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Reviews for 19-12-21 
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Past Aways #5

7/31/2015

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Past Aways #5

Dark Horse Comics 2015

Written by Matt Kindt

Illustrated by Scott Kolins

Coloured by Bill Crabtree



When the stranded deep-time explorers Art, Phil, Ursula, Herb, and Margaret go toe to toe with a tentacled beast from outside the timestream, they discover too late that the creature is actually a rescue vessel tasked with returning the lost team to their origin point in history. In the confusion, the synthetically enhanced Phil uses the pretense of mistakenly disabling the rescue vessel to hide a shocking secret from the other Past Aways—the vessel’s pilot, Hein, who suffers from a violently disorienting form of time sickness. Now, Phil has offered to relieve Hein of his ailment, but not unless Hein assists him with the assassination of their team leader, Art. But how can Art die if the laws of space-time forbid it?



This issue is a nice look at the characters and mending the relationships they have after being stuck in the past for a full year and finally coming back together.  Not only does Matt weave some great characterization into the story but he also subtly gives us a look at what’s going to happen soon enough as well as overtly giving us a new adversary for them.  



I have to say I really enjoyed the little action we got here in the form of the tortoise having awoken in the trophy room.  You have to admire Scott’s talent and imagination in taking something like a tortoise and make monstrous and menacing while also demonstrating why Maggie is with them.  While it also demonstrates how Matt has been able to get them back into working like a team it really is one of those moments when you think what have they been doing, where have they been that this killer tortoise was found to begin with.  




Also after their encounter with the tortoise and where they go as a result I’d love to see that explored more.  The idea that the Mayans and other ancient cultures could have inadvertently opened up or found portals to other times and/or dimensions is something that could explain “lost” civilizations.  Plus it could also prove to be access points for other people or things traveling to our current time which could be a prime reason the team was sent here in the first place.  Regardless that it opens the reader’s mind to other possibilities is something Matt does extraordinarily well.



As the question about their headquarters security is raised it’s nice to see this guy with the ability to shunt himself back in time a few seconds to figure out the best course of action after seeing how other react to him getting inside against the odds continues to raise more questions.  Who is this person and why are they here now?  Are they here to help or destroy or is he just another traveler stuck in this time period looking for a way home as well?  Though let’s face it his actions, okay yes i’m assuming it’s a man though though it could be a woman, don’t seem to indicate he’s benevolent quite the opposite actually so I’d like to think he’s here to do damage to the team for some purpose that will be revealed over time.



This book keeps getting more involved and intense with each issue and that’s exactly how it should be.  This crescendo style of storytelling is the kind we look for and wonder when it will peak then sink only to rise again and it’s the journey we take along with it that keeps us coming back time and again.  



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Wayward #10

7/31/2015

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Wayward #10

Image Comics 2014

Written by Jim Zub

Illustrated by Steve Cummings

Coloured by Tamra Bonvillain



Emi Ohara was a quiet schoolgirl in Japan, until she started manifesting strange powers.  She can alter the form of manmade objects and change her body to match their materials.  These abilities made her a target for Yokai, mythical Japanese creatures and spirits.  Hunted and confused she was saved by two other teens with powers of their own--Nikaido, a boy who absorbs and controls emotions and Ayane a girl formed from supernatural energies channeled through generation of cats.

The three of them have teamed up with Tsuchigumo--supernatural spiders rebelling against their Yokai brethren.  The spiders have recommended a daring assault on a temple used as a place of power by the enemy.  At the same time, two of their friends they thought were dead, Rori and Shirai, are trying to find them.  Rori’s powers are steadily growing and she’s seen a foreboding vision of the group’s great destiny…..



This really is among the most interesting, unique and thought provoking stories being put out today.  I mean we’re immersed in Japanese lore here as these kids who’ve come into these powers are trying to discover their place in this new order.  However they are still naive and don’t whom to trust and the Tsuchigumo while going against their brethren may not have been the best choice.   Although I have to admit taking the fight to flying bird creatures we’ve seen in past issues is just amazingly well done.  Taking Jim’s story and direction and having Steve and Tamra being able to illustrate it like they do it’s like watching some mesmerizing ballet performance.  



While it’s been a while for us it hasn’t been that long for these kids and seeing them find a way to use their unique abilities at such an advanced level is fantastic and delightful.  They have such grit and determination in the way they are approaching this and it’s just the three of them at the moment going up against these creatures, exposing them to the public at large and ushering a new age that I don’t think the general populace is prepared for.  



