What happens when you hire a Ninja to steal a secret formula? What happens when that formula is held in a top secret state of the art high security science lab? What happens when that ninja accidentally gets splashed with the secret formula? Well… all of those questions are probably related and answer the question: Where did that giant Kaiju monster suddenly come from? The life of a Ninja isn’t easy, with all the stealth sneaking, high kicks, and the other Ninjaery things that need to be done. Now throw in a secret formula that turns you into a big city destroying monster and suddenly you’re not so stealthy any more. The job gets even more difficult when you have not one, but two super smart mad scientist after you because they think you stole their formula and send hordes of robots, the air force, and other never before seen science experiments after you. It may no longer be just a job for a Ninja, but it definitely is for a NINJA KAIJU!

TITLE: Ninja Kaiju

Writer and Artist: Franco and Scoot McMahon

Publisher: Mad Cave Studios / Papercutz Imprint

Protagonists: The titular Ninja Kaiju, Nin-Joe!

Antagonists: Other ninjas! The Air Force! Robots! More!

Ninja Kaiju is a book I recently received as an advanced copy from Mad Cave Studios. It will be available at bookstores everywhere on February 17, 2026, and you will be able to find it in comic book specialty realtors the next day, February 18th, 2026.

As noted above, Ninja Kaiju is the story of an elite ninja warrior named Nin-Joe. At the start of the book, he has been sent to invade Kewl Labs and steal a secret formula that Dr. Molly Kewl has been perfecting. When Nin-Joe finds the formula, he is attacked by a caged polar bear who throws dead fish at him. In the melee, the various chemicals explode, bathing Nin-Joe in their mysterious liquids.

Moments later, Nin-Joe transforms into a large, red, dragon-like kaiju creature outside of Kewl Labs. Dr. Kewl sends everything at her disposal at the beast–including the Air Force!–but Nin-Joe, in his new form, is able to defeat them and get away when he shrinks back down to ninja-size.

Nin-Joe discovers he is able to transform into Ninja Kaiju and back into his human form, but the changes to Ninja Kaiju appear to be brought on by great stress. Elsewhere, Dr. Newt Ron–the man who hired Nin-Joe to begin with–believes his ninja has gone rogue and also sets about finding and defeating him! Nin-Joe is plagued on both sides by mad scientists and their army of creations!

Ninja Kaiju is a very kid friendly book for younger readers who are just getting into comic books and graphic novels. It is extremely minimalist in dialogue, allowing the art and the action contained therein to really speak for itself and move the story forward. What dialogue there is is often comical, with characters like Dr. Kewl’s security team speaking like stereotypical meatheads or Nin-Joe’s rival ninja explaining the inherent peace treaty within the ninja guild meeting hall. I can’t speak to how much description or input writer Franco had in the panels and art, but he really lets the artistic talent breathe across the 130-plus pages.

Speaking of Scoot McMahon’s art, it’s very exaggerated and fun, and I could see younger audiences being big fans of the cartoonish facial expressions and bombastic action. Whether Nin-Joe is fighting off his foes in kaiju form or as a human ninja, the action is gleeful and full of life.

The characters are not overburdened with depth, but again, this is a book targeted at a youthful audience. Nin-Joe has his vow of silence going on, so he is very much a self-insert kind of protagonist in which kids can see themselves. Dr. Kewl and Dr. Ron are both a bit verbose (well, as verbose as this book gets) since they are rambling scientists, but most of what their characterization boils down to is wanting to humiliate each other. The characters all have just enough reason to exist to fit into the title, and that’s all they need.

All told, Ninja Kaiju is the kind of comic I would absolutely buy if I had a child nearing ten years old and really wanted to get them started into comic books. It’s a title I might share with my niece in a year or two and see how she does with it. Maybe we can get her started into the medium and bond over books like this going forward. Older readers–tweens on up–won’t find as much to keep their attention here, but there are a few bits… like the puns in the names of Dr. Molly Kewl and Dr. Newt Ron.

Until next time, take care!