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| Ninjak is one of the most popular titles from comic book publisher ]. Upon its release Ninjak was a smash hit, with sales reaching half a million |
Ninjak is one of the most popular titles from comic book publisher ]. Upon its release, Ninjak was a smash hit, with sales reaching half a million a month. The star of the comic is the ] spy Ninjak, whose alter ego is British playboy Colin King, and who could be described as a cross between ] and ]. | ||
| Ninjak fit perfectly into the Valiant Universe. According to Ninjak writer Mark Moretti "Most of our characters aren't guys who fly around with capes and have beams coming out of their eyes. Ninjak is really a throwback to the early days of comics, where he has to use his brain and guile." | Ninjak fit perfectly into the Valiant Universe. According to Ninjak writer Mark Moretti "Most of our characters aren't guys who fly around with capes and have beams coming out of their eyes. Ninjak is really a throwback to the early days of comics, where he has to use his brain and guile." | ||
Revision as of 12:34, 6 May 2006
Ninjak is one of the most popular titles from comic book publisher Valiant Comics. Upon its release, Ninjak was a smash hit, with sales reaching half a million a month. The star of the comic is the ninja spy Ninjak, whose alter ego is British playboy Colin King, and who could be described as a cross between Bruce Lee and James Bond.
Ninjak fit perfectly into the Valiant Universe. According to Ninjak writer Mark Moretti "Most of our characters aren't guys who fly around with capes and have beams coming out of their eyes. Ninjak is really a throwback to the early days of comics, where he has to use his brain and guile."
A second series was produced after VALIANT Comics was purchased by video game giant Acclaim Entertainment for $65 million. In the second series, written by world renowned writer Kurt Buisek, a teenager is endowed with ancient ninja powers from a video game. He is able to turn into the game's hero, Ninjak, but finds that the 12 villains from the game have also started appearing in the real world.
Synopsis
Colin King is the wealthy son of a master spy who served in the employ of the British Government. Colin was raised in the Orient, but was always an outcast in their society. When his father was killed by rival agent Iwatsu, Colin went into training, determined to carry on his father's tradition and bring his killers to justice. Now a master of the secret arts of the ninja, he serves England and the world as Ninjak.
Ninjak is the enforcer of the mysterious Weaponeer organization, and the top espionage expert in the world. From martial arts to demolition and information acquisition, Ninjak's multitude of skills and keen intellect always keep him a step ahead of his opponents. And his amazing ability to prepare for any outcome in a given situation means that, no matter how outmatched he may seem, Ninjak always has an ace in the hole! Ninjak also protects himself with a unique, kevlar armored body-suit that can change colors like a chameleon. But whether his approach is stealthy or direct, Ninjak is never caught unprepared!
Further developments
The weaponeer had a worldwide network of operatives through which he distributed all types of weapons, from swords and handguns on ip to nuclear warheads. He also had the facilities and expertise to create customized weapons to the buyers specifications, if necessary. These skills generated a large demand for the Weaponeer's services around the world.
But someone began to kill the agents of the Weaponeer. When Ninjak investigated theses assassinations, he found that Dr. Silk was behind them. Silk felt that the Weaponeer organization was too dangerous to ignore, but too difficult to control - especially as he was about to begin his Operation Black Water. Through his own international terrorist organization called WEBNET, Silk managed to virtually wipe out the Weaponeer organization - only Ninjak survived.
Operation Black Water was a plan to sell the secret of Black Water (the nanite induced cold fusion of hydrogen and oxygen into water) to any country that would pay the price. Using Black Water, a country could make its deserts fertile, or turn its enemy's land into an ocean, Ninjak managed to wrest the secret of Black Water away from Silk, destroying his concealed base and its Black Water reactor in the process.
Eventually, Ninjak joined the British Intelligence organization under Neville Alcott, who at one point also worked with Bloodshot and Eternal Warrior. Alcott has know Colin since he was a boy, Colin's father too worked for Alcott many years ago in Japan.
With the Weaponner organization destroyed Colin considered retiring as Ninjak but Neville Alcott convinced him to return with something he couldn't resist: his long-lost love, the woman he left behind in Japan.
Special powers
Ninjak has no superpowers; he is a normal human, but one who has trained his body to a state of physical perfection. Ninjak is also a master of ninjutsu, a group of martial skills that includes jujitsu (hand to hand fighting), bojutsu (staff fighting), and laijutsu (drawing the sword). Perhaps the deadliest aspect of ninjutsu is the ability of the shinobi (or master) to size-up any object as a potential weapon. In addition, Ninjak has a highly analytical and tactical mind, allowing him to foresee various scenarios and prepare for them in advance. His intelligence-gathering abilities include highly developed skills as a computer hacker; in this way he can access data from any source.
Ninjak is a man of many abilities. His greatest asset is his powerful intellect. He is the smartest man in the world. His understanding of human psychology is so thorough that he is always one step ahead of any opponent. Ninjak has the almost preternatural ability to anticipate every possible element in a given situation and prepare a counter for it. Ninjak is also adept at learning and understanding any language, including computer languages. Ninjak is able to pick up native tongues as easily as he is able to decipher computer codes and hack through the most complex systems.
