Ninjak And Shadowman Unite For New Valiant Event Series ‘Rapture’

If your problem with the Valiant Universe has been that it just hasn't been heavy metal enough, then folks, I have some good news, and it comes in the form of Ninjak jump-kicking a skeleton's head off while also chopping that same skeleton in half with a katana.

In May, Matt Kindt and Cafu are launching Rapture, a new crossover that teams up Ninjak and Shadowman, focusing on an ancient war that threatens to destroy both Heaven and Earth.

While skeleton kicks are certainly pretty notable, it's also worth mentioning that with Ninjak and Punk Mambo involved, the story looks to be picking up on some threads introduced by Kindt, Doug Braithwaite, and Juan Jose Ryp in the Operation: Deadside arc --- and might just mark a more permanent return for Shadowman, a major Valiant character who has been suspiciously absent since the end of his last solo series in 2014.

Here's the official description:

RAPTURE #1 (of 4)
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by CAFU
Cover A by MICO SUAYAN
Cover B by J.G. JONES
Character Design Variant by KANO
Variant Cover by CAFU
B&W Sketch Variant by MICO SUAYAN
Ninjak Vs. The Valiant Universe Variant Also Available
Blank Cover Also Available
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On Sale MAY 24th (FOC ­– 5/1/17)

On a scarred landscape, two otherworldly armies prepare to battle one last time, vying for control of a massive tower named from an ancient language no longer permitted to be spoken.

One army is led by a primeval force named Babel, whose goal is singular: to breach “Heaven” no matter the cost. The only thing standing in his way is a gray-haired barbaric warrior, filled with rage and regret – a man who sees this battle as his last chance for redemption. But he knows his depleted forces have little chance of victory unless aid comes soon.

Enter Tama: A 12-year old girl on the crest of a hill overlooking the battle, who has just become humanity’s only hope. The last in an ancient line of mystics who protect the Earth, she has foreseen this battle and knows millions will perish if she’s unable to stop it. Now Tama and her ragtag team of malcontents - Ninjak, Shadowman and Punk Mambo - must somehow defeat an elder god hell bent on piercing the heavens.

“RAPTURE is our biggest and most harrowing exploration of the Shadowman mythology to date,” said Valiant Editor-in-Chief Warren Simons. “The return of Jack Boniface is the just first step in a series of major developments that will be coming for Shadowman over the next year, and RAPTURE will officially begin his long-awaited return to the forefront of the Valiant Universe.”

“This series is ‘Lord of the Rings’ for the Valiant Universe, and Matt Kindt and CAFU have crafted a sprawling, Tolkien-esque journey that will see Ninjak, Shadowman, the Geomancer, and Punk Mambo fighting alongside a barbarian horde in one of their grandest battles yet,” said Valiant CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “In the mold of previous standalone events like THE VALIANT, this series is a self-contained entry point that will will open an entirely new, unexplored corner of our universe and propel the twin destines of two of Valiant’s biggest characters forward for some time.”