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Ninjak (2015)
Ninjak, Vol. 1: Weaponeer
Every master spy…has to start somewhere.
Then: Meet inexperienced MI-6 recruit Colin King on his first mission in the field as he learns the basics of spycraft and counterintelligence, and develops a volatile relationship with his first handler.
Now: Colin King is Ninjak, the world’s foremost intelligence operative, weapons expert, and master assassin. And he’s hunting the Shadow Seven — a secret cabal of shinobi masters with mysterious ties to his training and tragic past.
Start reading here as Ninjak’s past and future collide in the pages of an all-new ongoing series from New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (The Valiant, Divinity) and superstar artists Clay Mann (X-Men: Legacy, Gambit), Butch Guice (Captain America, Action Comics), and Juan José Ryp (Black Summer)!
Collecting: Ninjak 1–5
Then: Meet inexperienced MI-6 recruit Colin King on his first mission in the field as he learns the basics of spycraft and counterintelligence, and develops a volatile relationship with his first handler.
Now: Colin King is Ninjak, the world’s foremost intelligence operative, weapons expert, and master assassin. And he’s hunting the Shadow Seven — a secret cabal of shinobi masters with mysterious ties to his training and tragic past.
Start reading here as Ninjak’s past and future collide in the pages of an all-new ongoing series from New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (The Valiant, Divinity) and superstar artists Clay Mann (X-Men: Legacy, Gambit), Butch Guice (Captain America, Action Comics), and Juan José Ryp (Black Summer)!
Collecting: Ninjak 1–5
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2015
31 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
May 22, 2019
Maybe the stupidest name for a comic ever.
But peel away that silly moniker and it was actually really cool.
Ninjak is basically James Bond with ninja skills on top of all the gadgets. Really.
Plus, he's got an interestingly mysterious backstory that starts to unfold (but not all the way!), and some incredible villains with their own crazy-cool origin stories.
I thought this looked super dumb, but my kid kept pushing me to read it. Again, I hate to admit when he's right, but...he was right.
There was a lot more going on here than just some dork in a ninja costume chasing down bad guys.
So, yeah. I'm hooked. Definitely going to keep reading as much of this title as I can find.
But peel away that silly moniker and it was actually really cool.
Ninjak is basically James Bond with ninja skills on top of all the gadgets. Really.
Plus, he's got an interestingly mysterious backstory that starts to unfold (but not all the way!), and some incredible villains with their own crazy-cool origin stories.
I thought this looked super dumb, but my kid kept pushing me to read it. Again, I hate to admit when he's right, but...he was right.
There was a lot more going on here than just some dork in a ninja costume chasing down bad guys.
So, yeah. I'm hooked. Definitely going to keep reading as much of this title as I can find.
June 1, 2022
A good comic. Good character, and a good introduction to the character. Even good art work. My only problem was I was expecting a lot more action that is the only thing that let me down in this comic. The story and character development are great.
The comic is split between 3 time periods, the main story today, then staring the young boy who would become Ninjak, and the lost files of his early days from spy training. As well as origins of a couple of other characters.
I was impressed with the story and Ninjak’s mental faculties, his consummate planning, skills, but with a character who looks like this, and looks like a walking arsenal I expected more action that is all. Otherwise a great start to the series.
The comic is split between 3 time periods, the main story today, then staring the young boy who would become Ninjak, and the lost files of his early days from spy training. As well as origins of a couple of other characters.
I was impressed with the story and Ninjak’s mental faculties, his consummate planning, skills, but with a character who looks like this, and looks like a walking arsenal I expected more action that is all. Otherwise a great start to the series.
May 31, 2022
Meeting in Valiant offices year and years ago:
Suit #1: We’ve done superhero, let’s do a spy book.
Suit #2: Why not a superhero spy book?
Exec: I like! James Bond as a superhero!
Suit #2: Yeah, but superhero? Bond is already supercool, make him too invulnerable and we’ve got all the problems DC has with Superman.
Suit #1: True, but I agree, let’s jazz up the Bond story a bit – how about, oh I don’t know, Bond with the gadgets, AND, stay with me now, AND he’s a martial arts expert.
Exec and #2: HE’S ALREADY A MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT!!
Suit #1: Then, a NINJA spy book.
Exec: I like!
Ninjak goes back to Valiant’s first era, and the new management brought in WAY COOL writer Matt Kindt and a team of art talent to bring this title back in this 2015 collection of issues 1-5.
I expected that I would like this one and I did even more than I thought I would. It has lots of action, very good writing and the art was amazing.
I’ll be reading more of this series.
Suit #1: We’ve done superhero, let’s do a spy book.
Suit #2: Why not a superhero spy book?
Exec: I like! James Bond as a superhero!
Suit #2: Yeah, but superhero? Bond is already supercool, make him too invulnerable and we’ve got all the problems DC has with Superman.
Suit #1: True, but I agree, let’s jazz up the Bond story a bit – how about, oh I don’t know, Bond with the gadgets, AND, stay with me now, AND he’s a martial arts expert.
Exec and #2: HE’S ALREADY A MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT!!
Suit #1: Then, a NINJA spy book.
Exec: I like!
Ninjak goes back to Valiant’s first era, and the new management brought in WAY COOL writer Matt Kindt and a team of art talent to bring this title back in this 2015 collection of issues 1-5.
I expected that I would like this one and I did even more than I thought I would. It has lots of action, very good writing and the art was amazing.
I’ll be reading more of this series.
