REVIEW: Ninjak #1

Written by Matt Kindt
Art by Clay Mann
Inks by Seth Mann
Colors by Ulises Arreola
Published by Valiant Entertainment LLC.

Unfortunately, there are not too many people around anymore that can say that they lived during the famous record-setting 56 game hit streak of 1941 achieved by The Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio. However, most of us are well aware of this extraordinary accomplishment and realize that this MLB record might never be broken. In my opinion, it’s statistically impossible, especially with the way baseball is played today.

“Now batting”¦number 1”¦Valiant Entertainment”…

Valiant’s statistics up to this point have been outstanding. They possess everything you want to see in an exceptional hitter ”“ great discipline at the plate, showing that they won’t swing at any pitches out of the strike zone, getting on base frequently, reading the pitcher, spraying the baseball all over the field and regularly treating the fans to majestic displays of raw power that rival the soaring shots of the Sultan of Swat himself, Babe Ruth. Valiant is a coach’s dream and an opponent’s nightmare. Right now, there is no way to pitch around Valiant. They can grab a bat by the wrong end of the stick and still find a way to get a hit – blindfolded. That’s how good they are. I say they, because IT IS they ”“ it’s not just one specific player on the Valiant team ”“ it’s all of them. From what I’ve noticed, each person lives up to their role with perfection on the Valiant squad.

This is the Age of Valiant. Enjoy it! Soak it in.

Since their resurgence in the summer of 2012, every comic book Valiant has produced has been one hit after another. The difference between Valiant’s hits and Joltin’ Joe’s hits, are that each of Valiant’s hits has a name. X-O Manowar #1, Unity #14, Armor Hunters #’s 1-4, Eternal Warrior #1, etc. Ninjak #1 is a no-doubter. Valiant really drove the ball deep on this swing by sending the oncoming pitch waaaay out of the park while simultaneously keeping their legendary hitting streak very much alive and well.

I won’t give you a pitch-by-pitch analysis like some networks do, but I will give you the keys to what made Ninjak #1 such a successful at-bat that will be talked about for years to come:

Matt Kindt ”“ If you have not picked up any of Matt Kindt’s epic literary masterpieces with Valiant, then you deserve to get hit by a pitch. Sorry, it’s part of the sport. To me, he’s playing at the top of his game right now and there’s no stopping him.
Clay Mann ”“ Superb vision. The art in nearly every panel of Ninjak #1 is full of intensity and emotion”¦phenomenal insight that you’d be lucky to see in a movie.
Seth Mann ”“ The inking in this issue was executed to perfection. It was heavy when it needed to be and light where it needed to be. It’s all about ambiance and allowing the readers the opportunity to savor each moment without it being drowned in ink or too dry when the situation called for a profound touch.
Ulises Arreola ”“ Why read an instant classic in black and white when you can experience the brilliance of Ulises Arreola conveying the vivid colors used in this issue. It will forever be etched into your mind.

Ninjak has always been an enjoyable character, but now, he has been given the breath of life he truly deserves. Issue one will provide you with a glimpse of his formative years, his journey as an amateur, and of course, the Ninjak we can’t get enough of. This is a perfect chance to jump into a book that’s guaranteed to be in a class by itself. Ninjak #1 is an extremely strong and powerful debut issue with many elements that’ll make this a celebrated run for as long as it wants to last.

My bottom line is this”¦you will regret not having this issue in your collection. Of that I can assure you. Do yourself a favor and be a part of history. Run! Pick up a copy while you can!

Until next time!

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Author Profile

13th Crusader

Real Name: Mike / Occupation: (As Mike) Classified; (as The 13th Crusader) Host of The Definitive Crusade, DC Podcast, for Undercover Capes / Known Aliases: 13, The Iron Mike, Ironhide, The Walking Human Encyclopedia, Professor M / Affiliations: Comic Crusaders / Base of Operations: The 13th Lair (location classified), often mobile / Abilities: Photographic memory (to the extent where he is capable of memorizing the comic book inventories of several stores simultaneously for lengthy periods of time), voice impersonation, acute senses (The 13th Crusader possesses an uncanny ability to track down vintage comic books, and on several occasions, with his eyes closed, he has been able to determine the exact year a comic book was published just by smelling the ink inside of it), capable of drawing sketches; however, he prefers to write. He has a substantial amount of resistance to alcohol, surpassing the levels displayed by Marvelâ€™s Volstagg and Valiantâ€™s Aram Anni-Padda â€“ combined. Multilingual (Proficient with English and Spanish, adequate with Portuguese and Italian). Above average marksman (he is capable of throwing objects accurately at high velocities), limited sword fighting skills and kickboxing techniques. / Known Weaknesses: Anything that involves the original Gwen Stacy, 2 for 1 drinks during Happy Hour, 50 cent comic book bins, the scent of 1983 comic book ink / Hobbies: Vintage comic book collecting, baseball, listening to excessive amounts of 80â€™s music / History: Little is known of The 13th Crusader. He is a man of many talents who was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He has extensive knowledge of the comic book world and heâ€™s been collecting comic books since before he was able to read. Heâ€™s a BIG time fan of Silver and Bronze Age comics, and as such, his personal collection is truly impressive. He owns books that range from the 1950â€™s and onward. First Appearance: Comic Crusaders Column â€“ What Defines A Characters First Appearance (Feb 2014)