Valiant Comics is continuing to strike gold by reviving their classic characters with the return of their take on Batman and James Bond, Ninjak. Though the character hasn't had an ongoing series for almost four years now, all that changes with the release of Ninjak #1, and the result is something bold and thrilling.
Created in 1993 by Mark Moretti and Joe Quesada, Ninjak is the secret identity of British socialite Colin King. Much like Bruce Wayne and countless other superheroes before him, Colin uses his tremendous wealth and social status to fund his double life as a crimefighter. Where Ninjak differs is that, instead of patrolling the streets for crime, he answers directly to the British government's espionage division, MI6. At least, he had answered to them before this new series.
Releasing on July 14th from cocreators Jeff Parker and Javier Pulido, Ninjak #1 is a soft reboot of the character. No longer working for MI6, Colin has become a hired hand, charging exorbitant fees for jobs no one else can do. Far from greedy though, Ninjak also takes on pro-bono humanitarian work, such as saving a journalist about to be killed by a government who doesn't like his reporting. All of that comes crashing down when a massive leak leaves all members of MI6 past and present completely exposed. With his identity no longer a secret, Colin King becomes the most hunted man in the world as sinister forces come looking for the man they had once only known as Ninjak.
Before anything else, what immediately stands out about the comic is its bold artistic direction. Though the book is set in the modern-day, Pulido's artwork puts readers into the mindset of the '60s spy thrillers which inspired Ninjak. There is certainly room for camp, but none of it ever takes away from the situation's gravity. Much like the man these pages depict, there's something undeniably elegant about the panels. Shapes are simple and most pages are almost monochromatic, the result being something easy to understand. Pulido has always been one of the medium's strongest visual storytellers, and Ninjak #1 is some of his best work yet.
On equal footing is the dialogue and plotting from Jeff Parker. The idea to start the series by exposing Ninjak's identity is masterful. Readers don't have to know anything about the character's history to understand what this means and how much trouble Colin will face in future issues. Also praiseworthy is how likable he comes across. Colin has all the confident swagger of James Bond, possessing a slight smugness that is always endearing instead of grating.
Overall, this is another solid revival from Valiant's efforts to reintroduce their classic characters. Previous titles like the superb Shadowman and X-O Manowar had already established that Valiant is invested in hiring the industry's most fascinating creators to re-ignite the company's best characters. With Ninjak, Parker and Pulido have created the next must-read comic.
Look for Ninjak #1 when Valiant Comic releases it on July 14th!