June 25, 2016
Do you remember Ninjak? No? He was part of the Valiant line back in '94 with Bloodshot and X-O Manowar. While looking up this one on GR, I found the trade for the original series that I haven't read since they were released. In one of the reviews for that, the person makes the negative comment that "Ninjak as a character is fairly dull; James Bond with Ninja skills, basically."
So to counter that, let me tell you about Ninjak. He's James Bond with ninja skills, basically. What else could you want? Other people compare him to Batman, except that he kills people, if that helps. Personally, I think the spy slant is much stronger than the gadgets that point towards Batman, but that's just me.
This is a spy book. With ninjas. And magic. James Bond with ninja skills. Basically.
So to counter that, let me tell you about Ninjak. He's James Bond with ninja skills, basically. What else could you want? Other people compare him to Batman, except that he kills people, if that helps. Personally, I think the spy slant is much stronger than the gadgets that point towards Batman, but that's just me.
This is a spy book. With ninjas. And magic. James Bond with ninja skills. Basically.
May 28, 2017
Ninjak is about a top secret MI-6 agent, Colin King. We see Colin is the "Then" sequences as a young, inexperienced field agent. We see Ninjak "Now" as an apex operative. Ninjak, Vol. 1 shows how that transformation came about.
I saw this at my comic book store and didn't know what to make of it. The cover was certainly attractive, but I had never heard of this character. I thought I'd take a chance on him and I am glad that I did. Matt Kindt tells a damn good super-agent story. I thought the use of "Then" and "Now" sequences spaced well throughout the story, really highlight the changes and the often hard lessons learned by Colin on his way to becoming one of the best spy/assassins out there.
The story often jumps back to show how Ninjak may have learned a certain skill or a certain lesson. I was impressed with the decent level of the tradecraft shown in the story. It never descends into the sophomoric levels of what comic writers "think" is good spycraft, but has the basics down pat (I spent a decade as a Human Intel guy...some of the tradecraft have real world backgrounds, which is impressive). The artwork is quite good, though to me it has its roots in the stylized 1990's superhero art. No do not fear- no long pony tails and overly muscled buffoons, but more of a stylistic homage to that era. But what do I know about art? Nothing. I just know I liked it.
The story is action packed and some of the more complicated parts are pedestrian (evil arms dealer, ninjas galore, mystical zen masters, etc) it still seems to pull it off without being stale or dry. So, after, this first volume I think I will delve more into the Ninjak stories-if you're a fan of the action spy genre you should take a look as well. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I saw this at my comic book store and didn't know what to make of it. The cover was certainly attractive, but I had never heard of this character. I thought I'd take a chance on him and I am glad that I did. Matt Kindt tells a damn good super-agent story. I thought the use of "Then" and "Now" sequences spaced well throughout the story, really highlight the changes and the often hard lessons learned by Colin on his way to becoming one of the best spy/assassins out there.
The story often jumps back to show how Ninjak may have learned a certain skill or a certain lesson. I was impressed with the decent level of the tradecraft shown in the story. It never descends into the sophomoric levels of what comic writers "think" is good spycraft, but has the basics down pat (I spent a decade as a Human Intel guy...some of the tradecraft have real world backgrounds, which is impressive). The artwork is quite good, though to me it has its roots in the stylized 1990's superhero art. No do not fear- no long pony tails and overly muscled buffoons, but more of a stylistic homage to that era. But what do I know about art? Nothing. I just know I liked it.
The story is action packed and some of the more complicated parts are pedestrian (evil arms dealer, ninjas galore, mystical zen masters, etc) it still seems to pull it off without being stale or dry. So, after, this first volume I think I will delve more into the Ninjak stories-if you're a fan of the action spy genre you should take a look as well. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
June 10, 2018
This was...a ton of fucking fun.
I know, I know, we've seen this before. A white dude masters the arts of the ninja way and becomes a badass warrior with super technology to take down the bad guys. Oh, is that Batman calling? Well yeah. But the thing is there's only so many ideas but it's how you do them. Ninjak is smart in it's way. Giving us flashbacks, between his childhood, while also his first missions as a killer, and then of course the current storyline. Some supernatural flare with spy-like James bond shit basically in a over the top but very fun storyline.
Good: The art is really solid. Everyone has a distinct look and the action flows smooth. The past storyline is very interesting and kind of flips the script on a Bruce like upbringing which I really enjoyed. Also the missing files were interesting add on to make Ninjak past more interesting for me.
Bad: Some of the dialog, especially internal dialog, can be a bit stretched and too much. Also the main villain here is kind of meh.
Overall this was really fun, exciting, over the trip trippy adventure. This is one Valiant series I will be buying more volumes for sure!
I know, I know, we've seen this before. A white dude masters the arts of the ninja way and becomes a badass warrior with super technology to take down the bad guys. Oh, is that Batman calling? Well yeah. But the thing is there's only so many ideas but it's how you do them. Ninjak is smart in it's way. Giving us flashbacks, between his childhood, while also his first missions as a killer, and then of course the current storyline. Some supernatural flare with spy-like James bond shit basically in a over the top but very fun storyline.
Good: The art is really solid. Everyone has a distinct look and the action flows smooth. The past storyline is very interesting and kind of flips the script on a Bruce like upbringing which I really enjoyed. Also the missing files were interesting add on to make Ninjak past more interesting for me.
Bad: Some of the dialog, especially internal dialog, can be a bit stretched and too much. Also the main villain here is kind of meh.
Overall this was really fun, exciting, over the trip trippy adventure. This is one Valiant series I will be buying more volumes for sure!
September 16, 2015
4.5 stars if I could.
I have always loved Ninjas.
I mean...what little boy growing up in the 80's didn't?
