Ninjak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ninjak | |
 |
|
| Publisher | Valiant Comics |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Publication date | February 1994 - February 1995 March 1997 - February 1998 |
| Number of issues | 12 (both) |
| Main character(s) | Colin King |
| Creative team | |
| Artist(s) | Joe Quesada |
Ninjak is a fictional comic book character that originally appeared in eponymous books by Valiant Comics, and later, by Acclaim Comics. Created by writer Mark Moretti, and artist Joe Quesada, the character first appeared in Ninjak (volume 1) #1 (February 1994). [1] The star of the comic is the ninja spy Ninjak, whose alter ego is British playboy Colin King.
A second series was produced after Valiant Comics was purchased by video game giant Acclaim Entertainment in 1996. In the second series, written by Kurt Busiek, 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.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
Colin King is the wealthy son of a master spy who served in the employ of the British Government. King was raised in the Orient, but was always an outcast in their society. When his father was killed by rival agent Iwatsu, King 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. Ninjak utilizes his expertise in martial arts, demolition, information acquisition, and a multitude of others skills honed by a keen intellect, and an ability to prepare for any outcome in a given situation. He wears a kevlar-armored bodysuit that can change colors like a chameleon.
[edit] Further developments
The weaponeer had a worldwide network of operatives through which he distributed all types of weapons, from swords and handguns on up 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.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Ninjak has no superhuman powers, but has trained his body to a state of physical perfection. He is also a master of ninjutsu, a group of martial skills that includes jujutsu (hand to hand fighting), bōjutsu (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 are highly developed skills as a computer hacker.
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 lethal art of ninjitsu, which was used by ninja warriors of feudal Japan as assassins. 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 with the sai, bo staff, swords and bladed projectiles.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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).
[edit] Creative staff
The following is a list of those who contributed to the first volume. When repeated, only last names will be used.
0-00: (released after the series began)Mark Moretti, writer & pencils/Dick Giordano, inks/Moretti & Bob McLeod, cover.
1-3: Moretti, writer/Joe Quesada, pencils/Jimmy Palmiotti, inks/Quesada & Palmiotti, cover.
4: Moretti, writer/Quesada, pencils/Katherine Bollinger, inks/Moretti & Bollinger & Simon Erich, cover.
5: Moretti, writer/Kevin Kobasic, pencils/Bollinger, inks/Moretti & Tom Ryder, cover.
6: Moretti & Kevin VanHook, writers/Louis Small Jr, pencils/Bollinger, inks/Moretti & Rodney Ramos, cover.
7: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning & Moretti, writers/Andrew Currie, pencils/Lanning & Jenifer Marrus, inks/Moretti & Stan Drake, cover.
8: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Tom Mandrake, art/Moretti & Bob Layton, cover.
9: Rob Johnson, writer/Steve Ellis, pencils/Drake, inks/Ellis & Layton, cover.
10: Mike Baron, writer/Yves Guichet, pencils & cover/Drake, inks.
11-12: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Guichet, pencils/Drake, inks/Ryder, cover.
13: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Currie, pencils/Bollinger, inks/Currie & Bollinger, cover.
14: Abnett & Lanning, writers/John Czop, pencils/Bollinger, inks/Currie & Bollinger, cover.
15: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Currie, pencils/Jim Sanders III, inks/Currie & Bollinger, cover.
16: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Currie, pencils & cover/Bollinger, inks.
17: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Currie, pencils/Bollinger, inks/Bart Sears & Ray Kryssing, cover.
18: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Mike Manley, art/Sears & Kryssing, cover.
19: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Manley, pencils/Giordano & Ryder, inks/Ramos & Chris Sprouse, cover.
20: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Manley, pencils/Steve Montano & Manley & Bret Blevins & Chris Mitchel, inks/Sprouse & Ramos, cover.
21: Abnett & Lanning, writers/Manley, art/Ramos & Sprouse, cover.
22: Jorge Gonzalez, writer/Luke Ross, pencils/Paul Autio, inks/Manley, cover.
23-24: Gonzalez, writer/Ross, pencils/Autio, inks/Gary Frank & Cam Smith, cover.
25: Gonzalez, writer/Mozart Couto, pencils/Remmy Ribiero, inks/Manley, cover.
26: Gonzalez, writer/Ross, pencils/Mike DeCarlo, inks/Manley, cover.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Synopsis
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.
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=220582 The Comic Database's page on Ninjak #1
[edit] References
- Ninjak at the Comic Book DB
