Valiant's Ninjak Superkillers From Jeff Parker and Mike Norton to Spin Out of Free Comic Book Day Story (Exclusive)
This weekend is Free Comic Book Day, and the creative team of writer Jeff Parker and artist Mike Norton will have a Ninjak story appearing in Valiant's Free Comic Book Day issue, which will also feature looks ahead at the future of Archer & Armstrong, X-O Manowar, Shadowman, and Bloodshot. The series, which will launch in February 2023, takes the character of Ninjak in a kind of techno-thriller direction, with a team of super-powered killers looking to take on Ninjak. The character, one of Valiant's most popular, has been one of the most consistently in print since the company was revived in 2012.
The story is being described as a "globe-trotting noir," which feels pretty on-brand for Parker. Norton's clean, clear line work makes him consistently a fan-favorite artist, and will give the new series a classic look.
Ninjak Superkillers is almost a year away, but you can get a jump on it this Saturday, when the Free Comic Book Day story by Parker and Norton centers on a pair of tech-savvy hitmen set their sights on the superspy in an effort to collect the enormous bounty that is on Ninjak's head.
While not part of the original Valiant relaunch, Ninjak came back in 2013's Unity. The character, co-created by writer Mike Morelli and Marvel exec Joe Quesada, is Colin King, a spy who works for the British government using martial arts training gained in Southeast Asia. In the current continuity, King is part of the MI-6 ninja program, which began in World War I with Ninja-A. King is designated Ninja-K, but "Ninjak" has a nicer ring to it. As you might expect with a contemporary spy comic, a lot of the story's conflict tends to spring from the moral and practical differences between King and his employers, since his priorities will not always be in line with the political realities of the MI-6 program.
Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday, May 7th, 2022. To find a comic shop near you go to the Comic Shop Locator.
You can see the cover and official solicitation text below.
NINJAK SUPERKILLERS
When classified data is exposed, no one is safe. A ruthless team of superpowered killers versus the world's most lethal assassin – who will survive? The all-new explosive limited series NINJAK SUPERKILLERS is a globetrotting noir with deadly consequences for the Valiant Universe.
Release: NINJAK SUPERKILLERS #1 debuts February, 2023
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Mike Norton
Preorder Cover by: Dave Johnson