Yi Soon Shin (All four issues)

It’s funny how this book is about a naval commander when I came across this book per chance of fate. Ships that pass in the night, and all that. I could have easily passed over this comic, and never even realized that it existed. The creator of this comic, Onrie Kompan, was at New Orleans Comic Con pimping his work and caught my attention. I was able to get all four comics at a low price, along with his signature. Being a starving writer myself, I sympathized and gladly took up the comics to give them a chance. Not to be one to just sympathize and ignore, it seemed only fair to read these comics and tell you what I thought.
As the title confirms, this comic is about Yi Soon Shin (sometimes spelled Yi Sun-sin). Yi was a famous naval commander during the Japanese invasions of Korea during the Imjin War. If you ever visit Korea, chances are you might see a couple of statues in his likeness. While revered in Korean culture like Patton or Washington is in American, Yi was not well liked in his own time. Even when he was facing down staggering numbers of Japanese ships, he had to deal with the corrupt politics of lazy nobles and overly ambitious military leaders. Yi had a lot on his plate, but this comic tells us the story of how he never gave up.

You don’t have to be an expert on the Imjin War to understand this book because it goes over the major points of Japan’s first invasion fairly well. This book is an historical drama obviously written for people who don’t know that much about history. The only problem is that motives and characters are simplified rather than given historical context. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, for example, is portrayed as a ruthless thug of a leader, rather than the ambitious warrior king that he is famous for being. Such a portrayal allows the comic to simply vilify the invaders instead of taking the time to explain why Japan feels it needs to expand. Several other small details seem to be off in the name of dramatic effect, but those not up on the history probably wouldn’t even notice.

Even with some minor issues I had with historical accuracy, I enjoyed reading this comic. The writing can be a little melodramatic, but that goes in line with the brutal tone the book maintains throughout. Both writer and artist work to establish a vivid portrayal of the horrific actions of war, and the savage characters it brings out. It’s not just war scenes that are brutal mind you. There are several interwoven subplots that can be just as bloody, if not more so. It is enjoyable, but not for those with weak stomachs.
These four issues are supposed to be the first volume of a trilogy, continuing the story of Yi fighting against the advance of the Japanese forces. I’ll be on the lookout for the future volumes, and let everyone know if I hear anything. The chances for a sequel, of course, depend largely on the success of this book. This problem is compounded by the lack of a large corporate structure to pimp the book for them. I hope these guys find the success they need to bring us more stories, but the art world is just as harsh as the rest of it. Indie Cred FTW!

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