I was especially fond of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow from G.I. Joe. I used to run around the house with a black t-shirt over my face and my socks tucked between my toes like ninja boots pretending I was Snake Eyes out hunting Cobra Commander.
*Shrugs*
It was my jam. Don't judge.
6-year old me would have loved the absolute shit out of this comic! Hell - 40-year-old me loves the shit out of this comic! I especially like how the start of each issue has a blueprint describing the various aspects of Ninjak's gear.
6-year-old me use to love the ever living fuck out of spy blueprints.
I guess that hasn't changed.
Anyways - I was first introduced to the Ninjak character through X-O Manowar. When I saw that Matt Kindt was doing the Ninjak solo comic it was a no-brainer. This first arc was everything I love about Ninjas. It's got infiltration, stealth, sweet gear, crazy bad guys, and some really fucking off the wall fight scenes!
Add to that a healthy dose of mystic back story and training bullshit (temples and quests of servitude are essential in every ninja story) and I have to admit that if I hadn't already blown my load then I was most certainly on my way!
Ninjak is bad ass! Valiant is really knocking it outta the park right now with stories I just can't say enough good things about. Manowar, Bloodshot, and now Ninjak! Fuck yeah!
Oh yeah - let's not forget the pictures! This first volume has some bangin' artwork and I often turned the page only to cackle in glee as my eyes were assaulted with more panels of Ninja ass kicking! I have been very impressed with Clay Mann's work and will definitely be keeping my eyes open for other projects his name gets attached to.
I don't know where this comic is going - I do know, however, that if I were a dog and this story was a leg...well...I'd hump the shit out of it!
October 2, 2019
Ninjak is the story of a top secret MI-6 agent, Colin King. The reader is moved back and forth between his childhood as a wealthy Brit, with absentee parents and a domineering guardian, his early adventures and mistakes as a rookie agent, deciding to spare the life of Roku, a well-known female assassin (with unusual weapons) and the current story where operating as Ninjak,he infiltrates Weaponeer, a dangerous international crime cartel, trying to determine the identity of its mysterious board of directors (the Shadow Seven.) Along the way he clashes with Roku, a female assassin whose long hair possesses a variety of deadly qualities. The artwork is good, but short of outstanding. 3.5 stars.
July 18, 2017
This comic is worth it for the dynamic fight sequences alone. The story tends toward espionage, but the explosions, spy devices and battles make it more similar to a James Bond movie. We all know that 'Bond' and 'spy' have no reason to be used together. It's a good Bond movie, though. The story has flashbacks from Ninjak's childhood, his first year as a spy and also the origin story of his antagonists, adding depth to these mysterious characters.
Roku is a woman whose body is a living weapon: she can kill using her hair or her extraordinary communiction skills. Ninjak frees her from her custom-made Russian prison. His next mission involves Roku's boss, Kannon, one of the seven leaders in the Shadow Seven group working for a secret organization called Weaponeer. Ninjak's cover identity needs to gain Kannon's trust to attain the position of CEO of Weaponeer and shut it down completely.
Roku is a woman whose body is a living weapon: she can kill using her hair or her extraordinary communiction skills. Ninjak frees her from her custom-made Russian prison. His next mission involves Roku's boss, Kannon, one of the seven leaders in the Shadow Seven group working for a secret organization called Weaponeer. Ninjak's cover identity needs to gain Kannon's trust to attain the position of CEO of Weaponeer and shut it down completely.
August 9, 2017
I just can't do it anymore. This book ends my ongoing attempt to read everything Valiant publishes. I'd read almost every single issue they've published since the reboot. This point on wards I'm going to be much more discriminating. I'll probably still read X-O and the peek at the new books, but I'm not going to just read a book because of the Valiant logo. Which is a shame, this publisher started something pretty interesting - a shared universe with monthly titles that were not as unwieldy as DC and Marvel. I was actually able to sanely digest their full catalog - I'm still able to, but the quality has been extremely hit or miss lately.
December 15, 2020
Better than I'd expected from Nin-jerk. There's more here to be discovered.
Fun Fact: I'm pretty sure the design of Ninjak's stately home is based on an actual late medieval castle that was part of my University's campus back in the late '90s. I took classes there, but alas never perfected ninjutsu.
Fun Fact: I'm pretty sure the design of Ninjak's stately home is based on an actual late medieval castle that was part of my University's campus back in the late '90s. I took classes there, but alas never perfected ninjutsu.
February 13, 2018
I'm surprised it took this long for Ninjak to get a solo series, given his supporting roles in X-O Manowar, Unity, and all of the crossover events thus far. That said, given how good this was, I'm happy to have waited this long.
Ninjak takes centre stage as he attempts to infiltrate Weaponeer, an underground organization that makes deadly weapons for terrorists. Of course, all doesn't go as planned, and Ninjak's secret spy mission becomes a battle for his life against Weaponeer's greatest weapon, Roku.
The main story here is great. It feels very James Bond, or Mission Impossible, and it's aided by Ninjak's extensive tools of the trade that keep things unpredictable. Clay Mann's love of close-up shots really bring you into the action, and his gorgeous artwork feels very fluid, especially during the battle scenes. His Roku is a true thing of beauty.
Also included are the flashback back-up stories, The Lost Files, which spotlight Ninjak's first year as a spy as well as the secret origin of Kannan, one of the heads of Weaponeer. These are pencilled by Butch Guice, who really lends himself to the noir style that these stories take.
There's a fill-in issue by Juan José Ryp that spotlights Roku's origin as well, giving us some insight into who and what she is, which has some intriguing ties with some unexpected corners of the Valiant Universe. Ryp's art is a lot more subdued than his last few outings that have put me off of his style, so while it's not as easy on the eye as Mann's, it's not a complete turn-off.
