Ninja-K #10 from Valiant Comics arrives with a stripped-down story that leaves the massive battle in Mexico behind and reveals a deadly secret from the past with a very human failing who threatens the temporary peace.
For the past few issues, Ninka-K has taken readers on a wild action ride as our titular hero and his team of super-powered friends took on an equally powerful group of villains. Ninja-K #9 put to rest the Battle at Mexico City, ending it in spectacular fashion. However, for Colin King, aka Ninja-K, it was somewhat a pyrrhic victory. His side won the war, but the consequences of his decisions left King without many friends. And now, in Ninja-K #10, more things start to unravel for King’s employers, MI6.
Writing: Christos Gage
Pencils: Larry Stroman
Inks: Ryan Winn
Colors: Andrew Dalhouse
Letters: A Larger World Studios
Editor: Karl Bollers
“Immediate threat: MI6” – “The Computer”
WRITING
The artistic team changed a bit for this new issue of Ninja-K, but Christos Gage continues to handle the duties when it comes to the writing and story. Gage does an excellent job of balancing out Ninja-K’s hyper-action with some more character bits. Ninja-K #10 hits the ground running with an escape by a deadly prisoner who is oddly apologetic for the people he kills. After a few pages of exposition, that could arguably be a little too exposition-y, the story dives back into the vibrant action that makes Ninja-K fun to read.
Ninja-K #10 is sort of a standalone issue. A reader with no knowledge of what came before can quickly pick up what’s happening in the here and now. For better and worse, Gage handles this issue almost like an episode of Daredevil or Law & Order. There’s a clear pattern of action intro, exposition/setup, and payoff. Gage fills in the many blanks of that formula with action and intrigue.
ART
The Battle of Mexico City came to a close with Ninja-K #9 and the new storyline offered in #10 is handled by a new visual team. Changing artists, colorists, and inkers is a tricky thing in comics. Sometimes, the artist and art become one and the same, and it’s hard to look at the same character in a new way. So, what am I getting at here? Readers shouldn’t worry about some drastic shift in visual quality. Artist Stroman, along with inker Ryan Winn and colorist Andrew Dalhouse continue the great work started by Juan José Ryp and the previous team. There are tiny, nit-picky points where the difference is clear, but they are few and far between Ninja-K still looks consistently good.
CONCLUSION
Like with many stories, readers will either hang on to the train and go along for the ride or not. Ninja-K #10 continues the action-packed ride that features super-spies, Gods, monsters, magic, and more epic mayhem. Ninja-K is a science fiction and supernatural James Bond, if that doesn’t do anything for you, then you’re likely not going to get what this book is doing. However, if you, like me, felt special things in your heart at the thought of a ninja fighting a cyborg ninja with a shoulder-mounted cannon and built-in sword, then start reading Ninja-K immediately.