As the leader of the Tsuchigumo and “long nose” exchange of words should paid close attention to.  What the spider says leads me to believe that they’ve taken vengeance against their brethren for past transgressions and the lock they currently have on the future and are using the children to leave the future uncertain and more than likely up for grabs.  Ohara is facing off against “long nose” and she has a spider in her ear connected to another spider proxy elsewhere and seems to almost possess her into action on their behalf.  



Oh my stars and garters when Rori gets there everything changes in ways none of these old legends can fathom.  More powerful than ever with an understanding of the weave that those in power wouldn’t have thought possible this series is primed to take a bold move into the future.  



I’m just sorry we have to wait now till November to see what happens next.  This really is a mind blowing series full of awe, wonder and the legends of old.  It’s also a fantastic opportunity to learn about another culture in a fun, entertaining way.





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The Tithe #5

7/31/2015

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The Tithe #4

Top Cow Productions/Image Comics 2015

Created & Written by Matt Hawkins

Created & Illustrated by Rahsan Ekedal

Coloured by Mike Spicer



I have to say that Matt really surprised me with this issue.  While I’ve been enjoying seeing Sam give James a run for his money with this whole Samaritan thing forcing him to up his own computer game what happens this issue takes things to a level I knew would come just not so soon.  Last issue we started seeing cracks in Sam’s crew and with Rachel and Mike’s penchant for drug use we knew it wouldn’t be long but I honestly expected the chase to last a lot longer than it has.



We open up at the Summit Church in Phoenix we left off last issue.  Agent Campbell got a shot off and hit Mike who dropped his fun and there’s a good sized pool of blood, with tire tracks, at the scene.  Dwayne got a good look at them too the first real break the boys have had in all this yet.  Yet when they boys boss gets there you know things are about to go from bad to worse.  I have to say when reading this you actually get this solemn feeling when you read Dwayne’s words it’s like you know he’s upset about shooting someone and the way it all went down.



What happens with the Samaritan gang is also just as solemn.  Ah sweet, misguided Mike with the hot body and the tattoo’s who loved getting too high is dead and Kyle, big brother, isn’t having it.  



With everything that happens this issue it’s nice to see that James and Dwayne are more than just working partners but friends as well.  Their easy going good natured banter may seem to ease the tension Dwayne shows on his face.  Rahsan really has hit his stride with his work on the interiors as facial expressions look just amazing!  I mean he’s been able to really show such emotion on these pages that match the words perfectly and you really feel what’s happening with these characters.  I have been a fan of his work since day one but there’s something here that you can’t pinpoint but just see that it’s been raised to a whole new level.



With his brother dead and buried Kyle becomes someone we don’t recognize any longer and his feelings for Sam and her rejection of them are the catalyst for what happens in the remainder of this issue.  The events that unfold do a lot to create such a wide variety of emotions and feelings in me as a reader and it demonstrates Matt’s ability as a writer and that he’s come a long way in being able to really get into the mind and mood of the story he’s telling.  



That this was intended to be a limited series but will be continuing on should be the only testament you need to understand just how good this book is.  The stark honest look at how organized religion and the effects or hypocrisy of these Mega Churches may, I say may, be seen and it’s thought provoking, entertaining and just a heck of a good read.  There’s no preaching one way or the other just a look at how the characters of this story see and feel.  



This should really be on your reading list, specially if you like movies like Ocean’s 11, Mission Impossible or any other action thriller.  





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Doctor Who the Tenth Doctor #13

7/31/2015

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Doctor Who the Tenth Doctor #13

Titan Comics 2014

Written by Nick Abadzis

Penciled by Elena Casagrande

Inked by Simone Di Meo

Coloured by Hi-Fi



Leaving Gabby to make amends with Cindy, the Doctor discovered an unearthly device in the heart of Manhattan, capable of triggering rejuvenation. The Doctor tracked the device to the apartment of actress Dorothy Bell – dogged at every step by street-smart agent Cleo. Having seized the artifact at Bell’s home, Cleo unleashed a fraction of its power, before fleeing back to her employers, Erik and Hanif, leaving Dorothy, her assistant, Vivian, and the Doctor in a state of retroregeneration... But the artifact restored more than a healthy youthful glow to Dorothy: she merged with the mysterious alien entity within – and is now drawing a strange extraterrestrial power toward Earth!



