Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe

Comic Info

Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe #1 Variant

Reprints Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe #1-4 (January 2018-April 2018).  Ninjak has few friends, but when his handler’s family is secretly kidnapped, Colin must go rogue to rescue them from Roku.  Roku wants a very specific item, and MI6 has it.  Ninjak finds robbing MI6 has put him in the line of fire of some of the world’s heaviest hitters…and they are taking no prisoners.  Archer and Armstrong, X-O Manowar, Livewire, the Eternal Warrior, and Bloodshot have all been sent to bring Ninjak in, but Ninjak isn’t giving up without a fight.

Written by Eliot Rahal, Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe is a Valiant Comics superhero comic.  It is an adaptation of the six episode life-action web series of the same title written by Aaron Schoenke which was released from April 21 to April 26, 2018 and recut as a feature film in March of 2020.  The series features art by Joe Bennett.

Ninjak is a fun character in the Valiant Universe.  He is part James Bond and part Snake-Eyes.  The character is an unstoppable force, but in a world where there are superhuman alien fighters, undead heroes, and warriors who have lived for centuries, being a ninja isn’t always the most beneficial…but it still seems to work.

Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe #2 Variant

The series is pretty simple, and it seems like it was made overly complex by Ninjak himself.  Though Ninjak is being monitored by Roku the entire time, it feels like he’s smart enough that he could have slipped his former teammates or Neville a clue or clues to why he’s betraying them.  It is figured out rather quickly (it was unrealistic that Ninjak would go rogue without a reason), and it quickly becomes a case of how to aid Ninjak as he tries to free Neville’s ex-wife and child.

Though it is rather short, the story moves at a good pace.  It probably helps to have a bit of source material to guide the story, but it feels a bit better balanced than some of the four issue adaptations today.  While early limited series were often wordy, they told a rather developed story in four issues.  Today’s writing style is different and it doesn’t seem to have as much space to talk…but Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe manages to balance and have complete storytelling.

With Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe as a stand-alone series, it doesn’t feel entirely complete.  In the course of the story, Roku is revealed to be working for someone else and the story ends with the a downside that could have future repercussions…but I don’t know that a sequel to this series is in the works or not to tie up these loose ends.  The book is solid enough that I’d definitely check it out…until then, the series is just a strange oddity like the live action movie itself.

Related Links:

Ninjak 1:  Weaponeer

Ninjak 2:  The Shadow Wars

Ninjak 3:  Operation:  Deadside