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Valiant Masters
Valiant Masters: Ninjak, Volume 1: Black Water
Valiant is proud to present Valiant Masters: Ninjak, Vol 1: Black Water: a new hardcover collection of Ninjak's best-selling solo debut in the original Valiant Universe by Mark A. Moretti (Bloodshot) and industry icon Joe Quesada (Daredevil, Amazing Spider-Man).
Colin King - sophisticated British playboy by day, elite super-spy by night! Codenamed Ninjak, King is gifted with a brilliant mind and lethal training in the world's most dangerous fighting techniques. Both will be put to the ultimate test as he is drawn into a globe-spanning mission to apprehend Dr. Silk, mastermind of the WEBNET terror network, before the mysterious weapon known as "Black Water" goes online. From the British Isles to the land of the Rising Sun, Ninjak will leave an indelible imprint on the Valiant Universe - or die trying! Featuring guest appearances from X-O Manowar and Bloodshot: Valiant Masters: Ninjak, Volume 1: Black Water is an essential piece of Valiant history.
The latest Valiant Masters hardcover volume re-presents Joe Quesada's stunning covers and interiors from Ninjak's debut outing and origin, along with rarely-seen sketches and process art direct from the Valiant vaults.
Collecting: Ninjak 1-6, 0, 00
Colin King - sophisticated British playboy by day, elite super-spy by night! Codenamed Ninjak, King is gifted with a brilliant mind and lethal training in the world's most dangerous fighting techniques. Both will be put to the ultimate test as he is drawn into a globe-spanning mission to apprehend Dr. Silk, mastermind of the WEBNET terror network, before the mysterious weapon known as "Black Water" goes online. From the British Isles to the land of the Rising Sun, Ninjak will leave an indelible imprint on the Valiant Universe - or die trying! Featuring guest appearances from X-O Manowar and Bloodshot: Valiant Masters: Ninjak, Volume 1: Black Water is an essential piece of Valiant history.
The latest Valiant Masters hardcover volume re-presents Joe Quesada's stunning covers and interiors from Ninjak's debut outing and origin, along with rarely-seen sketches and process art direct from the Valiant vaults.
Collecting: Ninjak 1-6, 0, 00
184 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 3, 2022
This ended up being surprisingly fun to read. I honestly wasn’t expecting much based off some of the other 90s Valiant stuff I’ve read.
I will say after seeing some of the issues in the back before the coloring was added I actually wish there was a black and white version because I think it looked way better.
I will say after seeing some of the issues in the back before the coloring was added I actually wish there was a black and white version because I think it looked way better.
January 25, 2015
Aside from the zero issues and the really wordy 90s, this was actually really good. Hopefully there's more Valiant Masters coming
May 7, 2018
unutterably, dreadfully boring. character colours and design are unfortunately dated, scenes are confusing with surprisingly little action.
May 2, 2023
Only worth reading to look at the very pretty Quesada art in the first few issues.
March 5, 2026
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
Let me start this review by saying that this one is just a preview for the entire comic book. And I read it because I wanted to see if the full comic book was worth the money and time I would spend on it. And I’m gonna give you the answer for that at the end of this review.
This preview attempts to bring the early adventures of Ninjak to a new audience but falls short in execution. Despite the potential this preview had, it struggles with narrative cohesion and character development.
The story in this preview follows Ninjak, a skilled assassin and master spy, as he tackles the dangerous mission involving the Black Water project. While the premise promises action and espionage, the plot quickly becomes convoluted and difficult to follow. The narrative lacks focus, jumping between scenes without clear transitions, which have left me personally confused and disengaged.
The character development is notably lacking in this preview. Ninjak, who should be a compelling and complex hero, is presented with minimal depth. His motivations and personality are not fully explored, reducing him to a one-dimensional figure. The supporting characters fare no better, often serving as mere plot devices rather than integral parts of the story. This superficial treatment makes it difficult for me personally to connect with or care about the characters’ journeys.
The writing style introduces elements of intrigue and action, but the execution is uneven. The dialogues often feels forced and lacks the sharpness needed to elevate the stakes. Conversations serve more as exposition rather than meaningful interactions, which detracts from the potential for dynamic character exchanges and development.
The artwork in this preview, while capturing the style of its era, does not significantly enhance the narrative experience. The illustrations often lack detail and dynamism, failing to convey the excitement and intensity that the story demands. The visual style, while nostalgic, feels dated and does little to engage modern readers.
The pacing of this preview is another issue, with scenes that either drag without purpose or rush through potentially important moments. This inconsistency disrupts the flow and makes it challenging for me personally to maintain interest or fully grasp the plot’s progression. The lack of a clear narrative arc further exacerbates this problem.
Despite these shortcomings, the concept of Ninjak as a character holds potential for future development. With a more structured storyline and deeper exploration of character motivations, subsequent volumes could better capture the excitement and depth inherent in the premise.
So will I buy and read the full version of this comic book ? I don’t think I will. The main reason behind this is how poorly this preview was very uninteresting for me personally.
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
Let me start this review by saying that this one is just a preview for the entire comic book. And I read it because I wanted to see if the full comic book was worth the money and time I would spend on it. And I’m gonna give you the answer for that at the end of this review.
This preview attempts to bring the early adventures of Ninjak to a new audience but falls short in execution. Despite the potential this preview had, it struggles with narrative cohesion and character development.
The story in this preview follows Ninjak, a skilled assassin and master spy, as he tackles the dangerous mission involving the Black Water project. While the premise promises action and espionage, the plot quickly becomes convoluted and difficult to follow. The narrative lacks focus, jumping between scenes without clear transitions, which have left me personally confused and disengaged.