Nick’s grasp of Tennant’s Doctor is phenomenal to put it mildly.  That he has a new companion here and it’s all based out of New York was a little strange at first but now I’ve come to like that this could be more global in scope and it would be nice to see something in the Far East as story arc.  For now however they still need to deal with the rejuvenated and powered up Dorothy and seemingly save the world not only from the Obsidian Block approaching Earth but also from Cleo and her crazy employer who seems to think that the reemergence of gods is imminent.



That Dorothy and her new passenger seem to think that Gabby is something special seems to fit with most of the Doctor’s companions.  It’s never been shown but it seems each of his companions have had something special about them that is either hinted at or never fully revealed, except for Rose.  



I have to say one of the benefits to a comic book story with the Doctor compared to a television episode is that we have more opportunity to really delve in different avenues of the story and the characters.  There seems to me more time or just a better use of pages and time to flesh out the story more fully in ways that television just doesn’t allow for.  Nick has this great talent for writing and it’s such a joy and pleasure to read his work and this issue showcases that as we see what Dorothy’s actions are and how the organization Cleo belongs to is involved and the dialogue that each character brings to the table.  



That we are used to seeing aliens as the central “bad guy” in a majority of the Doctor’s stories by taking a different route here Nick’s expanding on what kind of threats and situations the Doctor finds himself in and actually expands his character more than ever before.  



Elena is a joy, she’s both a very sweet individual and an amazingly talented artist and her work here really helps to express emotion, feeling and just show the larger scale events happening, like the obsidian block or Dorothy’s new abilities to build.  Her David Tennant can’t be beat he’s just a perfect representation of the real man and what she can do on paper not just with him but with all characters involved she really is a standout in a crowded field of artists.  



I’m having just as much fun if not more so now reading the Tenth Doctor’s adventures than watching his run on the show.





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Grimm Tales of Terror #13

7/30/2015

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Grimm Tales of Terror #13

Zenescope Entertainment 2014

Written by Joe Brusha

Illustrated by Ferran Sellares

Coloured by Marco Lesko



A man is drugged and wakes up in a bathtub full of ice only to realize his organs have been stolen, but that’s only the beginning of this twisted tale! One of the creepiest and most popular urban legends is re-imagined in the Volume One finale of Zenescope’s incredible horror anthology series!



I really like the premise of this series but what I really don’t care for is the dual stories I just don’t see why they are necessary.  This issue could have benefited from more story about the urban legend where organs were snatched and the person woke up in the bath tub.  If our hostess were telling that story to someone who was involved behind the scenes in setting people up to have their organs taken I could get behind her more but as it sits this one about a man who stalked girls pretending to be older in order to drink in a bar well honestly that didn’t do it for me.  



Let’s face facts if they do it regularly like suggested they are gonna end up get drunk and having sex with someone who like young girls, and sixteen yeah well they obviously thought they knew better and were invincible.  Yeah the guys something of a predator but that didn’t really go with the theme of organ snatching.  I wish this had actually had something to do with the main story.  On it’s own it could also have been a very powerful story and lesson about trying to grow up too fast and about predatory men.



That there’s a woman out there being hired to steal organs from unsuspecting men in hotel bars yeah that is a fantastic story.  But we didn’t get enough time spent on it.  Yes I do like what happened to her this issue but really i’d love to have seen something more about the guy she was working for and something happening to them in retaliation or being brought down as viciously treated as they were.



Background information or something more about the process or a victim seeking revenge would really have made this more exciting.  I was hoping that Jeremy would have gone after Ms. Belle after what happened to him.  That Sandra, Ms. Belle, did get her comeuppance was nice to see but it was just bits and pieces and not a full story for me.  Plus what we saw in Japan was odd since there was no information about that as well just a collector who liked very specific items.  



I will give out huge props to Zenescope in finding Ferran and Marko whose abilities on display here are wonderful.  The interior artwork is nicely detailed full of life, emotion and even that hint of fear needed in telling such a story.  



This series has promise but I don’t think we got to delve into the urban legends enough for my tastes.  Still with some tweaking this could be something extraordinary.





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Jem & the Holograms #5

7/30/2015

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Jem & the Holograms #5

IDW Publishing 2015

Story by Thompson & Campbell

Written by Kelly Thompson

Illustrated by Sophie Campbell

Coloured by M. Victoria Robado



Love it or hate it there is no question this series is on the lips of so many people and is creating a new legion of fans worldwide and honestly I think that’s great.  This is an updated version of a somewhat campy cartoon, my opinion, that has taken on new meaning and direction to showcase such wonderful diversity, inner strength and that you can follow your dreams and be whatever/whoever you want to be in this world.  I miss the music and let’s face it there really should be that Shazam app thing to at least bring us a single with each issue to really make it that much more interactive but hey i’m reaching for the stars with that one.



