“I didn’t care that Admiral Yi Sun-shin wasn’t well-known in the U.S. because the story of a real hero speaks to everyone,” said Onrie Kompan. The 42-year-old American comics writer has spent the past 17 years telling the story of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the legendary Korean naval commander known for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Joseon Dynasty.
Admiral Yi is a national hero in Korea for leading over 20 victorious naval battles during the Imjin War in the 16th century. Kompan has been turning Yi’s story into a comic book series since his final year of college in 2009, drawn to what he describes as a story “more fantastical than superhero comics.” The legendary naval commander won battles despite being heavily outnumbered and poorly equipped. In the Battle of Myeongnyang, he led a Korean fleet of 13 ships to victory against a Japanese fleet of at least 133.
“Unlike fictional American heroes, Admiral Yi was a real-life hero who overcame overwhelming odds,” Kompan said in a series of phone and email interviews with the Chosunilbo. “I will continue creating comics about him until he is recognized worldwide.”
Kompan has sold over 460,000 copies of his Yi Soon Shin graphic novel comic series—160,000 in print and 300,000 digital copies.
But when Kompan first started, no publisher or distributor was interested in producing a comic about the Korean hero, so he took matters into his own hands. He self-published his work and promoted it at over 120 comic conventions across the U.S.
“In the early days, publishers were not willing to publish stories based on East Asian history,” Kompan said. “But gradually, as ‘history geeks’ started taking an interest in the armor and weapons of the Joseon Navy, it started gaining broader appeal.”
Born and raised in Northbrook, Illinois, Kompan was studying creative writing at Columbia College Chicago in 2006 when he came across the KBS drama series Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-shin on a cable channel. Kompan, who is Jewish-American, said, “Admiral Yi reminded me of the Jewish heroes who sacrificed everything to protect their Jewish communities.” He then made it his mission to research Yi’s life and share it with the world.
In Kompan’s comics, Admiral Yi is depicted as “the embodiment of perseverance,” someone who pushes forward even though the odds are against him. “There is that moment in his life where he falls off his horse and breaks his leg during a military exam but gets back on and finishes the test,” Kompan said. “Admiral Yi was strategic and composed even in the face of adversity, which is why I consider him one of the greatest real-life heroes of all time.”
Of the 23 naval battles Admiral Yi fought in, Kompan says he devoted the most attention to the Battle of Okpo—Yi’s first battle against the Japanese navy. Not a single Joseon soldier was lost in the fight. Kompan chose to depict the battle from the Japanese soldiers’ perspective, capturing their shock and panic at the sight of Yi’s ship, the Panokseon, unleashing a storm of arrows and cannon fire. The scene has become a favorite among fans.
Kompan spent two years reading English translations of historical documents and key texts such as the Nanjung Ilgi (War Diary of Admiral Yi), the Imjin Changcho, and the Jingbirok to ensure historical accuracy in the comics. He also researched works by historians Stephen Turnbull and Samuel Hawley, and traveled to South Korea to visit key battle sites. With help from Professor Chung Byung-woong of Soonchunhyang University, he consulted with members of Korea’s Army, Navy, and Air Force.
“Of course, I sometimes add fictional characters or supernatural elements for entertainment, but I always try to remain faithful to what happened in history,” he said.
Kompan’s Yi Soon Shin comics are based on his story and layout, and illustrated by a global team of cartoonists he recruited online. “I reached out online and said, ‘Let’s draw a comic about Admiral Yi,’ and artists started joining in,” he said. “We haven’t met in person, but we’re united by a shared passion for Admiral Yi.”
Italian cartoonist Giovanni Timpano illustrated volumes 1 through 5, American cartoonist El Arnakleus took on volumes 6 through 10, and Filipino cartoonist Dexter Wee drew volumes 11 and 12. Kompan says he’ll continue the series until Admiral Yi becomes as famous as the superheroes of Marvel and DC comics.