Ninjak's adventure is nowhere near over, and this new flavour of Valiant book is a breath of fresh air.
Ninjak takes centre stage as he attempts to infiltrate Weaponeer, an underground organization that makes deadly weapons for terrorists. Of course, all doesn't go as planned, and Ninjak's secret spy mission becomes a battle for his life against Weaponeer's greatest weapon, Roku.
The main story here is great. It feels very James Bond, or Mission Impossible, and it's aided by Ninjak's extensive tools of the trade that keep things unpredictable. Clay Mann's love of close-up shots really bring you into the action, and his gorgeous artwork feels very fluid, especially during the battle scenes. His Roku is a true thing of beauty.
Also included are the flashback back-up stories, The Lost Files, which spotlight Ninjak's first year as a spy as well as the secret origin of Kannan, one of the heads of Weaponeer. These are pencilled by Butch Guice, who really lends himself to the noir style that these stories take.
There's a fill-in issue by Juan José Ryp that spotlights Roku's origin as well, giving us some insight into who and what she is, which has some intriguing ties with some unexpected corners of the Valiant Universe. Ryp's art is a lot more subdued than his last few outings that have put me off of his style, so while it's not as easy on the eye as Mann's, it's not a complete turn-off.
Ninjak's adventure is nowhere near over, and this new flavour of Valiant book is a breath of fresh air.
July 31, 2016
Matt Kindt kicks off Valiant's James-Bond-as-ninja title with a well paced and finely structured tale of superspy Colin King (a.k.a. Ninjak) infiltrating the shadowy illegal weapons manufacturer Weaponeer.
The entertaining "Lost Files" b-story is drawn by the excellent Butch Guice. While Clay Mann's work on the main title is perfectly fine, I still kind of wish Guice had drawn the whole thing.
The entertaining "Lost Files" b-story is drawn by the excellent Butch Guice. While Clay Mann's work on the main title is perfectly fine, I still kind of wish Guice had drawn the whole thing.
March 8, 2020
Interesting, the art is impressive and stunning and the script is attractive
December 17, 2015
Valiant spotlights one of its longest running characters in the new Ninjak series.
Ninjak gives fans a good look at the ninja/spy/hero with a complex multi-time period narrative. The main story follows Ninjak as he infiltrates Weaponeer, a dangerous international crime cartel. His mission is to identify and neutralize Weaponeer’s mysterious board of directors (the “Shadow Seven”). Along the way he clashes with Roku, a female assassin whose long hair possesses a variety of deadly qualities. That action is intercut with flashbacks to the childhood of Colin King, an upper crust Brit with neglectful, often absent parents and a domineering guardian. A back-up feature follows a pre-Ninjak Colin as a rookie MI-5 agent learning the ropes and making some serious mistakes.
Matt Kindt has proven to be one of Valiant’s key writers and he keeps his streak going with Ninjak. The character often has been deployed as a shadowy presence who pops in and out of a story before readers get a handle on him. Kindt does a nice job of establishing an actual personality for Ninjak and of building out his secret identity. Colin could have come off as nothing more than a Bruce Wayne clone, but Kindt makes him more interesting than that, leaning into the character’s Britishness and class distinction to craft a complex characterization. Juggling the multiple timelines could be confusing in lesser hands, but Kindt manages the transitions smoothly and keeps readers’ attention throughout.
The main action in the Weaponeer arc is well-handled. Kindt provides some memorable villains, especially the enigmatic Roku, and crafts a scenario that distinguishes Ninjak from other heroes. The espionage milieu continues to expand Valiant’s stylistic breadth and provides a distinctive backdrop that Kindt utilizes rather effectively. The back-up feature showing Colin in the process of becoming Ninjak is a nice addition that deepens the character and gives readers a fuller picture of the hero.
Clay Mann has been doing some really nice work for Valiant over the past few years. His art on Ninjak is among his best. It’s dynamic and sharp, keeping the action zipping along. Mann is confident enough to stick with mostly traditional layouts that suit the plot. When he does experiment with page composition it has a real impact; a scene of Ninjak crashing out of a highrise window is especially memorable. He’s equally adept at big action sequences and more subtle scenes in the shadows. He combines rather smoothly with inker Seth Mann and colorist Ulises Arreola to give the main feature some real visual impact. Veteran favorite Butch Guice is onboard for the backup feature, doing his trademarked sketchy, moody, shadow-drenched work. It’s classic Guice and is a perfect fit for the tone of the back-up, as well as a striking contrast to Mann’s work on the main feature.
Ninjak is a very easy series to pick up. Fans really don’t need any prior knowledge of the character. It’s a sleek, propulsive series that packs a great action/espionage punch.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
Ninjak gives fans a good look at the ninja/spy/hero with a complex multi-time period narrative. The main story follows Ninjak as he infiltrates Weaponeer, a dangerous international crime cartel. His mission is to identify and neutralize Weaponeer’s mysterious board of directors (the “Shadow Seven”). Along the way he clashes with Roku, a female assassin whose long hair possesses a variety of deadly qualities. That action is intercut with flashbacks to the childhood of Colin King, an upper crust Brit with neglectful, often absent parents and a domineering guardian. A back-up feature follows a pre-Ninjak Colin as a rookie MI-5 agent learning the ropes and making some serious mistakes.
