“The enigmatic Yu lives his life without joy or purpose. All aspects of the young man are a mystery to those around him…save for his superhuman athletic abilities. Yu has rhythm, grace, and power on the level of the top pound-for-pound fighters, and his potential is too much for the legendary Coach K to ignore. Taking the young prodigy under his wing, the two shock the world of boxing, fight by fight, as Coach K attempts to make Yu the greatest of all time. But what exactly compels Yu to keep entering the ring…?” (Ize Press)
Ize Press, an imprint of Yen Press focused on manhwa, has come out of the gates with noteworthy and exceptional releases in titles such as “The World After The Fall” and “Villians Are Destined to Die“. Yet, the publisher seems to have the title that has the potential to push through the digital confines of the WebToon format to deliver a series that has the potential to tap into a larger market outside of those already invested. This is where “The Boxer” and in particular its creator JH, presents itself as a contender to push the genre into a larger spotlight.
Those unfamiliar with the creator Ji-hun Jeong, credited as JH, already have some exemplary releases under his belt that focus on psychological drama. Notably, his 2016 mini-masterpiece “The Horizon” was a masterclass in minimalistic storytelling that follows a boy and girl navigating through an unforgiving post-apocalyptic world (Slated for future release through IZE). The boxer treads similar ground as his previous work, with an emphasis on dark themes. In this case, “The Boxer” touches on themes of bullying, isolation, and depression, while still embracing the action focus of higher-octane boxing comics. The combination is pure perfection, and those that appreciate martial arts comics with an edge such as “Shamo” or “Holyland” will, undeniably, be excited to see how the series develops off such a remarkably well-executed first volume.
Visually, JH's style is not as technically clean or polished as a lot of other popular manhwa titles, but it is this grittiness that adds a humane aspect to an art style that is often dominated by a feeling of artificiality in the digital art process. Consequently, the art feels unique to JH whereas other manhwa titles in the Ize Press line-up, regardless of how well executed it is, present themselves as interchangeable–this is the first artist with instant recognizability through their art. For a sports manga, a key element will always rest in the artist's ability to capture motion. Thankfully, JH's loose visual style flows seamlessly into explosive action sequences where every dodge and punch is animated and easy to follow. Undeniably, looking at single panels within “The Boxer” won't evoke a sense of awe, but as the book starts to flow together, the visual presence becomes one of its defining attributes.
The book is printed on high-quality glossy stock that allows the art to pop, an element which I have been, admittedly, repeating ad-nausea with each Ize Press release–but an aspect that needs to be noted. The release also has a brief boxing glossary at the end which will be appreciated by those unfamiliar with the sport. Hopefully, this will expand with each subsequent release to offer more insight into any research JH did. Alternatively, it would be appreciated to see some concept art given JH's unique visual style, but these are wishes and not complaints about the final product.
“The Boxer” is a real knock-out of an opening series, and for a fan of manga like myself, who has been slowly digging into the realm of manhwa, the series is an exciting prospect as it rivals the best that manga has to offer. If you are going to give manhwa a shot, this is the series you need to be reading going into 2023, especially if you are already a fan of boxing/martial arts comics.