Last issue Clash called Blaze and set in motion a plan that Clash thought would be in the Misfits best interest only as we see this issue that plan completely backfired.  Not only did it draw more attention to Jem & the Holograms but it made Pizzazz angry because it did just that, made them more famous and nothing bad happened to em.  It’s actually a softer side of Pizzazz if there is such a thing but I have to admit I liked it.



Rio really has made himself at home with all the girls, except Jem of course and as Jerrica’s boyfriend (?) he’s at the hospital for Aja after the mishap on stage.  He really is the guy that cares about them and while he hasn’t officially joined them in any official capacity you see that his feelings are genuine.  Still now it’s time to get ready for the VS. contest and that means coming up a with a new song, courtesy of Kimber, and we see all around how they are preparing themselves in what seems like a love montage between Stormer and Kimber.  As well as the rest of both bands.



So it’s the Misfits VS battle time and Jerrica and company are out on the boardwalk letting the trailer get less crowded so she can safely change to Jem when they have their first band to band meeting with the Misfits.  This is when Kimber recognizes Clash as being at the benefit with a bag full of tools and knows she sabotaged the stage.  So what happens next well it’s just too much fun people seriously this is the kind of high school antics you always wanted to see and be a part of and seeing it here yeah it’s freakin hilarious.  Plus this is the act that irrevocably puts them at odds forever.



I am a fan of the interior artwork as well.  It’s fun,flirty, cute and in my humble opinion is an elevated cartoon style which makes for the real perfect compliment.  I get happy looking at this book’s interiors there really is something about that you can’t help but smile while looking at.  



Regardless of what your personal feeling are if you don’t give this it’s proper chance you’re doing yourself a disservice.  I think this is a perfect book for today’s world for all ages and genders.  





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Doctor Who the Ninth Doctor #3

7/30/2015

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Doctor Who the Ninth Doctor #3

Titan Comics 2015

Written by Cavan Scott

Art/Colour finishes by Blair Shedd & Rachael Stott

Coloured by Anang Setyawan



The Doctor, Rose and Jack arrived aboard a Lect ship just before it was destroyed by the Unon. The Doctor and Jack escaped aboard the TARDIS, but Rose was swept into the Time Vortex! A piece of purloined tech preserved her just long enough for her to be swept into the timescoops of a tentacled trader named Glom.

The Doctor and Jack tracked Rose down to the Fluren Temporal Bazaar, an illegal weapons fair hidden inside a supernova! The Doctor discovered Gallifreyan weapons among the items for sale, dangerous relics of the Time War. Angrily offering his unique, Time Lord mind to the highest bidder, the Doctor hoped to lure out the Unon... only to have a group of armored Lect teleport aboard and surround them, lasers at the ready!



I love that we are getting this limited series tale of Eccleston’s adventures as the Doctor.  After all he’s the one who reignited the passion and love the series and all too often he’s overlooked since he was only around one season.   Cavan also manages to infuse the excitment and freshness that seeing the Doctor, Rose and Jack together as if it’s brand new again.  The writing here is just brilliantly done to keep things new and that haven’t been traveling together or working together for a long period of time that they are all still learning about each other.



Blair, Rachael and Anang’s work on the interiors is wonderful.  I am thoroughly enjoying the unique look they are bringing to this series.  For some reason this style really is enticing and helps differentiate it from the rest and it feels groundbreaking in its crispness and attention to detail.  The line work and overall appearance just really makes that kind of statement that you can’t help but notice and keep coming back to.



The Fluren Temporal Bazaar is a stroke of genius really seeing all these aliens in one place some of whom haven’t officially made their presence known yet but have been given a reason to hate the Doctor now and humans it’s just something I’m surprised we haven’t seen more of.  Plus I haven’t the foggiest notion why but i’m digging Glom.  



Rose thinks the Doctor is killed when he’s just shifted to another dimension by the centaur knight.  I love the dialogue here it’s bloody fantastic I mean the excitement from the Doctor at learning he has legends was perfect.  Then what transpires with the Udon’s Mother Superior and the implications that has well it’s reading like you shouldn't expect to have.  It really is something to think about and so nicely parallel to what we’ve seen in our own history which is the basis for most writing regardless of where it’s supposed to originate.