The character development is notably lacking in this preview. Ninjak, who should be a compelling and complex hero, is presented with minimal depth. His motivations and personality are not fully explored, reducing him to a one-dimensional figure. The supporting characters fare no better, often serving as mere plot devices rather than integral parts of the story. This superficial treatment makes it difficult for me personally to connect with or care about the characters’ journeys.
The writing style introduces elements of intrigue and action, but the execution is uneven. The dialogues often feels forced and lacks the sharpness needed to elevate the stakes. Conversations serve more as exposition rather than meaningful interactions, which detracts from the potential for dynamic character exchanges and development.
The artwork in this preview, while capturing the style of its era, does not significantly enhance the narrative experience. The illustrations often lack detail and dynamism, failing to convey the excitement and intensity that the story demands. The visual style, while nostalgic, feels dated and does little to engage modern readers.
The pacing of this preview is another issue, with scenes that either drag without purpose or rush through potentially important moments. This inconsistency disrupts the flow and makes it challenging for me personally to maintain interest or fully grasp the plot’s progression. The lack of a clear narrative arc further exacerbates this problem.
Despite these shortcomings, the concept of Ninjak as a character holds potential for future development. With a more structured storyline and deeper exploration of character motivations, subsequent volumes could better capture the excitement and depth inherent in the premise.
So will I buy and read the full version of this comic book ? I don’t think I will. The main reason behind this is how poorly this preview was very uninteresting for me personally.
May 23, 2015
For future reference, cursive fonts in comics don't work well when translated to Digital editions.
That being said, this collection tells the first adventures, and then an origin story, for Ninjak. The adventures aren't bad, although they're a bit wordy and convoluted rather than action-packed. The origin story, though, is just painfully slow and way more convoluted than it needs to be (and again, cursive fonts don't help for readability).
Ninjak as a character is fairly dull; James Bond with Ninja skills, basically, and these stories don't make much of his abilities to differentiate him. The art is also both busy and dark.
It's not a bad book, but there really isn't anything to recommend it. The reboot is at least a bit more interesting; going back to the old comics just highlights how much styles have changed in the past twenty years.
That being said, this collection tells the first adventures, and then an origin story, for Ninjak. The adventures aren't bad, although they're a bit wordy and convoluted rather than action-packed. The origin story, though, is just painfully slow and way more convoluted than it needs to be (and again, cursive fonts don't help for readability).
Ninjak as a character is fairly dull; James Bond with Ninja skills, basically, and these stories don't make much of his abilities to differentiate him. The art is also both busy and dark.
It's not a bad book, but there really isn't anything to recommend it. The reboot is at least a bit more interesting; going back to the old comics just highlights how much styles have changed in the past twenty years.
November 29, 2015
I was somewhat surprised to discover that Ninjak is James Bond to the point of being bad pastiche. The only thing that really makes him stand out is that he's darker and more manipulative (at least when compared to movie Bond).
This storytelling is also incredibly muddy, something that's not helped by the muddy Quesada art, the whole result being a comic that's hard to follow. It picks up a bit with the X-O crossover, but King's side of things is still awkward to follow. The 0 issues that follow are the height of the book, but it's not enough to save a book which generally felt like a dull waste of time that was largely incomprehensible.
I don't see any reason to continue on with this Valiant Classic.
This storytelling is also incredibly muddy, something that's not helped by the muddy Quesada art, the whole result being a comic that's hard to follow. It picks up a bit with the X-O crossover, but King's side of things is still awkward to follow. The 0 issues that follow are the height of the book, but it's not enough to save a book which generally felt like a dull waste of time that was largely incomprehensible.
I don't see any reason to continue on with this Valiant Classic.
November 3, 2016
Reprinting the original 90s tales of Ninjak, the volume isn't bad, but it does come across as overly wordy, and quite frankly, future head Marvel guy Joe Quesada's artwork is actually rather cramped and hard to follow in places for the three issues he drew. Of note to Valiant fans, particularly of the current Ninjak run, but not something I'd recommend to others.
Though at least we got an explanation for how this James Bond and Bruce Lee pastiche got a name like "Ninjak". Turns out, it's a cross between "ninja" and "Union Jack".
Though at least we got an explanation for how this James Bond and Bruce Lee pastiche got a name like "Ninjak". Turns out, it's a cross between "ninja" and "Union Jack".
July 26, 2025
A mess but an entertaining mess.
It's like Valiant dropped several action movies in a blender.
He's a spy, he's a ninja, he has a dark and secret past, he's a loner, but also a bit of a ladies man.
It's convoluted and messy, but if you just go along for the ride, it's a fun time waster.
He's got a cool design and he's a likable enough character, with a decent rogues gallery.
It's like Valiant dropped several action movies in a blender.
He's a spy, he's a ninja, he has a dark and secret past, he's a loner, but also a bit of a ladies man.
It's convoluted and messy, but if you just go along for the ride, it's a fun time waster.
He's got a cool design and he's a likable enough character, with a decent rogues gallery.
July 30, 2013
Not sold on this book. Ninjak is supposed to be the ninja version of James Bond or so it seems. Smooth, handsome and deadly. Unfortunately the book particularly the art work can be confusing and makes it a tough read.
November 13, 2014
I read the reboot before I read this and it just seem this guy isnt all that great and he was just lucky that every one around him was really bad on doing their jobs right. I still enjoyed the series but I would rather to read the reboot series.
June 10, 2014
It's cool seeing where a Valiant hero started. But I prefer the current version.
Old X-O sighting.
Sometimes the art and story seem jumbled.
Old X-O sighting.
Sometimes the art and story seem jumbled.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews