NINJA KAIDAN #1, from Blackbox Comics on July 27th, 2022, imagines a world where scientists have found a way to see and touch ghosts. What better tool for a trained ninja’s arsenal?
The Details
- Written by: Eric Palicki
- Art by: Lucas Meyer
- Colors by: Michael Bartolo
- Letters by: Dezi Sienty
- Cover art by: Lucas Meyer (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: July 27, 2022
Is It Good?
Intriguing. At the very least, NINJA KAIDAN #1 is not a concept you can honestly say you’ve ever seen before. On that point alone, this first issue is worth picking up.
Palicki’s plot centers around Yuki Snow, successor to his father’s mega-corporation, Yokai. Yokai’s R&D team develops a method for interacting with the dearly departed, and the story only gets weirder from there. Palicki’s imaginative premise is this issue’s strength. If nothing else, Palicki’s plotting builds up enough curiosity to wonder where the story goes next.
Palicki’s pacing, dialog, and scene transitions are all solid, and the final pages end in a creative cliffhanger without any predictable outcome. This issue forces readers to ask a litany of forward-thinking questions, so Palicki hooks you well to keep coming back for more.
However, this issue isn’t all about the story. The art by Meyer, Bartolo, and Sienty is simply stunning. The linework is detailed and super clean, Bartolo’s coloring is gorgeous, and Sienty’s lettering is perfect. This is the best-looking book we’ve seen since Doctor Wilder (another Blackbox title), and it looks as good as any other publisher’s title.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a moonlit scene outside an abandoned house. A research crew has geared up for some kind of test involving Yuki Snow, the CEO of Yokai. Snow is wearing an experimental exo-suit as he enters the house. We learn the cameras, sensors, and appendages are all attuned to seeing, hearing, and interacting with the dearly departed.
When Snow enters what’s reported to be a haunted house, he finds his R&D team has succeeded. The test, however, reveals more interesting results as Snow sees an apparition of his recently-deceased father. The specter warns him to leave as he’s swarmed by demonic-looking ghosts on all sides.
Later, Snow realizes his father bought the haunted house before his death for a hidden agenda. We conclude the issue with an amalgam, a solo mission, and a new crew.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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NINJA KAIDAN #1 is an intriguing, imaginative, and gorgeous-looking first issue about a hi-tech ninja who can interact with ghosts. Palicki’s plotting, pacing, and dialog are all spot-on, and the art is beautiful.
Related Information
Are ninjas Japanese?
Yes, Ninjas originate from Japan starting in the feudal era. Ninjas are a sect of martial artists with a specialized emphasis on stealth for espionage, reconnaissance, and assassination. There is no formal organization of ninjas in existence today, but groups can be found all over the world that either directly use or have developed techniques inspired by Ninja training.
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