Writer: B. Clay Moore
Artist: Fernando Dagnino
Colourist: José Villarrubia
Letterer: Jeff Powell
Publisher: Valiant

MI-6 has a secret program called the Ninja Programme where they train their spies to be ninjas (duh). Killers #1 finds Ninja-G and Ninja-J, two agents from different generations, in retirement when a mysterious figure attacks the people closest to them. They are soon recruited by the man who trained them into retrieving an object for him.

B. Clay Moore has written a great mystery that’s complete with enough great action and scenic locations to make James Bond jealous. Who is going after MI-6’s former ninja agents and what does the MI-6’s ninja trainer, the Jonin, have to do with it? I like how Moore introduces readers to characters in the Valiant Universe. He reveals who characters are in conversation, often between characters who are meeting for the first time, making it easy for readers to also meet new and old characters for the first time.

Fernando Dagnino’s art is perfect for the dynamic nature of Killers #1. It’s violent, bloody, and makes you feel the raw emotion of the characters. José Villarrubia’s colors are absolutely perfect for each scene, making it feel like a scene from a movie. Steamy, candlelit bathrooms, foggy nights, cold mountains. Villarrubia’s colors also do a great job drawing the readers’ eyes, particularly the purple suit belonging to one mysterious character.

Jeff Powell’s lettering adds a different timbre to sounds that might be read the same. Magic phrases are eye-catching, and each sound effect looks unique even if its the same sound.

All in all, Killers #1 is the start of an intriguing mystery surrounding the mystical nature of MI-6’s ninjas. This is a great introduction to Valiant’s world of spies and ninjas for new readers. If you like spy flicks like James Bond, Bourne, or Mission Impossible with a smidge of the fantastic, you’ll love Killers.