THE BREAKER (VOL. 5), from Ablaze Publishing on April 5th, 2023, finds Mr. Lee in a fight for his life with nowhere to run against the Union Leader and the Murim forces.
The Details
- Written by: Jeon Geuk-Jin
- Art by: Park Jin-Hwan
- Letters by: Jeong Hyun Ahn
- Cover art by: Park Jin-Hwan
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $19.99
- Release date: April 5, 2023
Is It Good?
How?!? How does a 370+ page omnibus manage to grab you by the throat and not let go when almost the entire volume is a single rooftop fight?!? THE BREAKER (VOL. 5) is, in a word, amazing.
When last we left Si-woon, Si-ho, and Mr. Lee, they were cornered on a rooftop by Murim forces from several clans. Now, the Union Leader steps in to stop Mr. Lee, dead or alive.
The synopsis for this volume, but the execution is anything but. The fight between Mr. Lee and the Union Leader takes up most of the volume, and it’s filled with every twist, turn, trope, surprise, and wow moment you could imagine and more. As every good action story should, the plot is furthered through the action, so you get insight into what happened to Mr. Lee’s master through evolving martial arts techniques during the battle.
Si-woon and Si-ho lend Mr. Lee aid at a critical moment, paying a painful price for their interference, and Mr. Lee undergoes a transformation that changes the direction of the story for everyone involved. This volume isn’t just a lot of martial arts action. It’s a real-time display of a legend in the making.
In terms of writing execution, Jeon Geuk-Jin’s sense of pacing and dramatic punch are miraculous. The punches hit as hard as a truck, but the quiet moments of emotion hit just as hard. In other words, you get a delicately balanced mix of martial arts action and powerful dramatic acting, all in one extended scene.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a martial arts action story without some kickass martial arts action. Park Jin-Hwan’s fight choreography and gift for hyper-dramatic panel design are breathtaking. The kicks and punches move with kinetic energy that bursts off the page, and the facial acting is perfect.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE BREAKER (VOL. 4) review to find out how our heroic trio wound up cornered on a rooftop.
We begin where the last Volume left off. A weakened and injured Mr. Lee is surrounded by Murim from all the clans when the Union Leader steps up to confront Mr. Lee in solo combat. Mr. Lee barely manages to avoid the deadliest blows, but it isn’t long before his weakened state slows him down enough to start taking massive hits.
When it seems Mr. Lee is finished, Si-ho uses a transference technique to absorb some of Si-woon’s ki and give Mr. Lee a much-needed recharge. Mr. Lee is soon on his feet and ready to go on the offensive when suddenly… gunshots ring out.
We conclude the volume with grief and rage leading to ascension, a deadly hostage situation, and an act of mercy that leads to an awkward job offer.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
THE BREAKER (VOL. 5) is an impressive volume encapsulating a nearly 300-page fight. The action is the stuff of martial arts legendry, and the dramatic acting is nearly perfect.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.