Reviewed by Brady Steele. The Valiant Entertainment Universe bounces back triumphantly this week by nailing three titles and making them all uniquely great. Ninjak #2, Divinity #3 and Ivar, Timewalker #4 are all fantastic reads worth your time and money. I’m going to cram in all the good stuff into one nice review for your reading pleasure.
Ivar, Timewalker #4 WRITTEN BY: Fred Van Lente ART BY: Clayton Henry
Ninjak#2 WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt ART BY: Clay Mann & Butch Guice
Divinity #3 WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt ART BY: Trevor Hairsine
PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: 22 April 2015
First up is Ivar, Timewalker #4, written by Fred Van Lente and art by Clayton Henry. Once again, writer Van Lente takes something as tried and tested as time travel and makes a story so utterly unique that it will baffle and amaze you until the end. Henry’s art, as always, impresses with its duality of simplicity in line work but combined with superb detailing. The main character, Ivar, is scarcely in this issue at all. His would becohort, Neela, sets out to prove she can change history and the outcome is one remarkable and troublesome lesson to learn.
Second on our list (in no particular order because all these books are impressive) is Ninjak #2, written by Matt Kindt and art by Clay Mann and Butch Guice. This is a smooth, suave ninja / spy thriller of a series and it’s only the second issue! There are so many minute details spread all over this series, from the introduction / recap page at the start to the sly maneuvering in front and behind of his foes to the back-up new spy tales by the great Butch Guice. The story moves nice and quick and slick enough to pay attention and re-read it again to see how the past and present of Ninjak are all playing into one another.
Thirdly, we have Divinity #3, written (again) by Matt Kindt and art by Trevor Hairsine. The would-be Omni-powerful cosmonaut takes on Unity, all of the mightiest warriors the Valiant Universe can dish out to neutralize the uncertainty he represents. Kindt in one instance takes a typical fight and makes it into a multi-layered and fascinating look at how power can be used to eliminate adversaries without throwing a punch. Riveting work. Catch up if you aren’t up to speed to see how breathtaking the art by Hairsine has been so far.
I normally would expand elaborate how each of these titles is worth your attention. I think if you want to try this shared comic book universe out, any of the Valiant Next books are exceptional gateways into this refreshing world. Each book is so utterly different from the other and yet the greatest thing they all share in common is that they are great reads. Pick them up and catch up to the Valiant Universe.
Ninjak #2 Score: 9/10 Skulls
Divinity #3 Score: 9/10 Skulls
Ivar, Timewalker #4 Score: 9.5/10
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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