Matt Kindt has proven to be one of Valiant’s key writers and he keeps his streak going with Ninjak. The character often has been deployed as a shadowy presence who pops in and out of a story before readers get a handle on him. Kindt does a nice job of establishing an actual personality for Ninjak and of building out his secret identity. Colin could have come off as nothing more than a Bruce Wayne clone, but Kindt makes him more interesting than that, leaning into the character’s Britishness and class distinction to craft a complex characterization. Juggling the multiple timelines could be confusing in lesser hands, but Kindt manages the transitions smoothly and keeps readers’ attention throughout.
The main action in the Weaponeer arc is well-handled. Kindt provides some memorable villains, especially the enigmatic Roku, and crafts a scenario that distinguishes Ninjak from other heroes. The espionage milieu continues to expand Valiant’s stylistic breadth and provides a distinctive backdrop that Kindt utilizes rather effectively. The back-up feature showing Colin in the process of becoming Ninjak is a nice addition that deepens the character and gives readers a fuller picture of the hero.
Clay Mann has been doing some really nice work for Valiant over the past few years. His art on Ninjak is among his best. It’s dynamic and sharp, keeping the action zipping along. Mann is confident enough to stick with mostly traditional layouts that suit the plot. When he does experiment with page composition it has a real impact; a scene of Ninjak crashing out of a highrise window is especially memorable. He’s equally adept at big action sequences and more subtle scenes in the shadows. He combines rather smoothly with inker Seth Mann and colorist Ulises Arreola to give the main feature some real visual impact. Veteran favorite Butch Guice is onboard for the backup feature, doing his trademarked sketchy, moody, shadow-drenched work. It’s classic Guice and is a perfect fit for the tone of the back-up, as well as a striking contrast to Mann’s work on the main feature.
Ninjak is a very easy series to pick up. Fans really don’t need any prior knowledge of the character. It’s a sleek, propulsive series that packs a great action/espionage punch.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
December 21, 2015
Valiant's Ninjak ongoing ends up disappointingly center of the road, closer to Unity than to Divinity, in terms of Kindt's other work with the company. The story is a focused, almost interesting, Batman meets Bond spy story. There are some groovy eastern elements, making up a unique sub-plot, but everything else is predictable spy-action, free of surprise or intrigue. Clay Mann's art is acceptable, but nothing stunning (standard for a Valiant book), while Kindt's story never really figures itself out, with boring dialogue, and dull, static characters. None of this is to say that Ninjak doesn't have potential, and if you are a big espionage buff, you'll probably find more to enjoy here than I did, but Ninjak is far from a must-read. I might poke my head up for volume two if I hear good things though, the Shadow Seven COULD be an interesting concept, depending on the execution.
October 23, 2020
Not much can make a comic reader's head sag like the four letters that make us all feel the pain of disappointment. Yes, Roku is here – she of the lethally flappy hair and copious other unfeasible talents. This Book One, then, was on a hiding to nothing – trying to give us the current Ninjak as well as positing her pathetic character as his first enemy. Still, this does make a change from the recent thread of Ninjak books, with him reluctant to be in his position and seeking the people who made him so. Here (with extended codas to each monthly from a different story entirely) we get his task of infiltrating some fat Asian type's weapons supply company, allowing us to see him in full flight, but not really managing to convince. This gets going in OK fashion (artwork actually quite good, for all the weaponised hair), after which Roku gets a one-shot flashback of her own, featuring her gaining her own new life courtesy of some stupid giant fantasy trolls, upon which the digital book I was reading went wappy and instead of giving me issue #5, gave me the Roku prequel a second time. Talk about rubbing salt into the wound.
So I still don't know if there is actually a self-contained arc in these pages – Valiant's habit of awkward Volume Ones, where no end of prior reading is needed, or too much legwork from the newbie in working out what the heck we're reading, or abandoning a story mid-flow just because it fits a trade volume, might suggest otherwise, as would their habit of currently having books that bear very little resemblance to the initial stories. I do think I would have been on board for this, as slight and derivative it might be, if it were not for the extended appearance of the world's most annoying redhead since Bonnie Langford got the Doctor Who gig. What I got given (free mind, but hey) is probably closer to the two stars than it would like.
So I still don't know if there is actually a self-contained arc in these pages – Valiant's habit of awkward Volume Ones, where no end of prior reading is needed, or too much legwork from the newbie in working out what the heck we're reading, or abandoning a story mid-flow just because it fits a trade volume, might suggest otherwise, as would their habit of currently having books that bear very little resemblance to the initial stories. I do think I would have been on board for this, as slight and derivative it might be, if it were not for the extended appearance of the world's most annoying redhead since Bonnie Langford got the Doctor Who gig. What I got given (free mind, but hey) is probably closer to the two stars than it would like.
December 24, 2017
Excellent
I have not likes Ninjak in a lot of Valiant crossover titles and Ninjak has always suffered from "seems a lot like Batman meets James Bond with orientalism thrown in" syndrome. Furthermore, this was a 20-year-old character that could have a little too much 90's edginess, I was worried. Matt Kindt's writing here is strong and he turns many things that could be worrying about the property into assets by embracing them.
I have not likes Ninjak in a lot of Valiant crossover titles and Ninjak has always suffered from "seems a lot like Batman meets James Bond with orientalism thrown in" syndrome. Furthermore, this was a 20-year-old character that could have a little too much 90's edginess, I was worried. Matt Kindt's writing here is strong and he turns many things that could be worrying about the property into assets by embracing them.
December 4, 2021
O Ninjak - in «Ninjak, Volume 1: Weaponeer» da Valiant - no karaoke. A migração do Kindt para a Valiant é uma das bênçãos que, caso fosse beata, teria que incluir em todos os meus momentos de oração.
