of shadows to assume his father’s mantle.

Sarah Raughley, author of the Effigies book series, is giving her take on Valiant’s techno-powered hero in Livewire: Circuit Breaker. The young adult novel follows teenage Amanda Mckee as she learns about Toyo Harada and his twisted plans for her technopathic powers.

The Eternal Warrior: Servants of the Dead by Ari Marmell (Star Wars) will travel through hundreds of years and culminate in a battle in modern New York. Gilad Anni-Padda will learn that mistakes made in past generations will come back to haunt him, and he must fight to save not just his soul, but the entire world.

“We’re very excited for this new partnership with Blackstone Publishing. Here at Valiant Entertainment, our focus has always been on strong storytelling and excellent character development. Those elements aren’t exclusive to comics so having the chance to explore the Valiant Universe in other forms of publishing is always a thrill for us,” Valiant’s Publisher Fred Pierce said.

“I am so pleased that we are going to be publishing Valiant’s fabulous comic book characters in newly written full novels. I know that their existing fan base will love these books and stories, and it will give many more people exposure to the worlds and figures Valiant has created that so many of their ardent followers regularly enjoy,” Blackstone’s Head of New Business Development Rick Bleiweiss said. 

“I’m excited to have worked with the Valiant team to find the perfect prose authors for these books and develop exhilarating takes for this amazing comics library. This is a great chance to bring in new readers to the Valiant Universe while also staying true to what makes these characters so iconic in the first place,” Blackstone’s Director of Media, TV, & Film Brendan Deneen said.