I also like that we see the Doctor’s biggest insecurity coming to the forefront here as well, the one thing that he’s kept the most secret and has haunted him ever since.  By George this is how you wow an audience, keep them thrilled and ensure they’ll be back!





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Sevara #1

7/30/2015

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Sevara #1

Broken Icon 2015

Created & Written by Damian Wampler

Illustrated by Andre Siregar

Coloured by Anang Setyawan



A future so distant, it looks like our past…

A shapeshifting immortal awakens from a ten thousand year sleep to find that evil, long thought erased from the Earth, has returned.



Ya know what I kind of like this it’s different, interesting and a little bit out there.  I’m pretty happy with the quality of the interior artwork here and the attention to detail that we see.  The Death Head mask reminiscent of the Plague masks is a nice touch on the opening page.  Not to mention that among the first seven pages we see how the world looks and the rocks, trees it’s all so very well portrayed along with the human inhabitants.  



We see  King or ruler of some denomination as we open and honestly he’s not a nice man you get that sense through his words and actions pretty darn quickly.  They talk about a runaway and that she’s being hunted/chased as they speak.  While we have no idea how she escaped we do see that this world is well I dunno how to describe, backwards where slaves have no names and the slaves dress like cavemen those that drive the workforce look like vikings and Lord Mitan well like English royalty.  There’s a lot of melding happening here and it’s neat and well handled actually distinctly separating the classes.



Sevara’s introduction is done very well also as she comes to the runaway slaves rescue.  It seems that she has been awoken because greed and hatred have slipped back into the world.  Okay now that to me seems a bit much I mean both those qualities go hand in hand with how I see mankind and as long as we work and all people aren’t equal there will be greed and hatred, coveting something, someone with that the whole desire to be more I don’t see how that was suppressed for so long and this Lord Mitan seems to have been doing this for a while now.  



It seems that Lord Mitan has captured a white haired woman after which his slave escaped and now there seems to be more unrest happening in his kingdom.  Also it seems their religion is based upon a book and they follow so closely it’s unnerving.  How can you follow a book that can’t feel, assess a situation and change with the times, whose words are used by those in power to mean what they want it to?   Still all this works to make you think about what you are reading, drawing you into the story and becoming not only invested but so that you want to see how all this plays out.  



There’s a lot of interesting things happening here that both make sense and leave you wondering what’s going on it’s a great dichotomy.  The two page spread towards the end of the issue is not only a wonderful showcase of the interior artwork but of so much more and how the issue ends well that’s a little surprising.



Again this is fine example of why I love small-self/indie published books.  If you’ve been with me a while these are the folks that brought us Grocery Assassin that I absolutely loved and once again they show us why to look for their titles.  Great premise, strong writing and characterization and some above average interior artwork showcasing their love for what they do make this one of the most promising series of the year.





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Conan the Avenger #16

7/30/2015

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Conan the Avenger #16

Dark Horse Comics 2014

Written by Fred Van Lente

Illustrated by Brian Ching

Coloured by Michael Atiyeh



Kidnapped and tortured by the Stygian princess Thalis, Natala would have been claimed by Thog, the hideous god-thing of Xuthal, but for the timely intervention of Conan. Barely rescuing Natala from this unspeakable fate, Conan almost perished from the grievous wounds he received in the battle—only the miraculous properties of Xuthal’s golden wine saved the barbarian from certain death. Now free of the city, and hoping to reach an oasis rumored to exist to the south, the pair again find themselves at the harsh mercy of the desert . . .



After the last story our pair finds themselves still traveling together across the desert looking for this supposed Oasis Thalis spoke of.  I have to say I’m more than a little surprised that Natala and Conan have remained traveling companions for this long.  Not that I mind it at all but he’s normally a loner so what Fred is doing with them traveling together and the banter they have is really quite incredible.  He’s giving both of them more personality and a deeper sense of self for us to witness.   While I don’t know if i see a romance for the two at any given time they certainly do seem to be well suited for each other for now.



A sandstorm interrupts things and introduces us to the next phase of their story.  Now for me because I am not all that familiar with the world Conan inhabits I do like that these people they are encountering kind of fight first and ask questions later and I’m even more impressed that with the storm they hid themselves underneath the sand and rose up from it to attack and then to continue their caravan’s forward movement.  There’s something inherently interesting about them and the way they’ve come to use the land in such a way that benefits them.  



