Sunday Trade: Empowered

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Empowered Volume 3 by Adam Warren

The third volume in Adam Warren's tale of Empowered, a super-hero with poor luck and a great deal of self-esteem issues. This volume has less sex and humor (though still has some) and gets more into the back-stories of Emp's boyfriend Thugboy and best friend Ninjette. Even the inks are darker than normal. But between the bloodshed, Warren still has a drunken karaoke night, Emp's jerk male team-mates learning they're the subject of yaoi doujinshi and more sexy librarian cos-play. Plus super-hero wannabe Oceltina, last seen attempting to kidnap Emp and engage in unwanted naughty touching...

Like the previous volumes, the main draw isn't so much the humor or the sexy. Its the depth of characterization of the cast. You care about Emp and want her to succeed. And in the final story, where Ninjette has to battle ninja bounty hunters there's a real sense of tension as you worry about her survival...

The one fault I have for this volume? Not enough Caged Demonwolf. Though the one story he narrates does feature some true mastery of the art of alliteration...