HEAVENLY DEMON REBORN! (VOL. 1), from Ablaze Publishing on November 9th, 2022, follows 900, a child recruit for the Heavenly Demon Cult, who carries the soul of a murdered warrior determined to seek revenge on his betrayers.
The Details
- Written by: O’Emperor
- Art by: Gom-Guk
- Colors by: Gom-Guk
- Letters by: Gom-Guk
- Cover art by: Gom-Guk
- Cover price: $19.99
- Release date: November 9, 2022 (digital), November 22, 2022 (print)
Is It Good?
HEAVENLY DEMON REBORN! (VOL. 1), the latest in a line of Manhwa titles from Ablaze Publishing, brings a classically-inspired tale of martial arts and revenge to Western audiences. O’Emperor’s tale about a reincarnated warrior is filled with all the hallmarks of a hero’s journey you could hope for in an action epic, and Gom-Guk’s fusion of Manhwa style with color brings the visuals to vivid life. At a hefty 321 pages, this volume is a winner.
O’Emperor’s story revolves around recruit 900, a child conscripted into the Heavenly Demon Cult. What the instructors don’t know is that 900 died during the first round of trials and his body now holds the reincarnated spirit of a warrior unjustly killed by the Qingscheng Sect. The setup is tailor-made for a hero given another chance to avenge his fallen master by building on the memories of his old training and combining them with a new teacher to evolve into something greater.
900’s training is brutal, but O’Emperor consistently weaves in character development as 900 is forced to adapt and overcome every challenge. Imagine the world’s greatest Rocky training montage that lasts for an entire volume, and mistakes or failures result in death. What makes 900’s journey unique compared to other Mahnwa or Manga titles is 900 isn’t an underdog. Quite the opposite, 900 has a leg up on his competition due to his reincarnated experience, giving him an edge that allows him to surprise his opponents and delight readers in every fight.
The second point that makes this volume so interesting is the reading order and coloring. First, this is a full-color title, which is unusual for Manhwa and Manga stories. Gom-Guk’s coloring is excellent, and the creative use of colors on the lettering adds a welcome pop that separates 900 and his deadly opponents apart.
Second, the panel layouts and reading order follow a Western-style (left to right), which should lower the barrier to entry for anyone not used to Eastern reading order. The transition from Eastern to Western is seamless, and the panels flow beautifully.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Unseong, the only apprentice to his master and the ChangJon school of martial arts. The school is framed for committing evil acts of heresy, and Unseong is executed by the group responsible for the betrayal, Dogyul Jwa and the Qinscheong Sect.
Later, a young boy trains exceptionally well under the lethal training of the Heavenly Demon Clan’s program. What the trainers don’t realize is that the boy, named 900, dies several months ago, and his body holds the reincarnated spirit of Unseong. Seizing the chance to hone a new warrior’s body and add the Heavenly Demon Clan’s secrets to his own knowledge, 900 quietly endures the brutal conditions while secretly surpassing all students in his group.
900 eventually evolves into the greatest warrior the Heavenly Demon Clan has ever known. We conclude the volume with a final test, a chance for the first phase of revenge, and respect that can only be earned.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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HEAVENLY DEMON REBORN! (VOL. 1) is another stellar offering from Ablaze in its bid to make Manhwa comics accessible to a Western market. The main character’s origin and journey are instantly engaging, the martial arts action is thrilling, and the wins are oh-so-satisfying.
Score: 9/10
★★★★★★★★★★
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