January 28, 2019
Fun tale of spy craft and ninja shit following fan-favorite character Ninjak in his own series! Read and reviewed in full in Ninjak: Deluxe Edition 1
March 23, 2018
Matt Kindt is Valiant. His books are amazing and I will read everything there is to read.
November 8, 2020
Reprints Ninjak (3) #1-5 (March 2015-July 2015). Ninjak has one of his most dangerous assignments ever. Tasked to infiltrate the international illegal arms dealership called Weaponeer, Ninjak must first ally himself Kannon of the Shadow Seven in the hopes of rooting out the other members of the Shadow Seven. Colin discovers gaining Kannon’s trust might be impossible and if he does manage to succeed that he still has to deal with Kannon’s trained lackey Roku. Plus, Colin’s past as an agent is revealed and the mistakes he made as he began his career.
Written by Matt Kindt, Ninjak Volume 1: Weaponeer is a Valiant Comics superhero comic book collection. The volume contains art by Clay Mann, Juan Jose Ryp, Seth Mann, and Marguerite Sauvage and was also collected as part of Ninjak Deluxe Edition—Volume 1.
Generally, I don’t necessarily like spy comics, but I do like martial arts comics which leaves Ninjak is a weird position. Of Valiant’s first run characters, I found Ninjak to be one of the least dynamic and essentially he just always had the skills he needed to get by. The Valiant relaunch gave Ninjak a bit more depth and this series fleshes out the “new” Ninjak even more.
The nice thing about Ninjak is that he generally throws no punches (as opposed to a Marvel or DC character). If Ninjak needs to kill a man, he kills a man. It is a brutal realism that is lacking in many comics. Will he spare a guy if he can? Yes…but in general, he’s will to put down a bad guy if the bad guy serves no purpose to him.
While the collection is kind of a contained story, it is part of a bigger and incomplete story. Today, comic books try so hard to give neat, gift-wrapped collection that stand-alone and I sometimes admire comics like Ninjak that simply tell a story with less focus on how it is going to be collected. The plot against the Shadow Seven is just starting and this collection doesn’t even reveal what Kannon and Roku are really up to before moving onto the next of “the Seven”.
The story also intermixes two back storylines for Ninjak. One has Colin and his “battles” with his abusive guardian Alain and the second collected in “The Lost Files” deals with Colin’s initial action as a spy for MI-6. Both do a decent job of giving a rather bland character some structure for future stories and attempts to make him more interesting.
Ninjak often feels “too good”. The character will have all his ribs broken in a fight and still take down the bad guy with ease. Superheroes almost always win, but sometimes writers manage to make it seems like the characters are doing more than breaking a sweat. It doesn’t always feel that way with Ninjak in this volume, but the story is compelling enough to read on. Ninjak 1: Weaponeer is followed by Ninjak 2: The Shadow Wars.
Written by Matt Kindt, Ninjak Volume 1: Weaponeer is a Valiant Comics superhero comic book collection. The volume contains art by Clay Mann, Juan Jose Ryp, Seth Mann, and Marguerite Sauvage and was also collected as part of Ninjak Deluxe Edition—Volume 1.
Generally, I don’t necessarily like spy comics, but I do like martial arts comics which leaves Ninjak is a weird position. Of Valiant’s first run characters, I found Ninjak to be one of the least dynamic and essentially he just always had the skills he needed to get by. The Valiant relaunch gave Ninjak a bit more depth and this series fleshes out the “new” Ninjak even more.
The nice thing about Ninjak is that he generally throws no punches (as opposed to a Marvel or DC character). If Ninjak needs to kill a man, he kills a man. It is a brutal realism that is lacking in many comics. Will he spare a guy if he can? Yes…but in general, he’s will to put down a bad guy if the bad guy serves no purpose to him.
While the collection is kind of a contained story, it is part of a bigger and incomplete story. Today, comic books try so hard to give neat, gift-wrapped collection that stand-alone and I sometimes admire comics like Ninjak that simply tell a story with less focus on how it is going to be collected. The plot against the Shadow Seven is just starting and this collection doesn’t even reveal what Kannon and Roku are really up to before moving onto the next of “the Seven”.
The story also intermixes two back storylines for Ninjak. One has Colin and his “battles” with his abusive guardian Alain and the second collected in “The Lost Files” deals with Colin’s initial action as a spy for MI-6. Both do a decent job of giving a rather bland character some structure for future stories and attempts to make him more interesting.
Ninjak often feels “too good”. The character will have all his ribs broken in a fight and still take down the bad guy with ease. Superheroes almost always win, but sometimes writers manage to make it seems like the characters are doing more than breaking a sweat. It doesn’t always feel that way with Ninjak in this volume, but the story is compelling enough to read on. Ninjak 1: Weaponeer is followed by Ninjak 2: The Shadow Wars.
January 16, 2021
The current batch of Valiant comics, close to a decade since they began at this point, has been a welcome fresh look at the best of modern DC and Marvel comics if they featured less familiar characters. They were gifted two of the best writers in modern comics, Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt, to help make this happen. Ninjak Vol. 1: Weaponeer, by Kindt, is an excellent example of this.
Ninjak is kind of Batman if he were, well, a ninja who’s also a secret agent. Kindt has a great time exploring Ninjak’s origins as he plunged into a current adventure, an infiltration into a shadowy organization filled with intrigue. The result is a multifaceted adventure that keeps things interesting even when you think you know exactly where everything is headed. Clay Mann, currently one of Tom King’s favorite collaborators, does his predictably, almost easy to take for granted, brilliant work in the main story, while Butch Guice once again resurfaces in the origin flashback sequences.
