NINJA BOY #6
"The Killing Field"
Neutral (4/10)
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DC Comics/Wildstorm Productions
Writers: Allen Warner
Pencils: Ale Garza
Inks: Dan Norton
Colors: Guy Major
Letters: Sergio Garcia
Editor: Aaron Watanabe
Price: $2.95 US/$4.95 CAN |
Ninja Boy comes to an end... in more ways than one. The series ends on an abrupt note. Plot and characterization are set aside in favor of fisticuffs, and though well choreographed, in the aftermath, I was left scratching my head, wondering what the point of the whole thing was. Some exciting art and action fortunately offset the confusion.
Mujen ninja-in-training Nakio and his friends flee on the back of a giant turtle through the forest from a team of assassins, who ride on the back of a giant bear. Kura the Forest Girl makes it clear, though, that the heroes will not be able to escape, so the quartet of young, valiant stop running and stand their ground. Black magic and ninja blades clash in the climactic confrontation between good and evil.
Garza's crisp lines, Norton's gritty inks and Major's brilliant colors make for a visually exciting comic book. The designs for the villains are imaginative and appropriately menacing, while the young heroes exude innocence and defiance. Garza certainly captures a sense of big-screen anime with this book, though I honestly can't tell if he's paying tribute to it or parodying it.
These characters boast a lot of personality. Sake -- the drunken, foul-mouthed Ewok-like creature -- brings the epic, bizarre story down to earth, and Kura exudes an odd but interesting balance of silliness and strong will. The villains aren't slouches in the personality department either; it's a relief to see them cast aside the stereotypical one-dimensional "nyah-haha" quality.
I'll give Warner one thing... this is far from a predictable conclusion. I had no idea this was the final issue until I reached the last page, and even then, I had to go through the letters page to verify it, since it took me off-guard. In the end, though, the end is far too sudden. One doesn't get a sense of the proper build-up, and though unpredictable, the conclusion isn't a satisfying one.
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