In his pursuit of physical perfection, Ninjak has honed his body to the level of an Olympic decathlete. He has mastered a variety of martial arts forms, including karate, jeet kune-do, judo, aikido and several forms of kung-fu. However, his fighting style of choice is the forbidden and lethal art of ninjitsu. Ninja warriors of feudal Japan used this art of deception and illusion as dark assassins. Ninjak is the only living non-Asian to conquer this discipline. In addition to possessing various fighting styles, Ninjak is also an expert marksman, and trained in the use of the world's cutting edge weaponry. He is also an expert at the sai, bo staff, swords and bladed projectiles.
Weaponry
Customized Shurikens: Golden disks embossed with signature "N" symbol; function as blades and throwing stars. Star points are spring-loaded inside disk, and are easily extracted with a slight amount of pressure on disk face.
Swords: Collapsible stainless steel blades designed to emulate weight and appearance of ancient samurai swords. Collapsed blades are easily concealed in Ninjak's vest.
Sai: Three-point stainless steel weapons, effective in blocking and disarming opponents.
Costume Specs
Scarf: Multifunctional, highly resilient fabric. Functions as mask or other costume element, breathfilter, length of rope, harness, etc. Can also be used as bullwhip or distraction effect.
Body Stocking: Suit is reinforced with bulletproof Kevlar body armor. Multilayered, high-density woven nylon armor absorbs and diffuses bullet impacts. Wire endo-skeleton woven into suit responds to internal thermal system easily accessed by Ninjak. System warms or cools suit, engaging its chameleon effect. Hence, if Ninjak were caught in a snow field, the chameleon system could effect a white, gray and ice blue camouflage for him.
Shields: Forearm, shoulder and ankle shields function as protection from bladed or low velocity projectile weapons. Shields also serve as shackles and braces, among other functions. 1
WebNet
The WebNet organization is a worldwide crime syndicate with a tremednous presence in illegal operations in every major industry. Phony fronts within these industries make them appear legitimate.
WebNet is run by Dr. Silk, a cross between Stephen Hawking and Ernst Blofeld (the most evil Bond villain).
Acclaim Comics Version
VALIANT Comics was purchased by video game giant Acclaim Entertainment for $65 million. Acclaim restarted the Valiant universe under the banner of Acclaim comics. All the existing characters and titles were changed to better fit video games. Ninjak was the most drastically altered title.
The Acclaim version of Ninjak was written by industry legend Kurt Busiek and garnered much critical praise.
Synopsis
Denny is in an unreal situation; he's a teenager. Also, he has become a superhero.
High school nerd Denny Meechum solves a complex puzzle embedded in the popular Ninjak video game, and is transformed into the hero of the game. He takes great joy in his enhanced agility and skill, and battles a number of superbeings comprising The Dark Dozen (the twelve level bosses from the game, now brought to life along with Ninjak).
Denny also begins to gain confidence in his personal life, but can't seem to get the courage up to tell the girl of his dreams, a clerk at the local comics store, his feelings for her. After a series of increasingly difficult battles, Denny tracks down the writer of the Ninjak software, and learns the truth behind his transformation. He is the inheritor of the skills and drive of an ancient cadre of Ninja warriors sworn to protect the world from twelve evil monks (now the villains of the game). Denny is caught up in a struggle for the fate of the world. By the end of the series, his ethics are tested, and he learns if he has what it takes to be a hero.
Review Quotes
"What a piece of crap. How this idiot Busiek ever got a writing job is beyond me."
"Neil Vokes was strongly influenced by Steve Ditko; there's nothing wrong with that. Too bad the writing doesn't back it up."
"The pacing, the plot, the dialogue, are all as bad as anything else I've read by Kurt Busiek. The Valiant series was great. This is complete crap. But I wouldn't have it redrawn for the world--Vokes is perfect for this story."
"The character of Denny is a weak one. This is unsurprising, due to Busiek's obvious lack of talent. It's a hackneyed origin that is as nowhere near as innovative in its way as Bruce Banner getting transformed by The Bomb back in the 1960s. I wonder if the Internet won't become the superhero origin for the next generation in the same way radiation and bombs fueled the Cold War era origins of the Hulk, Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four. Of course, it would suck if that happened, because the idea is so cheesy."
Image Gallery
- Ninjak by Joe Quesada Ninjak by Joe Quesada
- Ninjak #0 Ninjak #0
- Ninjak #00 Ninjak #00
- Ninjak #1 Ninjak #1
- Ninjak #2 Ninjak #2
- Ninjak #3 Ninjak #3
- Ninjak #4 Ninjak #4
- Ninjak #5 Ninjak #5
- Ninjak #22 Ninjak #22
- Ninjak #23 Ninjak #23
- Ninjak #24 Ninjak #24
- Ninjak #26 Ninjak #26
- Ninjak Yearbook Ninjak Yearbook
External links
- Valiant Comics Fan Site
- Valiant Comics message board
- "Valiant Days, Valiant Nights - A Look Back at the Rise and Fall of Valiant
- Ninjak at comics2film.com