Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, HRL

Matt Kindt And The Killer Behind Valiant's Ninja-K #1

Published Wed, 13 Sep 2017 15:00:52 -0500

Matt Kindt has been building a big name at Valiant for many years and has written the Ninjak for close to 30 issues — the longest creator run by a single creator in the character's 25-year history. Today, however, his tenure comes to a close in Ninjak #0, a final issue send-off returning the purple (and very British) ninja assassin to his roots…in what just might be the most Matt Kindt-ish Matt Kindt comic book since the conclusion of Mind MGMT.

You see, across 22 pages, Kindt and artist Francis Portela tell a straight-ahead tale of Ninjak's latest mission — but on the top half of the page only. On the bottom half — bisected by an arrow fired on page 1 — we explore Colin King's subconscious recollections of his past in a series of lushly illustrated vignettes by a pentuplet of guests artists that includes MJ Kim, Khari Evans, Roberto de la Torre, Sija Hong, and Juan Jose Ryp.

And it features some truly dazzling feats of comic book juxtaposition:

But, in advance of Ninjak's November relaunch as Ninja-K, the oversized issue also contains a taste of things to come. Closing out the issue is an exclusive five-page prelude from upcoming creators Christos Gage and Tomas Giorello that reveals the brutal death of former ninja operative, Ninja-D, and our first glimpse at his killer…

Just as X-O Manowar #50 set up a big return for the character several months after it concluded, is Ninjak's final issue setting the character up for another chart-topping return… We'll know when Ninja-K #1 hits stands in November.