Ninjak #19

by Jason Laframboise on September 09, 2016

Ninjak #19

Written by: Matt Kindt

Art by: Khari Evans and Andres Guinaldo
Published by Valiant Comics

This is the second issue in the Fist and the Steel story. I have to say that this one just isn't clicking for me. I like that Valiant can play around with the time in which the stories take place but with Ninjak I would rather see the follow up to the current story, where Ninjak was left with his home destroyed, and his wealth stolen. Instead we get a slow story about future Ninjak and Gilad the Eternal Warrior tracking the last member of the Shadow Seven. The Eternal Warrior in this issue just seems like a warrior out of time, which I find to be an odd characterization since he's not a barbarian from the past, but an immortal man. It's just the story arc so far feels like a waste of time when we have larger issues to deal with in the present. The back up story however which does take place in the present was much better, with Ninjak basically in a trance while Livewire and his MI5 handler Neville Alcott try to figure out what's wrong with him. They turn to an unlikely resource for this which we will get more of next issue.
As I've said before, I'm not a big fan of Khari Evans art. Some of it is just that 90ish style that I hated growing up, with misshaped bodies and faces. It's not that the art is bad, because it is good, but the style just isn't my cup of tea. The colours are good.  The A cover is really awesome though. There are some good panels, but not enough to save the art for me.
Matt Kindt is an excellent writer, and almost every thing he has done with Valiant is top notch. I loved Rai and 4001 over the past few months, and at times Ninjak might have been my favourite book but this month I'm just not feeling it at all. Maybe the wrap up to this story will be amazing and I'll be eating my words next month. I really hope that is the case. Which on a positive note we do get the return of a big Valiant villain. So I am happy with that.  Honestly I wish the two stories were reversed, the back up and the main story as the back up seems way more interesting even though our main character is basically sitting cross legged.
Overall the issue was weak, and my rating will reflect that. I would skip this one.

Our Score:

6/10

A Look Inside