“In the year 2025, mysterious tombs appeared all over the world, each housing an ancient relic granting supernatural abilities. The lucky few who quickly obtained these relics ruled over powerful monopolies. Others came to serve them, such as Jooheon Suh, a “raider” who hid in tombs to steal relics. Betrayed by his employer, Jooheon is left to die but instead finds himself transported 15 years in the past. Armed with years of tough raiding experience and knowledge of what is to come in the world of relics, does Jooheon have what it takes to become the “Tomb Raider King”?” (IZE Press)
Making a book where you cheer on the anti-hero can prove to be challenging; you need a lead with all the charisma required to engage the audience while still having an edge. Thankfully, ” Tomb Raider King” gives readers the suave Jooheon Suh, a thief turned adventurer whose strong sense of justice leads him into some morally ambiguous scenarios yet his strong will and charm make him an ideal protagonist. The book's ability to push this persona is undeniably its most notable attribute and something that it tackles with relative ease.
Beyond its strong lead, “Tomb Raider King” excels at mixing elements of fantasy RPG with modern-day drama and political intrigue. Having a chance to relive the fall of humanity with knowledge and power gained through years of crawling dungeons, Jooheon Suh tangles with foreign agencies, and trying to harness the power of the tombs is just as, if not more, engaging as the fantastical elements of the book. Furthermore, the first volume balances time spent in and out of the ‘tombs' in a way that compliments the character growth of Jooheon. This not only makes his foray into the dungeons an exciting deviation from the drama elements but it gives the release a pacing that makes it an absorbing read.
Visually, “Tomb Raider King” book is not the most aesthetically pleasing, with a rather muted color scheme that seems to have a fine gray brushed over any night scene and action sequences that are not fluid or overly engaging. However, the world created by San. G does seem fully realized in the art of 3B2S, and the book does excel at capturing smaller details that are often just brushed over in the Webtoon format, such as backgrounds, even when they are unnecessary to the plot. The physical release from IZE Press is wonderfully formatted and is printed on glossy paper that gives the feel of value for the amount of the 270-page release.
Given the strong storytelling elements, slightly more mature content, and a strong sense of world-building, “Tomb Raider King” is the perfect complimentary series for fans of “Solo Leveling“. There are enough differences between the two to offer up unique experiences, yet both titles showcase the genre's ability to intertwine action and drama in an engaging way with a splash of visual flair. Essentially, these books are exemplary of how WebToon has risen to popularity, occupying the ‘hero' space left by the, largely, uninspired Western comics coming from the ‘big two'.
Ultimately, “Tomb Raider King” is a well-constructed piece of drama/action led by a charismatic lead character, while the action elements, though rough, are well-written and help build excitement around the lore of the world constructed by San. G. If you are a fan of action/fantasy comics, what more would you want? Also, if you enjoy this one make sure you check out the previously mentioned “Solo Leveling” and “The World After The Fall” as both highlight the best of manhwa in the fantasy genre.
