by My pull list was fairly small this week, so I only have 3 books to review:
Ninja-K vs. The Valiant Universe #2
This is an underrated little title. I’m not sure it takes place within the general Valiant continuity, as I believe this was originally meant for a tie in for a live action web series Valiant was going to try to do with the character, but that project went off the rails. We ended up with this comic instead. Ninja-K is on the run after having stolen some weapon from MI-6. All the valiant heroes are after him and he’s just trying to survive.
It’s really fun, high action, good character development, it’s really everything I want out of the Valiant universe but have trouble getting in the main titles that seem to get bogged down in politics or boring backstory in the main titles as of late, not living up to the beautiful art they typically procure.
This art is a little more standard comic than their big books, but it works really well. I highly recommend this series but I’d read a little of the first Ninja-K series (complete already), Unity, X-O Manowar so you can familiarize yourself with some of the characters first. It works without that, but you may care more if you know them.
8/10
Silencer #2
DC’s John Romita Jr. Book is back for its second issue. I feel like he settled into the art a little better in this issue which makes it flow a lot more nicely. When I read this, I thought, “wow, here’s a character with a motive, who’s developing, who can change and isn’t stagnant for ‘iconic’ status, and it’s a breath of fresh air for the DC Universe.”
And that about sums it up. Silencer was visited by Talia Al Ghul last issue, trying to force her into her old life as an assassin, even though she’s trying to raise a family. This issue deals with fallout from that as she takes an aggressive stance toward trying to get away from it. Great action, cliffhanger ending, and I’m excited to see where this series goes. Best new character from the Big-2 in over a decade.
9/10
X-O Manowar #12
If you’re familiar with me at all, you know this is my favorite comic out there. I tell people on repeat to pick it up. In this arc, Aric has become Emperor of a planet Gorin — and in peace, things have gone drastically wrong. There’s a planet-wide famine, and his most trusted advisors have plotted to remove him from his position, and succeeded. He’s left stranded and naked in a desert, and has to fight his way out.
This issue hit on every emotional cyllinder. Matt Kindt, the writer, spent so long setting up this world building and emotional stakes for what occurs here, it’s pretty amazing, and here it’s really starting to pay off on the personal level for Aric. I’m pretty sad that we’ll be leaving the planet Gorin after all this is done (the next arc says it’s Aric’s return to Earth) but this has been a masterpiece so far.
My only complaint is the art quality on this arc has dropped pretty drasticlally. The first 3 arcs had some of the best art I’ve ever seen in comics, so it’s a tough bar, but they should have rotated back to one of those rather than bringing in someone with such a drastically different style.
9/10
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