Comics
[Comic Review] “Ninjak” #1 – Is Another Stunning Debut From Valiant
Reviewed by Brady Steele. The Valiant Next movement keeps on rolling with its latest and greatest release: Ninjak #1. This 1990s embodiment is now even cooler in 2015. This book has it all in its debut: international British spy, uber-femme fatale, traumatic childhood and a ninja blowing stuff up.
WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt
ART BY: Clay Mann and Butch Guice
PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 11 March 2015
There is so much going on here on many levels that reading it over and over reveals how much effort writer Matt Kindt has put into this book. You can see it all over this initial chapter. Kindt mixes things together so well that it looks effortless. Combining a look at Ninjak’s utility belt with his psychiatric assessment is a prime example. The seeding is rampant everywhere in this issue too. Simple one-off lines and off-center images are leading readers somewhere already down the line.
Kindt and his artists are working darn hard already to make readers feel they are getting value for their money. The main story is being drawn by Clay Mann, who is very capable of showing how fun this character’s world can be. There was one moment I wasn’t exactly sure how Ninjak did what he did to evade exploding bullets but I’ll let that one panel slide. The Lost Files done by former Captain America and current Velvet artist Butch Guice are an excellent addition to flesh out Ninjak’s early spy years when he was simply Colin King, rookie agent. Seeing how he became so smooth and polished will no doubt add to the depth of this character in the future. Both artists are perfectly cast in their respective eras so I’ve no doubt will be a beauty to behold month in and month out.
I really knew nothing of this character other than his cool-killer moments from The Valiant miniseries and all those old 90s hologram / prismatic covers from my formative years. Based on that and now Ninjak #1, I’m interested. The layering of story elements and crisp art tells me this is a solid read worth picking up. Once again, Valiant Entertainment is the all-star team putting out great book one after another.
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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.
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