Greetings and salutations to all! I know it has been quite some time since my headshot has graced this paper, but I return to you now with a gem worth talking about.
In the last six months, writer-artist Adam Warren has released the first two books for his new series, “Empowered,” with Dark Horse Comics.
The book tells the story of a clumsy, self-conscious super-heroine, who has a tendency to keep getting caught by super-villains named Empowered, or simply Emp.
The book is not one straightforward story per se. The story is told through brief vignettes showing the character going through her daily routine and being put down as a third tier super hero by heroes and villains alike.
Now, I understand that, at first, the book sounds like it is just mean, but I can safely tell you it is not. Warren knows this character through and through and takes her on an uplifting journey that preaches nothing but self-confidence and love. This is specifically shown through the interactions between Emp and her friends, including Ninjette, a ninja who enjoys getting hammered.
Warren has been one of my favorite writers/artists since I started reading comics. In as much as he is my favorite writer-artist, he is the most underrated comic savant in the comic book world. His comics have unusual stories, loaded with Tarantino-esque dialogue that is somehow all his own. There is also beautiful art to go along with it all.
I attribute his limited popularity to his ability to tell stories in an American-style using Japanese Manga art. But I would argue that he has done some of the best work that exists in this style, and I believe he will one day be viewed as a pioneer as more and more writer-artists rise above and tell stories using this mixed style. That’s all I have to say for now. This is Comic Book Boy saying “Take Care!”
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