Okay so this new band of travelers welcomes our pair and they head off towards but not before Conan finds a lurker.  Suddenly things aren’t what they appear to be and it gets more complex and interesting.  It doesn’t take long for the party to find a light in the sky and head towards the city on the Oasis.  Only as they approach we see carrion birds circling and they come across the people of the city lying dead on the ground.



It’s not over as tensions rise and other events unfold making the whole scenario seem well rather unseemly.  There’s murder, death and betrayal happening here and can Conan keep himself and Natala alive and survive this new encounter remains to be seen.



I’ve become a major fan of Brian and Michael’s here too.  I’m enamored with the work they are doing the facial expressions are an absolute delight and there are moments you see this smirk on Conan’s face and it’s absolutely attractive.   Also the men rising from the sand is such a powerful moment and again the two page spread as the approach the Oasis it’s so beautifully rendered.  Then there’s attention to small details on the people in the group, their surroundings and such that really help you feel like you are a part of this world.



The world of Conan has never been displayed as well as it is here.  With Fred’s writing and the boys artwork this is beyond a doubt one of the strongest books on the market today.





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Ninjak #5

7/29/2015

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Ninjak #5

Valiant Entertainment 2015

Written by Matt Kindt

Penciled by Clay Mann & Butch Guice

Inked by Seth Mann & Brian Thies

Coloured by Ulises Arreola



His name is Ninjak, spy and mercenary for hire.  He is also Colin King, wealthy son of privilege.

The British espionage organization MI-6 tasked Colin with infiltrating and destroying Weaponer, a criminal empire that designs weapons for the highest, most illicit bidder.  Disguised as businessman Henry Collins, Ninjak ingratiated himself to the group’s imposing leader, Kannon.  He also met Kannon’s right-hand woman, Roku, an assassin so feared that skilled warriors have taken their own lives rather than face her razor-sharp locks of hair and her deadly skills.

Unbeknownst to Colin, Roku knows there’s a spy in Kannon’s midst and the two expose “Henry Collins” as Ninjak.  And if Roku knows, then the dark forces that created know as well….mysterious forces from far away and with a deadly purpose.

Who are the Shadow Seven?



So we’re back to Kannon’s office where Roku has Colin in her grip and he’s wanting answers from our hero.  One of the things Matt’s been able to do so nicely here is seeing where he is at any given moment and then flashing back to when he was a boy and giving us this background information on Colin and the events that shaped the man he’d become but at the same time using that to show his determination to get out of his current predicament.  



I love Clay’s work and that Seth and Ulises can take his pencils and expand on them like the do here really helps this series stand out.  Colin is a handsome man period and Clay’s ability to showcase men like this is something we don’t see enough of, simultaneously he’s also able to showcase the action sequences in a way like you’re watching a dancer whose fluid movements show a grace and style unique to them.



I like how the story progresses here too from seeing Colin fighting Kannon and implying that he knew how to take him down, though we see the start but not the official takedown, to when he was a kid and his brain even then learning how to work things out.  The one room off limits him as a boy is one he had no idea where it was until he told his parents he was in, this of course sends his father right to it revealing its location.  Both instances just show us how smart he was and continues to be now.  Matt’s characterization here is pretty damn flawless and it really makes an impact on you, as a reader, view Ninjak.  



So what happens in this issue really does blur the line that Colin has to take and being Ninjak whose methods are always seemingly fluid to a place I’m not sure even he’s ready to go.  But he was tasked by MI-6 for this assignment but has the assignment ended and he’s going the extra mile or is this going to be bad for him as the man in the long run?  So many questions about how it’s going to go and what he’s doing it really is fantastic.   Also what happens to Roku is something that is almost ambiguous but she’ll be back she’s a much larger role to play for the Seven than I think any of us realize.



The backup Lost Files story that continues to flesh Colin’s early training years also does some wonderful things in fleshing out him out as a full character.  It conveys so much of what he went through and what he was willing to do to find and something that affected him on a personal level and ends up with his first meeting with a man he’ll continue to have a relationship with to this day.  Though personally I’d love to see a story where he has to get close to a man, physically and romantically, while undercover because that would make him more fluid and interesting seeing he’d be able to do really anything at all.   



Ninjak has already become my favorite Valiant title and after reading this it’s easy to see why.  With a story and characterization that is so intense and interior artwork that moves you in a myriad of ways this series sits head and shoulders above the rest.  





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