Comics
[Comic Review] “Ninjak” #4 Shines The Spotlight on The Enemy
Reviewed by Brady Steele. The bad guys steal the spotlight and wow the crowd in Ninjak #4. After dominating every issue she appears, Roku gets headliner status in this month’s edition. Why? Is she more intriguing than our titular ninja spy billionaire? You be the judge.
WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt
ART BY: Juan Hose Ryp, Clay Mann, Seth Mann, Marguerite Sauvage and Butch Guice
PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 24 June 2015
This chapter feels like a poker game that’s been played out over the last three issues. We’ve seen what the other players are holding and their stakes in this game are. Now writer Matt Kindt gives readers a look behind the poker face of a captivating new character,Roku. We’ve all seen how deadly this assassin is literally from head to toe. Kindt flips the cards over and shows us how she came to be. It’s an enticing look into how killers and mysticism (or mental breakdowns) mix together and literally shape who you will become. You can see Roku evolve before your very eyes into one of, if not the most lethal slayers in the Valiant Universe.
There is a plethora of artists this month and it’s actually for a good reason. I feel readers can appreciate a good flashback when done right. Thankfully, this creative team knows how to do that and have brought in Juan Hose Ryp, Seth Mann and Marguerite Sauvageto up the horror and demonic origins of Roku. Ryp excels at graphic detail which is exactly what this transformative journey calls for. The rest of the usual murders row of artists, Clay Mann and Butch Guice, continue their brilliant streaks on this book.
It’s astounding that Guice does so much with only eight pages every month. The villains literally take over the series this month as we are shown the beginnings of Kannon as well.
Throwing in an origin story at such a pivotal moment is a gamble that pays off nicely for Ninjak #4. I didn’t even know I needed this breather but I’m so glad it’s here. Kindt, Mann, Guice et al manage to make the next chapter even more enticing now that we know a little more about all the players at the table. This continues to be a well-crafted book that demands your attention.
—
Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.
Twitter: @mrbradysteele
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
You must be logged in to post a comment.