One of the most popular, best-selling characters in the entire Valiant Comics Universe is Ninjak. As highly trained ninja warrior, the character is also one of the most prominent superheroes in the Valiant Universe and inspired his own wave of merchandising and web-series where he was portrayed by Michael Rowe. Although he was occasionally portrayed as an antagonist to X-O Manowar, Ninjak has since become a key figure in the fight against various high-profile threats to Earth.
With Valiant Comics poised to expand its publishing line as the Valiant Universe makes its way to the big screen, here's an overview of the comic book publisher's ninja superhero.
WHO IS NINJAK?
Ninjak first appeared in his civilian identity of Colin King in 1993's Bloodshot #6 before debuting his superhero alter ego in the following issue. Created by Bob Layton, Mark Moretti, and Joe Quesada, Colin was the son of wealthy British spies,, trained by the family butler in basic self-defense and espionage tactics. Colin would follow in his parents' footsteps by joining MI6 and infiltrating a monastery in the Himalayas while hunting his girlfriend's killer who was the master of the remote location. Upon his mastery of the martial arts, Colin killed his master and most of the monks in revenge before rejoining MI6 as part of the British agency's ninja division under the designation Ninja-K.
Enjoying life as a wealthy playboy and socialite by day and tasked by MI6 to protect the world using his ninja skills around the world, Ninjak finds himself face-to-face with his old monastery's most gifted students who have since formed an organization known as the Shadow Seven within the international criminal underworld. Swearing revenge for Colin's actions, Ninjak and his rivals battle across the world with their superior martial arts training and stealthy tactics.
HOW STRONG IS NINJAK?
As one of the greatest martial artists in the world, Ninjak is at the peak of human physical fitness, with especially well-honed reflexes and senses. In addition to his fighting skills and mastery of ninjutsu's reliance on stealth, Ninjak is a brilliant tactician and extremely knowledgeable, having received the very best in world education thanks to his parents' affluence and worldly background. Thanks to his training in the Himalayas, Ninjak has also learned an ancient technique that allows him complete control over his own body which has allowed him to focus and heal specific parts of his body including a fractured spine over an extended period of time.
In addition to his martial arts and ninja training, Ninjak has been specialized in an extensive variety in both modern and traditional weaponry from katanas and shuriken to firearms and explosives. In addition to the backing of the British government, Ninjak is independently wealthy and has an extensive arsenal of vehicles, weapons, and gadgets of his own.
NINJAK AND THE VALIANT UNIVERSE
Originally contracted to kill Aric of Darcia and retrieve the X-O Manowar armor, Ninjak discovers the insidious true nature of his employers and teams up with X-O Manowar to fight the alien organization known as Vine, exposing the extraterrestrials that had infiltrated MI6 as part of their bid for global domination. Teamed with Harbinger Foundation CEO Toyo Harada alongside Livewire and the Eternal Warrior to face the Visigoth Horde, Ninjak eventually discovers that Harada may be an even greater threat.
Ninjak takes leadership of Unity, the Valiant Universe's team of superheroes, to protect the world, including Harada and the Harbinger Foundation. In addition to fighting Vine and Harada, Ninjak leads the team against the mysterious Doctor Silk and the Armor Hunters who attack Earth's major cities in search of the X-O Manowar armor.
Blending the worlds of espionage intrigue and ninja warrior action, Ninjak is one of the most beloved superheroes in the relatively young Valiant Universe. Despite lacking conventional superpowers, Colin King's mastery of all he pursues and his own genius-level intellect have made him one of the leading heroes in the defense of Earth and the increasingly powerful threats the planet faces.