Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

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DirtbagSailor
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Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by DirtbagSailor »

Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe #1 is the perfect starting point for anyone interested in what Valiant has to offer. It is a story designed to introduce the world to the same magic of the Valiant Universe that has existed for 28 years, and also expand the complete experience that is Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe!


http://all-comic.com/2018/ninjak-vs-valiant-universe-1/

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by David_Cody »

Enjoyed it.

But does anyone believe that Ninjak would betray his friends and nation, all because Alcott's wife and daughter were kidnapped? Roku murdered that lady, so all bets are off if she'll even let them live if Ninjak is successful in stealing the object.

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by grendeljd »

If anyone would like to hear our OTV:VCR podcast discussing/reviewing this issue [& Bloodshot: Salvation #5], please follow the link;

http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/vcr149/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks to any who listen in :thumb:
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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by grendeljd »

This was pretty much what I was expecting from this title - cheesy fun action as a non-canon way to go out for a rip around the Valiant Universe. I'm more interested in just seeing the live-action show rather than a comic adaptation of it. Looking forward to that even still, despite the long wait!
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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by grendeljd »

DirtbagSailor wrote:
Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe #1 is the perfect starting point for anyone interested in what Valiant has to offer. It is a story designed to introduce the world to the same magic of the Valiant Universe that has existed for 28 years, and also expand the complete experience that is Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe!


http://all-comic.com/2018/ninjak-vs-valiant-universe-1/
Definitely well designed to grab some new readers & generate some excitement for the Valiant universe :thumb:
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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by Bl00dsh0t »

I really liked it. It had a 90's Ninjak feel to it. I could see Colin doing something like this, though perhaps not to save Alcott's family. He does make a point of wanting to extract the package from MI6 without causalities.

Thought the art was pretty good and I liked Capshaws look. wouldn't mind seeing her more in operative mode verses administrative in cannon too.

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by otomo »

A little bit of a suspension of disbelief issue with Ninjak not telling Neville anything, just going for it, creating a big mess. I think frankly a spy character would need stronger motivation to do something like this, or at least lay in how important he thinks the family there is with some more dialogue.

However, this is exactly what I want out of a superhero comic from art style, to the pacing, to the action, to the clearly introduced characters. This is frankly the best valiant book I've read in months. 9/10 because of the suspension of disbelief issue otherwise was perfect.
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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by jmatt »

grendeljd wrote:This was pretty much what I was expecting from this title - cheesy fun action as a non-canon way to go out for a rip around the Valiant Universe. I'm more interested in just seeing the live-action show rather than a comic adaptation of it. Looking forward to that even still, despite the long wait!
+1 Exactly. I enjoyed it. Although it's a bit of a turn-around to be getting the comic adaptation of something no one can see yet. :wink:

Oh: "For king and county". facepalm

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by Bl00dsh0t »

I really liked it. It had a 90's Ninjak feel to it. I could see Colin doing something like this, though perhaps not to save Alcott's family. He does make a point of wanting to extract the package from MI6 without causalities.

Thought the art was pretty good and I liked Capshaws look. wouldn't mind seeing her more in operative mode verses administrative in cannon too.

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by TheeBaldMoose »

David_Cody wrote:Enjoyed it.

But does anyone believe that Ninjak would betray his friends and nation, all because Alcott's wife and daughter were kidnapped? Roku murdered that lady, so all bets are off if she'll even let them live if Ninjak is successful in stealing the object.
I believe this is quite spelled out, and the entire twist was spilled right from the beginning. Ninjak already knew going in that Unity would be called, and individually, can beat each member, or delay enough to get away. With the nanites in his bloodstream, he can't fake anything out, he HAS to do what she wants. All Ninjak is going to do is evade, elude, quick battles and bring Unity to Roku, where everything will be spilled in front of everyone.

OR

Ninjak already knows that asset that was he has to steal, has been moved, so bringing the box he has doesn't mean anything. He is using "less than lethal" force in all of the situations, so as to not seriously hurt any of Unity. I do believe this will continue, as he doesn't want to really hurt anyone. After he runs the gauntlet, he will meet up with Roku, do the switch, get Neville's ex and kid, hurry them off, then fight her. Roku may know that he really isn't bringing the true asset, so there are still twists that could happen
Moose

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by agent_graves »

I liked it, but... It was identical to what was shown of the live action version back in November at Nccomicon. So maybe Valiant will hold off from releasing it (l.a.v) until the mini wraps, to not spoil anything... :?
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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by Dallow Spicer1 »

jmatt wrote:
grendeljd wrote:This was pretty much what I was expecting from this title - cheesy fun action as a non-canon way to go out for a rip around the Valiant Universe. I'm more interested in just seeing the live-action show rather than a comic adaptation of it. Looking forward to that even still, despite the long wait!
+1 Exactly. I enjoyed it. Although it's a bit of a turn-around to be getting the comic adaptation of something no one can see yet. :wink:

Oh: "For king and county". facepalm
+1 enjoyable as it is non canon so no need to over think how it fits with continuity so on that basis it was a fun read.

