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NINJA BOY #1
Recommended (7/10)
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DC Comics/Wildstorm Productions
Writers: Allen Warner & Ale Garza
Pencils: Ale Garza
Inks: Dan Norton
Colors: Guy Major
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Aaron Watanabe
Price: $3.50 US/$5.75 CAN |
Imagine a world, if you will, of warriors of impossible skills. Of villains possessed of a malevolence that defies belief. Imagine a child being instructed to kill. Hard to picture, isn't it? Hard to relate to as well. Warner and Garza pull it off, though, but introducing the title character and his family in an action-filled sequence that boasts a tongue-in-cheek, modern sensibility. I didn't think this would be my cup o' tea, but the creators have piqued my interest.
Nakio dreams of adventures and glory as a revered ninja warrior, but in reality, he's still just learning the art from his grandfather, not to mention taking a great deal of ribbing from his older and larger brothers. His grandfather has decided Nakio has reached a turning point, and sends him on a mission of justice... to kill a murderous outlaw.
That synopsis really doesn't reflect the lighter tone of the book. The writers aren't trying to capture an authentic piece of Japanese culture, history or fantasy. They're just out to have some fun, and it's easy to see in dialogue. Nakio's brothers' incessant teasing rings true, and it makes their training as ninja warriors seem more plausible. And then there's the cute but drunken forest creature whom Nakio befriends...
I've never been one for manga and anime. The more extreme and angular style rarely works for me, as it rarely presents characters in a form I see as truly human. Somehow, Garza's mixture of his Japanese and Hispanic influences meshes nicely. Down-to-earth humanity still isn't emphasized, but the art reflects the often-irreverent tone of the script. Garza also captures the sense of magical action that's risen in popularity in Western culture thanks to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and other Asian film influences.
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