The thing that helps make all this possible is that Ninjak, like all of Valiant’s characters, is a somewhat known commodity you can do anything with because he’s all potential that has so far been untapped, still waiting to gain an actual legacy. We just saw last year how pre-pandemic audiences still didn’t know what to make of another Valiant hero, Bloodshot, at the movies, being given no real indication, as with another obscure discovery when Iron Man went cinematic, that there was a rich tapestry behind him just waiting to happen.
That’s what reading something like this is all about. If Iron Man could lead to Thanos and the Avengers saga, that’s exactly the kind of experience you can expect to find here, and the comics surrounding it, and what Valiant itself could still become, a recognized major player in comics and the culture at large. This is where it starts. The quality of any one comic leads to the potential of more, which leads to greater exposure, greater awareness. Superman became Superman over the course of decades. James Bond didn’t pick up all the bells and whistles until several movies later. This is Ninjak finding his groove. Can ya dig it?
Ninjak is kind of Batman if he were, well, a ninja who’s also a secret agent. Kindt has a great time exploring Ninjak’s origins as he plunged into a current adventure, an infiltration into a shadowy organization filled with intrigue. The result is a multifaceted adventure that keeps things interesting even when you think you know exactly where everything is headed. Clay Mann, currently one of Tom King’s favorite collaborators, does his predictably, almost easy to take for granted, brilliant work in the main story, while Butch Guice once again resurfaces in the origin flashback sequences.
The thing that helps make all this possible is that Ninjak, like all of Valiant’s characters, is a somewhat known commodity you can do anything with because he’s all potential that has so far been untapped, still waiting to gain an actual legacy. We just saw last year how pre-pandemic audiences still didn’t know what to make of another Valiant hero, Bloodshot, at the movies, being given no real indication, as with another obscure discovery when Iron Man went cinematic, that there was a rich tapestry behind him just waiting to happen.
That’s what reading something like this is all about. If Iron Man could lead to Thanos and the Avengers saga, that’s exactly the kind of experience you can expect to find here, and the comics surrounding it, and what Valiant itself could still become, a recognized major player in comics and the culture at large. This is where it starts. The quality of any one comic leads to the potential of more, which leads to greater exposure, greater awareness. Superman became Superman over the course of decades. James Bond didn’t pick up all the bells and whistles until several movies later. This is Ninjak finding his groove. Can ya dig it?
November 20, 2017
Meh.
I'm only reading this out of loyalty. This is the third iteration of Ninjak, and it's just as mediocre as the other two. The major question here seems to be, "What if Batman was grim and gritty?" Not a question I was asking.
Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed Kindt's work in the past, and I think he writes good spy stuff. The problem here is the same problem that everybody seems to have with Valiant; what is the point of these characters? Why does the world need Bloodshot, Shadowman or Ninjak? At least Magnus and Turok are nice and visceral, there's an inherent goofiness to their characters that makes it impossible for them to get too precious. Ninjak? He's, uh, a ninja. They even try the old Weapon X trick of making him Ninja-K, after Ninja-J and before Ninja-L. It doesn't work.
At least the storytelling is clear. I can follow along as Ninja-k fights weapons traffickers and other ninjas, remembers his bad-ass upbringing at the hands of his sadistic butler who was NOT named Alfred, remembers the loss of his early love to early ninjas and his early love was NOT named Elektra, and et cetera. It's all competently drawn with the three hallmarks of Valiant that I wish were not; modern comics rendering with extra bad-ass dark areas, computer coloring in the same style as a cereal box, and those damn slashing irregular panels THAT JUST DO NOT WORK.
I will keep reading because I have all five volumes here before me, and the series is unambitious enough that I think it might still surprise me.
I'm only reading this out of loyalty. This is the third iteration of Ninjak, and it's just as mediocre as the other two. The major question here seems to be, "What if Batman was grim and gritty?" Not a question I was asking.
Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed Kindt's work in the past, and I think he writes good spy stuff. The problem here is the same problem that everybody seems to have with Valiant; what is the point of these characters? Why does the world need Bloodshot, Shadowman or Ninjak? At least Magnus and Turok are nice and visceral, there's an inherent goofiness to their characters that makes it impossible for them to get too precious. Ninjak? He's, uh, a ninja. They even try the old Weapon X trick of making him Ninja-K, after Ninja-J and before Ninja-L. It doesn't work.
At least the storytelling is clear. I can follow along as Ninja-k fights weapons traffickers and other ninjas, remembers his bad-ass upbringing at the hands of his sadistic butler who was NOT named Alfred, remembers the loss of his early love to early ninjas and his early love was NOT named Elektra, and et cetera. It's all competently drawn with the three hallmarks of Valiant that I wish were not; modern comics rendering with extra bad-ass dark areas, computer coloring in the same style as a cereal box, and those damn slashing irregular panels THAT JUST DO NOT WORK.
I will keep reading because I have all five volumes here before me, and the series is unambitious enough that I think it might still surprise me.
March 22, 2018
Quem lê a primeira história de Ninjak, com certeza não vai ser convencido a continuar lendo, entretanto, aqueles que insistem um pouco mais vão ser recompensados com uma história de espionagem e formação incrivelmente saborosa. E digo saborosa também no sentido dos desenhos de Clay Mann que faz homens e mulheres estonteantes. Vale dizer que a história corre em três linhas do tempo: uma no presente, na missão de Ninjak, que antes que você possa supor, não é um ninja, mas um agente secreto; outra, e a melhor delas, se passa no passado distante do garoto Ninjak, que era preso em sua propriedade com um tutor violento; e por, fim, a última, com desenhos de Butch Guice, que mostra um passado recente e conta como Ninjak se tornou quem é. Além disso tudo, temos uma história desenhada por Juan José Ryp, que conta a história de deuses ancestrais, monges e pactos de uma grande inimiga de Nijak. Ou seria aliada? Bem, a verdade é que Ninjak é mais um quadrinho da bola leva da Valiant Comics, uma editora que carece de mais materiais no Brasil, uma vez que vários de seus personagens estarão em diversos filmes a partir do ano que vem. Tomara que a editora tenha mais sobrevida deste vez nas mãos da Jambô Editora. Essa é a nossa torcida.
