Ninjak Vs. the Valiant Universe is a 2018 crossover miniseries written by Eliot Rahal, art by Joe Bennett, and published by Valiant Entertainment. When the ruthless assassin Roku exploits his greatest weakness, Ninjak will be forced to betray his closest allies. Now, on the run, he must face off against the most powerful heroes.

Plot: It’s an interesting story but hardly original. Having said that, I think the story is good but not good enough. It consists of four issues and honestly it could’ve been extended to at least ten. Ninjak is forced to betray his friends and comrades because of his rival Roku. This then has MI6 and Unity gunning for him. What makes this a great story is the hero versus hero action. But it also holds it back. Because of the action it doesn’t dive deep enough into the emotional aspect of the characters. Also, it’s rather simplistic, lacking any complex plot twists. Perhaps if Ninjak had been assigned several tasks which would feed into a bigger plot.

Characters: Was very surprised at the characters and how much I liked them. I actually thought the characters were not only interesting but well-written. The main protagonist is the super spy Ninjak, who’s this combination of Batman, James Bond, and Snake Eyes. He’s a pretty cool character who ends up being forced to betray his friends and comrades by this equally awesome villainess named Roku. She’s basically a murdering version of Sedusa from the Powerpuff Girls. I really liked both characters and would like to know more about them. They are joined by Livewire, X-O Manowar, Archer & Armstrong, Bloodshot, Eternal Warrior, Shadowman, and many more.

Art Style: The art design is pretty good thanks to Joe Bennett. The action panels are dynamic, conversations feel important, and the transitions are good. Really liked the character designs. (4 out of 5)

Writing: Eliot Rahal handles the writing with skill. He’s definitely strong on the characterization, storytelling, and sense of direction. However, there is some things that could’ve been done better. First, there is a serious lack of exposition which hurts the storytelling and pacing for those who don’t know the history. However, the lack of exposition for more familiar readers won’t be a problem. Also, there is the action with tons of fighting and a lot of violence. This edition doesn’t fall in the main continuity but acts in conjunction with the web series of the same name. (4 out of 5)

The Verdict: In the end, Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe is a good introduction to the Valiant Universe.  We get to meet some really interesting characters. For those who don’t know the characters the lack of exposition will probably affect the storytelling, while those who’re familiar won’t have an issue.  Also, the story does still feel too short.  However, Rahal and Bennette do a good job with the writing and art and a lot of action.  Ninjak vs. the Valiant Universe gets 4 out of 5.