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Publisher: Onrie Kompan Productions
Writer: Onrie Kompan
Artist: Giovanni Paolo Timpano
Cover: Joel Saaverdra

“Warrior and Defender pt 2”: Looks like Onrie Kompman delivers once again with Yi Soon Shin: Warrior and Defender #2! This issue continues the telling of Korea’s naval hero who stood against the Japanese invaders who sought to subjugate and conquer the Korean people.

Enter Baron Seo: resident badass, Korean traitor, and a Japanese informant. We find out that he is the one responsible for that pretty graphic picture and brutal slaying in the first issue, plus he’s got a personal stake in wanting Yi Soon Shin dead. He also is forcing two samurai generals to help him accomplish this goal, as he is aware of their relationship, and if  Hideyoshi were to find out their Supreme Warlord would have them killed. While on Yi Soon Shin’s ship, he is having a talk with a trusted soldier while they take a drink. At the first sip he gags and realizes he’s been poisoned, and then asks the lieutenant to rush him away so the men don’t see him in that state. Days later, a group of ninja sneak aboard the ship to finish the job or just to verify the kill, only to find out that things aren’t always what they seem.

I could go on longer, because there is so much going on here, but I am not going to spoil the story for you. Kompan continues to do the story justice, and this issue gives a glimpse of the strategic mind of Yi Soon Shin as well as the splits and issues that the Korean Navy were facing at the time. It’s pretty evident why they were so ineffective and beatable before the time of Yi Soon Shin. A lot of pride and arrogance, and on some parts just selfish acts of the Generals. The introduction of Baron Seo was another plus in this issue, and his hatred for his enemy and his brutality is illustrated quite well by both Kompan and Giovanni’s artwork. He’s got a seething hatred for Yi Soon Shin, and isn’t opposed to killing and selling out his countrymen to accomplish the goal of killing Yi.

As far as the artwork goes, Giovanni gives the story visual credibility and just immerses you into the time period. There were times where I was just blown away by some of his pages and overall technique. This guy knows his subject as well as Kompan, and is a definite credit to how great this book is. The prologue and the ninja fight scene were my favorite parts of the book, just because of how the story moved visually at those points. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy a good ninja fight scene in their books?

I do wish there was a glossary of some sorts at the end since I don’t read Japanese Kanji, but that is probably the only thing I would change about the book. There’s a great balance of political intrigue, action, and character developement that shows that Kompan is a pretty good story teller and isn’t just throwing something together. So I’d suggest diving into a bit of history here folks, and see just who Yi Soon Shin is!

For more on Yi Soon Shin: Warrior and Defender click here and here!

Infinite Speech
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