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by possumgrease »

Brutal review/analysis by The Comics Journal.

http://www.tcj.com/infinite-content/#.W ... mBN.reddit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by kinggirlfriend »

possumgrease wrote:Brutal review/analysis by The Comics Journal.

http://www.tcj.com/infinite-content/#.W ... mBN.reddit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I haven't read this book, and I get what the writer means, but what a self congratulatory masturbatory POS article that is.

It's funny because honestly I have one foot in that TCJ world and one here in Valiant land. I mostly read European comics, undergrounds, and stuff put out by Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly. Dan Clowes, Chris Ware, Ivan Brunetti. Wonderful wonderful stuff. Except for Valiant I don't buy superhero comic anymore. Valiant is what I read while waiting for Charles Burns to come out with a new book. Or Jim Woodring. That writer can make a similar crummy article about any superhero comic or character. Why should we care about "x"? Indeed why should we care about anything? He sounds like he'd rather be writing about the existential crisis of living rather than reviewing pulp funnybooks.

And that's not to say anything is above criticism. I initially rolled my eyes at the concept of this book too. It does reek of marketing an IP. And I hold Valiant to higher quality than those kind of gimmicks. But at the end of the day if it makes you ponder the very existence of a character named Ninjak then maybe reviewing pulpy superhero comics should be left to someone who isn't so burned out by them.

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by grendeljd »

possumgrease wrote:Brutal review/analysis by The Comics Journal.

http://www.tcj.com/infinite-content/#.W ... mBN.reddit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Wow, that guys head is stuck really far up the a$s of his own opinion.

This comic is specifically meant to be light entertainment & marketed as such. Successful or not, it isn't a comic that requires someone to incisively dissect it intellectually. Either you're into this light fluff, or you're not. Done.

At a guess, that was approximately a 3,000 word article written by someone who is really in love with his own 'intellect', who also seems to just dislike Valiant without even bothering to read any of it beyond what he was forced to for the sake of writing an article for work. Instant invalidation of his opinion, in my mind.
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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by WrathOfArmstrong »

I couldn't take that comics journal article seriously. Years down the road, I hope the author realizes what he wrote.

I was never a fan of Roger Ebert's movie reviews. His approval was sure to sway me away, but at some point he had an epiphany that he shared, which was he started to grade films based on what they hoped to accomplish--and he re-reviewed a lot of films too. Read his reviews for GHOST OF MARS or ESCAPE FROM L.A. and you'll see what I mean.

I've always found finding good reviewers difficult, but the best ones to follow are the ones you understand how they come to their conclusions. This is just someone painting broad strokes because they can't be bothered to shed an elitist image.

My interest in Valiant is the shared universe and the refreshing superhero tales. That is EXACTLY what VEI has been delivering... but that's the only reason I wasn't psyched about this book. My LCS didn't get NvsVU so I missed out (for now), and I didn't expect much of it but I had planned to grab it. might trade wait now...(trying to be better in 2018 about spending).

So the thing that disturbs me most about this article is that someone got the impression that Valiant wanted to make a quick buck, and taunt us that they did so. I guess he got tired of writing articles about Marvel's sales tactics this week?

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by TheeBaldMoose »

possumgrease wrote:Brutal review/analysis by The Comics Journal.

http://www.tcj.com/infinite-content/#.W ... mBN.reddit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe the best part of this entire article...

"... I can’t personally think of a worse best foot forward to take with any prospective audience, but I’m also currently huddled under a blanket in a cold house because I’m back living with my parents in my late thirties..."
Moose

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by kinggirlfriend »

LOL says it all really. facepalm

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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by otomo »

Wow, that Comics Journal review. He didn't get the plot? It's extremely straightforward and simple and that's part of why I was applauding the book. Definitely hope he doesn't read stuff like Matt Kindt's Mind MGMT or Sandman or Watchmen anything like that or he'll really be lost. lol
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Re: Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe #1 Discussion

Post by jmatt »

TheeBaldMoose wrote: but I’m also currently huddled under a blanket in a cold house because I’m back living with my parents in my late thirties..."
This person is as far removed from Ninjak as it gets. A ten year old could look at him and say "...but at least I have an excuse."


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