REVIEW: Rai #8

Written by MATT KINDT
Art by CLAYTON CRAIN
Publisher: Valiant Entertaiment
Release Date: 04/08/2015

We are standing at the edge of the final act of Book 2 of this futuristic take on the Japanese feudal system.

I enjoyed Rai in his first incarnation as it seemed to be thinking of a larger scope story that didn’t fit with the majority of books at the time. Â Like many of the first run of Valiant books the art was a little plain compared to the “super stars” of the 90’s. Â I am glad to say, that at first glance, that is not the case here.

Reading more into the book and the art just gets better. For those who have read my previous reviews, you will know how I have stated that some books have a similar art style. Â This is so not the case here. The art by Clayton Crain is bold, the camera angles chosen highlight the cinematic feel the book has. The colour have a painted effect which again leads to the impression of cinema and the overall feel of the future world, reminiscent of 2000A.D.

Matt Kindt is on writing duty, weaving an intricate tale, filled with characters that seem to genuinely interact, not just pieces moved around to get the hero into place, whilst also cementing his world building. Â It is not just in this book does Kindt demonstrate his world building act; as a writer on a number of Valiant books, he is helping create a whole universe, leading into this summer Valiant crossover, the hinted at Book of Death.

This is the sort of Book you need to be around from the start as it can seem a little daunting and is not the most accessible of the Valiant books. But stick with it. I did enjoy the book and was glad to see the ideas from the earlier series carried on. With Kindt on board, you get good characters and a consistent universe in which to see them rise or fall.

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Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network