EMPOWERED 5's Spooky + MF

Here's a chapter-break/ title-page illo from EMPOWERED vol. 5, the latest installment of my ongoing* "sexy superhero comedy" published by Dark Horse Comics... and now on sale, I'm happy to say!

This story briefly retraces the history of the ill-fated relationship between Emp's nemesis Sistah Spooky and her ex-girlfriend, the (blonde!) telepath Mindf**k. BTW, the latter character is wearing a schoolgirl outfit because, at one point in the flashback story, she tours Spooky's (painful) memories of high school. Note that this was the admittedly rather oblique basis for Emp wearing a schoolgirl outfit on the back cover of the book: [link]

Sadly, EMPOWERED vol. 5 doesn't have many of these chapter-break illos to post, since it features fewer chapters (due to much longer stories) than previous volumes... and three title pages are taken up by "meta" bits with Emp addressing the reader, grousing about negative 4chan posts, etc. Even worse, most of the pieces aren't all that provocative (and thus unlikely to get pageviews), save for one (maybe two) that might appeal to DiD fans. Well, maybe a schoolgirl outfit on a cute blonde chica will rack up some views...

You can see a wee preview of the book here: [link] Note that I got the idea for the fake version of EMP's suit having high heels from a real-life EMP cosplayer: [link]

The book's front and back cover can be seen here: [link]

Here's another title page [link] or two [link] plus a big, bold 'n' brassy double-page spread: [link]

I should note that EMPOWERED is a "sexy superhero comedy" except when, um, it isn't. This volume features a tad less humor than previous installments, mainly because of a long, grueling, and emotionally charged story that takes up over a quarter of the book's pagecount. In said story (which closes out the volume), "Say That I Deserve This," our heroine Emp's good intentions lead to disaster... or, more accurately, a CHAIN of disasters. Still, here's plenty of the sexeh and the funneh in the REST of the volume, as indicated in the back-cover copy:

After saving much of the superhero community from certain doom, costumed crimefighter “Empowered” is dismayed to find that, in the suspicious eyes of her caped colleagues, she may have gone from being merely "an easily distressed pair of training wheels for supervillains” to possibly being a closeted supervillain herself! Meanwhile, our stressed-out superheroine must overcome other challenges aplenty, ranging from gossip-prone cosmic overlords learning Too Much Information from her mother and “cosplay” dress-up disasters at work (and in bed!) to duct-tape-happy catgirls, fiery sociopaths, orbital catastrophes, and even a surprising kiss or two... Not to mention trying to survive an emotionally charged, potentially lethal confrontation with her teammate-in-name-only (and implacable nemesis) Sistah Spooky!

You can preorder EMPOWERED 5 online at Dark Horse's retail website at: [link] or at Amazon.com: [link] Keep in mind, though, that while Dark Horse's site has the book in stock, bookstores--including Amazon-- may not get it in stock for some time yet. (Comics retailers, including online sites like TFAW, often get EMPOWERED volumes well before the bookstores do.)

Note that both sites have links for ordering previous EMPOWERED volumes, as well; or, you can quite possibly find these volumes on the shelves of of your friendly neighborhood comics retailer or bookstore, though not at MY local Barnes & Noble, annoyingly enough... And if they don't carry the books, just ask said retailer to order 'em for you; believe me, they'd be happy to take your money.

(Note: EMPOWERED vols. 2 and 3 just went back to press a month or so ago, and should be back in stock shortly.)


*"Ongoing" as in, there WILL be a vol. 6.