Welcome back for an all new edition of Parlay Points, the complementary blog to the ODPH podcast. For this edition, we’re checking out the coolest comic on the LCS shelves: Ninjak by JEFF PARKER & JAVIER PULIDO for Valiant Entertainment! Since returning this summer, Ninjak has been a must-read with the latest adventures of Colin King squaring off against Daylight, an organization who is pushing King to his limits. Issue #4 ends the first arc of this book & drops into comic stores this week. Let’s not waste anymore time & jump into this issue!

NINJAK #4 Written by JEFF PARKER Art by BENI LOBEL & JAVIER PULIDO Colors by ANDREW DALHOUSE Letters by DAVE SHARPE Cover A by FERNANDO DAGNINO Cover B by ROBBI RODRIGUEZ Pre-order Cover by PEDRO ANDREOOn sale OCTBER 13th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+Credit: Valiant Entertainment & DMG Entertainment — **NINJAK #4**
**Written by** JEFF PARKER
**Art by** BENI LOBEL & JAVIER PULIDO
**Colors by** ANDREW DALHOUSE
**Letters by** DAVE SHARPE
**Cover A by** FERNANDO DAGNINO
**Cover B by** ROBBI RODRIGUEZ
**Pre-order Cover by** PEDRO ANDREO
**On sale OCTBER 13th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+**
**Credit: Valiant Entertainment & DMG Entertainment**

*** POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING ***

Kingmaker, the head of Daylight, is making his moves & drawing attention from all over. Ninjak is on pursuit to put an end to him once & for all. After recent events, Ninjak knows the stakes are very high to stop Kingmaker. After some globetrotting, Kingmaker is tracked down in Hawaii holding a summit. If there was any question of what this organization is capable of, readers get a blunt reminder of what Daylight can do being so many steps ahead of anyone in their way.

What should be a “simple” mission for the most dangerous human weapon on the planet goes sideways very fast due to an unpredicted move. With his only chance ripped from him, King makes an escape off the island. From there, Kingmaker makes a very dangerous countermove that sets our protagonist on a journey to stay alive with the odds no where near his favor.

WOW….what an ending to this first arc! Parker really delivered on testing our hero with complex challenges during this story. Daylight has been a destructive force since it debuted in Issue #1 & never slowed down. Parker kept a great balanced pace where readers could feel the tension building until Ninjak was derailed from his mission. Once we get to the final page, Parker drops a big exclamation point on this issue with Kingmaker’s final words. Amazing story that locked readers in from Page 1!

The art duties were split between JAVIER PULIDO & BENI LOBEL (who closed the latter half of this book). Pulido’s style really gave this book a unique retro feel perfect for a spy book. His panel set-ups were visually eye-catching throughout the series. His art is perfect for the world of a super spy.

Lobel taking over for the latter half of this book changed the tone but nothing to take away from the story being told. His work is a bit more cleaner & defined. Nothing illustrates this more that his 2 page spread when Ninjak & Myna get to Hawaii. Excellent attention to detail. I wouldn’t mind seeing Lobel getting a longer run drawing Ninjak in the future.

Overall, Ninjak #4 closes this first arc with a style & grace worthy of the world’s most dangerous spy. Parker & Pulido really put Colin King thru a gauntlet of dangers that even he struggled with. Even you are a fan of the James Bond world, Ninjak is a perfect fit for you & even raises the bar even higher for what to expect out of a spy book in a superhero universe. Readers will next see Ninjak in 2022.

Let me know what you thought of Ninjak on Twitter. As Always, thanks for reading!

NINJAK #4 (VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT)

Ken M