VALIANT SPOTLIGHT
BLOODSHOT PROFILE
Angelo Mortalli was a Mafia wiseguy, a cold and
ruthless hitman who at times seemed less than human. Mortalli was advancing
quickly within the Mob and was engaged to the daughter of powerful mobster
Gino Canelli. But when Canelli found out that Mortalli was being unfaithful
to his daughter, he decided to get rid of him. Mortalli was framed for
the brutal slaying of a rival mobster, and convicted of first-degree murder.
To stay out of prison, Mortalli cut a deal with the Feds to give evidence
against the Mob. Canelli got wind of the deal, snatched Mortalli from the
government's protection, and bundled him off as a "volunteer" in a private
research project headed by Hideyoshi Iwatsu and his Rising Spirit Labs.
The two main objectives of Iwatsu's research were:
first, to prolong his own life; and second, to create an elite army of
superhuman killing machines loyal only to the Iwatsu clan. The process
they named the Bloodshot Procedure involved draining off a subject's blood
and replacing it with a plasma infusion containing microscopic cellular
automatons called nanites. Those who survived the infusion process, dubbed
"Speedshots", were endowed with superhuman strength and endurance. Unfortunately,
their lifespans were reduced to a few days or weeks as their bodies burned
out from the heightened metabolic rate.
Mortalli was one of the ones who survived the infusion
process, and Iwatsu proceeded to the next phase of the procedure. Mortalli's
mind was wiped of all his memories and systematically reprogrammed with
information about strategy, tactics and warfare. However, before the full
reprogramming could be completed, the Geomancer Geoff McHenry broke into
the facility and released Bloodshot, who killed his captors and escaped.
Confused and lost, suffering from amnesia, Bloodshot
began seeking clues to his own origin. He discovered that the nanites in
his blood gave him incredible powers including great strength, faster reflexes,
and heightened senses. Besides having a body that operated at peak efficiency,
Bloodshot also had a rapport with machinery that allowed him to seize control
of and dominate any electronic device in his vicinity. Using this power,
Bloodshot tapped into Iwatsu's computer system and amassed information
about his creators.
Since he hadn't been programmed for exclusive loyalty
to Iwatsu but had been shorn of the details of his former life, Bloodshot
was free to reinvent himself. He decided to work as a force for good. At
that moment, Angelo Mortalli finally died and Bloodshot was born.
Iwatsu was angry but excited over Bloodshot's escape
- excited because Mortalli showed no sign of the Speedshots' characteristic
metabolic burnout. What neither Iwatsu nor Mortalli knew was that Mortalli
was a latent harbinger, and that this one factor had allowed him to survive
the infusion process. After several failed attempts to recapture Bloodshot,
Iwatsu decided to undergo the infusion process himself. However, Iwatsu's
body could not withstand the change and he fell into a deep coma - a victim
of his own twisted science.
Since then, Bloodshot has acquired numerous enemies
and as many allies. He has worked with the likes of Gilad, the Eternal
Warrior, Ninjak, and the Secret Weapons. As an operative for Neville Alcott's
MI-5 operation, Bloodshot has crisscrossed the globe, neutralizing potential
threats to world security.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Neville Alcott:
Alcott is the operator of a covert organization,
MI-5, based deep beneath London's Heathrow Airport. His operations consist
of aiding other government agencies when conventional forces are deemed
ineffective. Alcott was recently called upon to aid in the training of
a super-powered team known as the Secret Weapons, whose task is to assist
British Intelligence operations.
John Sinclair:
Along with Neville Alcott, John Sinclair trained
the four operatives who would become the Secret Weapons. Sinclair and Bloodshot
were to lead the new operatives as a unit designed to neutralize threats
at home and abroad. After the accidental death of one of the Secret Weapons
members, Sinclair donned the suit himself and became Para-Man.
Tanaka Iwatsu:
Hideyoshi's son, Tanaka, is bent on avenging his
father's misfortunes. He plans to recapture Bloodshot and use his nanite-infused
blood to cure his comatose father. After that, Tanaka has more sinister
plans in store. Tanaka plans on somehow completing the programming of Bloodshot's
nanites, making him a loyal servant to the Iwatsu clan.
Hideyoshi Iwatsu:
Iwatsu was the founder of Rising Spirit Labs which
gave Mortalli his Bloodshot powers. Iwatsu's primary objective with the
Bloodshot program was to extend his own life. When Mortalli survived the
infusion process and escaped without showing any signs of physical degradation,
Iwatsu subjected himself to the program. However, Iwatsu could only become
a "Speedshot", which meant that his body would ultimately fail within a
short period of time. During a confrontation with Bloodshot, Iwatsu's body
collapsed when the strain became too great to bear. He slipped into a deep
coma from which he has yet to emerge.
WEAPONS
Due to his programming under Iwatsu, Bloodshot is
proficient in a variety of weapons and fighting techniques.
Katana Blade
Bloodshot's katana is the same type used by Ninja
assassins. The tempered, hand-forged steel blade extends a full twenty-six
inches from the hilt. The handle is cordon-wrapped, providing for better
grip and ease of handling.
Desert Eagle .50 Caliber Magnum
The Desert Eagle .50 caliber magnum semi-automatic
pistol is gas-operated, with a rotating bolt for positive lock-up. With
a standard six-inch barrel, maximum effective range is 200 meters (650
feet). Standard .50 caliber ammunition can be used as well as semi-jacketed
or gas checked rounds. The magazine capacity is eight rounds, plus one
in the chamber. Its stainless steel frame is heavy - 75.6 ounces - and
corrosion-resistant.
10 mm MP-5
The MP-5 is a compact submachine gun weighing no
more than 5.4 pounds. Firing from a closed bolt position utilizing a delayed
roller-locked bolt system, the MP-5's accuracy is unmatched. The safety
switch can throw the gun from single shot to semi-auto to full automatic.