Valiant; $3.99
Ninjak, the spy and mercenary, learned that his training with the Undead Monk made him the seventh member of the Shadow Seven – a mystically trained group of spies led by supernatural assassin Roku, who also happens to be his ex-lover. He has joined them on a mission for Sandria Darque to kill her brother, Master Darque.
Supernatural threats have already whittled the team down to Ninjak and Roku as they enter Darquewood, which is filled with forest animals that have mutated into nightmarish creatures. Unfortunately for our hero, there are still a few surprises hidden in Darquewood once they have found Master Darque.
Matt Kindt wrote an emotionally complex, slightly spooky, kind of sad issue. It has some of Ninjak’s signature action, but is a more brooding supernatural story and less suave spy adventure. But, this arc has added more to the complexity that is Ninjak and Colin, the man behind the mask. Though his foe was magical, what he faced, externally and internally, was very human.
Stephen Segovia and Ulises Arreola created some great art. The colors popped, the faces were expressive, and the tone resonated through the use of color and shadow. It was action, science fiction, and horror rolled into one issue that was very clearly expressed through the art.
-Amanda Sheriff