Creative Staff:
Story: Christos Gage
Art: Juan Jose Ryp
Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Letters: Dave Lanphear
What they say:
A once-loyal agent has defected from the ranks of MI6’s most elite espionage unit… and Ninjak has been dispatched across the globe to prevent his secrets from plunging the world into chaos. But, in the shadows of Mexico City, Colin King is about to discover something far more deadly… The Ninja Programme’s own former sensei, the Jonin, has assembled a conspiratorial circle of enigmatic enemies – the Dying One, Kostiy the Deathless, Linton March, and The United’s Ultimo – for a purpose so sinister that even Ninjak can’t risk engaging them alone. Enter: Livewire, Punk Mambo, Dr. Mirage, and GIN-GR – Ninjak’s brand-new black ops team with a very specific set of skills…and a license to kill the unkillable!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
If you’re a super-secret government agency whose job is to train British agents as ninja you have to have an excellent training course. The Ninja Programme is the name of the entity to which Neville and Ninjak answer. Founded in the 1940’s, a series of men lettered A – J held the mantle before our beloved Colin. A little-known fact is that there was another Ninja-K, K2, who was stripped of the title when Colin King rose to prominence. Shunned by the Programme and having a serious ax to grind K2 begins his tutelage under the dangerous Jonin. Jonin was the ninja master who trained ninja D – I and has some evil plans of his own brewing.
As Ninjak storms a facility in Mexico that has been the source of several unexplained events, he uncovers that not only has the building been used to experiment on Armor Hunter tech but Deadside magic as well. The combo of the two techs comes as a shock, but there isn’t much time to contemplate, as K2 attacks from behind. Colin trades barbs and punches with the disappointed K2, before running him through with his sword. As K2 gasps his last breath Jonin reveals himself to Ninjak. The match between the two is a great action sequence. The styles are evenly matched despite Ninjak’s claim that he is the best fighter he has ever faced. As Colin closes in for the kill, he is blasted by the arcane Mr. March. He rebounds and makes his escape only to be slammed through a wall by Kostiy the Deathless.
Fleeing through the jungle would typically signal the time for a scene change with our favorite British ninja, but not so fast my friend. Ultimo, a being imbued with powers from the Armor Hunter attack, is there to pursue the injured agent. Using a cloaked silent helicopter to escape, Ninjak decides to call in the troops.
Livewire, Dr. Mirage, and the legendary Punk Mambo are rounded up and make a deadly attack while riding the giant robot GIN-GR. Jonin has assigned a competent team, and the attack plan goes awry. As our heroes escape the crashing behemoth robot, Jonin’s side lies in wait in the jungle. The ensuing donnybrook is quite the spectacle. Each of the opponents has a decided edge, and the outcomes are what you would expect.
Seeing a clear feint, Ninjak and Livewire enter the facility in hopes of disturbing a ritual being performed by the Dying One. Ole D.O. can swap bodies freely and has come to possess the cocoon that holds Gilad Anni Paddi, the Eternal Warrior. When Gilad emerges from the envelope, he is possessed by a demon. Realizing that he can drive out the evil being Ninjak attacks and inflicts pain on the beast. But it’s too little too late for Colin, and the Dying One takes full control of the Eternal Warrior. Seeing that the battle is won, Jonin and his crew escape leaving Ultimo, who has grown to odd size, to duke it out with the revived GIN-GR.
In Summary:
This was an excellent refresher for the current series, which deals with the search for the Dying One, and was an action-packed trade. Gage and Ryp are building something epic here. The strain that is placed on Livewire and Ninjak after HW2 has a visible element in these issues.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 14+
Released By: Valiant
Release Date: October 10, 2018
MSRP: $14.99
