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| Ninjak #2 Pre-Order Cover by David Lopez |
In Ninjak #2, writer Jeff Parker and artist Javier Pulido introduce Ninjak and Myna to three superpowered bounty hunters. The first is a woman who flies and uses weather as a weapon, the second is a steel-skinned giant, and the third is a gargoyle-like creature. This trio wishes to cash in on a reward they've been offered for Ninjak's head.
Between you and me, I'm not sure the bounty hunters understand the enormity of the task they've taken on. They've read the classified information that the organization known as Daylight made public. Don't they know how many others have tried--and failed--to capture or kill the incredible Colin King?
Before the bounty hunters derailed the train, Ninjak had intended to return Myna to safety in England. After all, Colin is used to working alone, and the young agent is only on her first field assignment. She certainly looks to be in shock, when she gazes down at the wrecked train car she and Colin traveled in.
Yet when Colin urges her to flee, she offers to stay and help.
Colin doesn't know who these bounty hunters are, or the full extent of their powers. So his first strategy is to turn each one against the other.
Initially, he achieves some success with this, as the bounty hunters are naturally competitive.
Then he notices Myna is still there. Even though the bounty hunters are only after him, she lingers because she believes she can help him. As skilled and experienced as he is, Ninjak finds it difficult to see how.
Still, he seems touched by her concern.
In addition to emphasizing the mood or feel of a scene through his use of color, artist Javier Pulido has a way of flipping your perspective. Consider this panel, which consumes the upper half of a two-page spread.
You have to think for a moment to realize that Ninjak's flying upside down through an overturned train car. Javier's colored the scene blue because of the stream of cold wind and hail the bounty hunter blasted Ninjak with. Oh, and then there's the sound effect, which gives you the crack of thunder to accompany the lightning.
Incidentally, the train car Myna and Colin traveled in had crashed on its side. So Myna's followed Colin's orders, and opted to wait out the battle in another one. She's obviously surprised by his explosive appearance. But despite whatever happened in the first train car that shook her, she's not traumatized.
It's not only the bounty hunters who are consumed with the power of three in this issue. After the flying bounty hunter hurtles Colin through the upside-down train car in the above panel, Myna offers to help a third time. This time, Colin proves more amenable. To his surprise, she renders him vital assistance.
Rest assured, when Myna and Colin leave the vicinity of the train wreck, he no longer plans on taking her to safety, and continuing the fight against Daylight alone.
Speaking of Daylight, in the second section of Ninjak #2 you'll learn more about this brother and sister team that made the closely guarded secrets of MI-6 public knowledge. Intriguingly, all these scenes are colored red. Also, you'll find a two-page layout that requires some work to follow. But if you think that's the most that artist Javier Pulido will demand of you, think again.
The third and final section of Ninjak #2 will bring you to a locale first hinted at on the inside front cover. This two-page layout will keep you guessing, even after several readings, if you've charted the correct path.
The way Javier Pulido challenges the reader in this issue, by breaking the natural progression of panel arrangement, reminds me of those Make Your Own Adventure novels that were popular a few years (or decades?) ago now.
If you want Ninjak and Myna to flee the Dragon, turn to page 43. If you want Ninjak and Myna to fight the Dragon, turn to page 48.
Remember those? Perhaps that's part of the charm of Pulido's retro-style art. It evokes earlier eras that we remember fondly.
Ultimately, this issue reminds us of the importance of working with and relying on other. The story emphasizes the need to fully understand the world around us, and the obstacles that beset us, before we can overcome them. At its heart, you could say that Ninjak #2 is about teamwork, friendship, and the power of knowledge.
Yes, Jeff Parker: you've made me obsess about the power of three!
In closing, I'll leave you with this panel from Ninjak #2. Myna shares her thoughts with us as she watches Colin use her help to formulate a new strategy to combat the bounty hunters. Despite the wide array of weapons he has mastered, she realizes that Colin King doesn't rely on weapons to achieve his objectives.
He is the weapon.
He is Ninjak.
Dragon Dave
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