Posted in: Comics, Valiant | Tagged: christos gage, ninja, Ninja-K, Roberto de la Torre, spy, superheroes, Tomás Giorello, valiant entertainment

Ninja-K #2 Review: Look Out for British Ninjas

We are given some history of Ninja-C before we return to the present with Ninja-K interrogating Ninja-D's backup. This doesn't go quite as planned, and Ninja-K must pay a visit to Madame Charade. This leads to an old ninja-training site and another aspect to the mystery.

The mixture of James Bond-esque spy thriller, high-tech sci-fi gadgetry on par with Iron Man, and the ninja angle brings a unique charm to Ninja-K. This, along with the clandestine black ops set dressing and Captain America-esque stoic devotion to duty brings Ninja-K into enthralling territory.

I'd been really looking forward to trying this one, and it certainly delivered. A lot of it brings me back to the Ed Brubaker era of Captain America, which also dealt with a lot of spy thriller plots and clandestine black ops organizations funded by government shadow cabinets contrasted by an almost naively devoted soldier. Brubaker's Captain America is among my all-time favorite comic series, so that's a huge compliment.

Ninja-K, like Steve Rogers, is a character that shows a lot in small details. While he can seem flat, his questioning of his surroundings and perception of justice shows that he may not be the military poster boy he seems.

Plus, the conspiracy involving the ninja programme's history is almost designed to test his faith in his superiors. Ninja-C and Madame Charade are also quite interesting, and I hope both show up again in the issues to come.

If there is a major flaw, it would be the frequent dumps of exposition. The comic has a lot to explain, and it doesn't necessarily distribute it in the most economical fashion. It can bog down the pace in parts.

Roberto de la Torre provides a good opening in the artistic department, and Tomas Giorello takes it from there. Giorello's artwork is highly detailed and stellar. The Ninja uniforms look amazing, and he does some interesting stuff with Madame Charade's design, too. Diego Rodriguez does some solid color art to bolster the other two artists, and the resulting comic looks awesome.

Ninja-K #2 is a great, action-packed, and engaging read. The lead is interesting, the plot is absorbing, and the art is phenomenal. This one comes highly recommended. Give it a read.

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