This release has two “contained” stories. One is of course The Kingdom of the Gods by In-wan Youn, Eun-Hee Kim and Kyung-il Yang. The other is Burning Hell by just In-wan Youn and Kyung-Il Yang. The former is a Korean Netflix Original; the latter saw serialization in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Spirits. Aside from the art style, they’re both different and are four chapters each. So each will get separate ratings instead of a combined one.
That also means separate sections too!
The Kingdom of the Gods
Set during the Joseon period, the life Prince Yi Moon hoped to live — happy idling in peace — isn’t happening. War and famine have ravaged Joseon, and now the Prince is on the run after assassins kill his retainers. He is told to head to Jiyulheon, but must rely on a seemingly unreliable and crass bandit to get there. There are two problems though — one, the assassins are still after his head. Two…the Living Death exists. It’s not just war plaguing the country; a plague also runs rampant too, and it brings back the dead. How will these two combat these numerous problems?
So basically, this is a period drama set where zombies, in addition to lethal political factions, exist. And we follow a stubborn but proud child prince and a money-grubbing bandit named Jae-ha who’s more than he seems. As in, more like the way he fights and acts is nowhere near bandit-like. And in that sense, it’s ok. The story is simple, but the elements of turmoil and character values exist. It’s also set in a world where the famine is so rough that eating humans is a thing.
It’s also where we get to see Prince Yi Moon’s personality in swift fashion. He meets a kind young lady and old man who offer him food. But he becomes repulsed when he realizes the soup comes from human parts, and wants them apprehended. Later on, he learns from Jae-ha that’s actually how it is nowadays, when even finding bugs is hard. Through that and his reactions you quickly sense where the Prince’s values are at. Though you also see he has a lot to learn about what’s going on in his world.
Meanwhile, Jae-ha comes off as an eccentric, calling the Prince after money. “50 ryo! 60 ryo!”. He even ups the price when he finds out he actually IS the Crown Prince. But he’s not quite a bandit — he’s fought in some battles, but one battle’s result devastates him enough to put him in this state. So while he wants to prioritize his savings, meeting the prince leads him to find what he actually wants. Outside of these two, we meet a doctor called Su-Jeong, who explains what’s essentially happening regarding the Living Death (no, not living dead). But with few characters, how you’ll enjoy this work is if these characters stand out to you.
That’s mainly because the story doesn’t have an ending. Well, there is a conclusion for sure, but it’s one of those where you’ll have to imagine what occurs for these characters in manga form. It mostly becomes clear this wouldn’t have anything definitive, and while you’d think, “Oh so this is set up for the Netflix show,” well, the Netflix show didn’t get started until January 2019. This got started in 2015. So more like the show might end up filling in the holes for these characters.
So really, what’ll come down to is if the art can carry you through this one. And it has a chance since it’s great to look at. From the clouds in the sky to Jae-ha’s battles with the assassins to a horde of the living dead rushing after its prey, Kyung-il Yang’s art is what stands out from The Kingdom of the Gods. All the emotion, whether it’s Prince Yi Moon demanding respect or a little girl biting off a ninja’s shoulder, it’s well composed and gives you a much needed rush. Battles feel well-choreographed, whether it happens during the day or during the night. And you really get a sense of the state of Joseon through all the little touches, from ghoulish statues to even the smallest facial movements.
So all in all, The Kingdom of the Gods is a fine romp in essentially zombie-infested Joseon. The simple story, violence and the ending might turn off some. But the despair, the politics at play, and the terrific art might make it worth a look.
Burning Hell
In ancient times, Japan and Korea would send its worst criminals to a remote island to pay for their crimes. They just sent their worst one yet: Juu, a Japanese master murderer who has killed thousands. But the higher ups decide to ship him to the island, which…may have been planned? As Juu cuts up his enemies and later heads deeper into the island, it soon seems like he desired to go there in the first place to add to his total. But he falls for a simple trap. When he awakes, he’s chained to a large boulder, surrounded by skinned humans and a Korean medic named Han, who was sent to the island for killing and dissecting a lot of people.
Needless to say…this doesn’t go like you’d expect since there are three more chapters!
Burning Hell ends up jumping a year later after Juu and Han’s clash, and apparently a particular magic has been stashed on the island, and many want it. But not surprisingly, the first group that visits learns extremely nasty murderers reside on the island…personally. This makes their boss unhappy, but for Juu and Han, it all seems like a sideshow to the main event. And that’s mainly seeing who will actually win between Juu and Han.
This is like the weirdest, and likely most violent, rivalry in comic form. Considering what actually happens to them (both lose an eye, some limbs, etc), it’s impossible to believe they lived for a year. Maybe at some point they developed a bizarre friendship, as respect for their inhuman strength. Or they’re immortalish. Even saying that, it’s still hard to believe! From that and from where the story eventually goes — a group with magical powers, a special girl born on a holy night being the key to unlocking a magic’s ultimate power — is pretty wacky. And this also doesn’t end completely well either.
The art once again is a standout. The detail in how Juu ends his foes, how Han slices his knife, the way bodies are cut up…it’s pretty gruesome. It’s certainly not for everyone, but the art is very much high-tier stuff. The battles are also really good and understandable, which makes this become a turn-pager to see what happens next.
Still, Burning Hell feels like it left a lot on the table. The art is great and the story overall is passable, but it doesn’t feel like something to remember in any way. You can certainly make a case that not everything has to have a tried and true ending. And the ending in this is ok. It’s just adding all these additional elements feels quite unnecessary, and ultimately lets this story down.