February 3, 2021
Really enjoyed this. Coming into the character only knowing what I do from XO Manowar and UNITY, I was expecting a rote, super spy 007 copy and was pleasantly surprised with what I read.
Sure, the spy stuff is there, of course, along with the predictable "parents too busy for a young Ninjak" backstory, the flashbacks to his childhood are well-done, with a fun antagonist and break up the story nicely. There are also flashbacks to his time as a rookie agent and again, while somewhat predictable, are done well enough that I enjoyed reading them and never felt bored.
The main baddie is interesting enough with an admittedly dumb "power", but surprisingly, her backstory is fleshed out to a decent degree and involves some supernatural curveballs that I didn't expect. It doesn't hurt that the whole thing is beautifully drawn and colored. The pages pop and explode with little details and color, so even when Ninjak was fighting henchmen, I was engaged.
All in all, glad I got this, looking forward to more.
Sure, the spy stuff is there, of course, along with the predictable "parents too busy for a young Ninjak" backstory, the flashbacks to his childhood are well-done, with a fun antagonist and break up the story nicely. There are also flashbacks to his time as a rookie agent and again, while somewhat predictable, are done well enough that I enjoyed reading them and never felt bored.
The main baddie is interesting enough with an admittedly dumb "power", but surprisingly, her backstory is fleshed out to a decent degree and involves some supernatural curveballs that I didn't expect. It doesn't hurt that the whole thing is beautifully drawn and colored. The pages pop and explode with little details and color, so even when Ninjak was fighting henchmen, I was engaged.
All in all, glad I got this, looking forward to more.
September 10, 2017
For me, this started real, real slow. I know that may be odd for an action story, but hear me out. Ninjak is kind of too perfect. Characters like that bore me. Luckily, there are some character flaws finally revealed near the end of the volume, but that was too late for me to enjoy the story I was reading. That being said, I'm up for giving the next round a chance.
Can we talk art for a minute? The artists Clay Mann, Butch Guice, and Juan Jose Ryp are all quite talented. Some panels were just flat out gorgeous.
The art would have gotten a 5 star rating if rated separately. Even the "lost files" style that isn't usually my cup of tea had so much emotion in it...just beautifully done.
Give me a little more depth in the protagonist next time and I'll bet my overall experience will improve exponentially.
Can we talk art for a minute? The artists Clay Mann, Butch Guice, and Juan Jose Ryp are all quite talented. Some panels were just flat out gorgeous.
The art would have gotten a 5 star rating if rated separately. Even the "lost files" style that isn't usually my cup of tea had so much emotion in it...just beautifully done.
Give me a little more depth in the protagonist next time and I'll bet my overall experience will improve exponentially.
March 26, 2017
Ninjak was one of the VH-1 characters who was just too '90s. I mean, he's a super-spy ninja. Despite those origins, he's been used well in the VH-E universe, and Kindt continues to rehabilitate him here by turning him into an anti-Batman. His parents are still alive, but uncaring, while the butler who raises him is abusive.
The main story of Weaponeer is quite well done: an exciting bit of spy craft that is follows the tropes of Jack Vance's Demon Princes, as Ninjak prepares to find and kill seven demonic arms dealers. However, it really excels in its multiple levels of stories, as we're simultaneously learning about Colin's youth, his early days with MI6, and even the history of his foes. It's more depth than you ever see in a comic, and what raises this from good to great.
The main story of Weaponeer is quite well done: an exciting bit of spy craft that is follows the tropes of Jack Vance's Demon Princes, as Ninjak prepares to find and kill seven demonic arms dealers. However, it really excels in its multiple levels of stories, as we're simultaneously learning about Colin's youth, his early days with MI6, and even the history of his foes. It's more depth than you ever see in a comic, and what raises this from good to great.
July 16, 2020
I didn't love the main art, which was very much what I think of as canned 2000-ish art, all bright and shiny, but I ended up really enjoying this. I'm a sucker for spy stuff, and Ninjak (or Ninja-K, stupid name, we know), though eye-rolling being a white ninja (your 90s roots are showing, dude), is fun as a Spy x Ninja, complete with gadgets. This volume includes not only a compelling childhood and early agent backstory, tidily summing up Ninjak's origin story, but it also flashes back to the origins of Ninjak's foil, Roku, a character whom I find intriguing (despite obvious parallels to Medusa of the Inhumans). I actually wished that I had more to read after finishing the first volume, which is always a good sign.
January 15, 2024
Valiant does a good job of getting great writers to pen books that you wouldn't normally associate with them. I can't picture Matt Kindt writing Ninjak but here it is and its good. Kindt tells a spy story with some high tech weaponry and cool villains. The book did veer off the rails at the end as the story gets a little wonky but its still a solid read. Ninjak isn't just a Batman ripoff. He's a combination of Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, and more. Kindt gives a great showing of who he is. He also introduces an incredibly cool villain, Roku (unfortunate name). Clayton Mann's art was extremely good especially the fight scenes. Overall, a very good beginning to what could be a very cool title.
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