Rai #16

Rai #16
Written by: Matt Kindt
Art by: Cafu
Published by Valiant Comics

This is the final issue of this arc, a 4001 AD tie in issue. For the last few issues we have seen the origins of the Rai, and followed two of the proceeding Rai begin to fight against father. This issue quickly tells the origin of the current Rai. There is narration throughout that is neither Father nor Rai, and we find out later in the issue who this is.
Matt Kindt. It feels so long since I had to type that name. Just kidding it's been like a week. Kindt's name is associated with volume right now. Ninjak, 4001 AD and Rai. So much good stuff, quality writing. It's hard to pick my favourite but I honestly look forward to Rai every month that it's on the schedule. The best part of this is how everything ties together with the 4001 series. We get some closure to stories that started in the last few issues, which is nice although I am sad the way it ended. Either way it was a great story. We get the seeds for what turned  Rai towards his current rebel leader personality.

As much as I've loved Clayton Crain's art in the regular Rai book thus far, I've actually enjoyed Cafu's more. His pages are crisp, clean and a lot easier to follow. Crain's pages almost cram too much into each panel and it can at times be hard to know who is whom. We don't have that problem here. It sounds like I am being critical of Crain's art, but its not meant that way, it's just he's so detailed that I feel like I miss some details. Cafu is awesome here. One quick character design not, since this issue takes place in the past we get the first look of our current Rai, which of course was criticized for kind of looking too much like the WW2 Japanese flag. Regardless of that, I think that it didn't look good anyways and I am much happier with the way he looks now. We get an awesome fight scene with Rai taking on a giant spider. All the action in the book is well done.
I loved this book. It had all the ingredients that appeal to me. Great writing, great art work and great characters. It's been good ride and it's sad that the series is once again going on hiatus. I await the return of the series in a few months. If you get a chance this volume is definitely worth it, so pick it up.