You should buy this issue. It’s not that I’m tired of telling people about how damn good this series is, because I will get to that, it’s because I’m going to start with the most important info first. Which is, you should buy this issue. Now onward into my review. While I clamor for a new mini-series or just for this series to start-up as an ongoing again, I also appreciate these Empowered specials that Adam Warren is occasionally producing. The main reason is that he continues to bring in interesting talent to work on the series and while most of them have been up and coming artists, this time it’s a veteran artist: Brandon Graham. Graham has an interesting art style that you either love or hate; I myself reside in the former category of the two. His work here is stunning.
Make no mistake, Graham brings his trademark style to the series, but his talent as an artist is that he’s able to still capture the world of Empowered. He captures Emp’s personality and beauty, but then captures Ninjette’s as well. Without trying to sound like a pervert (I’m sure I’ll fail), but I appreciate that Graham drew Emp’s nipples through the suit. Now I know how that sounds, but when you think about it she’s wearing a skin tight suit and so it’s only biology that she would nip. It’s that weird yet brilliant consideration that makes Graham’s style so good.
On the story side of things, Warren again splits the story into two. The opening and close of the story is all Warren and his style has not slipped or deteriorated in the least bit. The story he tells is actually quite sad, but you’ll have to read all of it to figure out why. I will set the stage by telling you that Emp and Ninjette are called in for emergency surgery on a baby ship. It’s literally a baby ship as the mother ship (which is what you’d expect) hovers above. Mother and baby are essentially living space ships, but the baby has a nasty parasite that’s taken up residence inside of it. It’s up to Emp and Ninjette to clear out the parasites otherwise Mother ship is going to destroy the planet.
There’s plenty of twists and story to read still, but Warren of course makes the issue humorous and entertaining. One of the greatest reading experiences you can ever have is reading a comic book with a big goofy grin on your face and that’s exactly what I experienced while reading this issue.
Is there more to say about this issue? Tons, in fact there’s so much I want to pick apart and talk about and just comment on in general, but then what reason would you have to read the comic? I don’t want to spoil it so I will end it here saying the very thing I said in the beginning… you should buy this issue.
Score: 5/5
Writer: Adam Warren Artist: Brandon Graham (Colored Artwork) & Adam Warren (Black & White Artwork) Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 3/26/14