Welcome back netizens! Fracadactyl speaking with another Life in Comics segment. I need to see if this if this part is worth continuing. People seem to like how countries make their comics or how creators make them more. Anyhoo, let’s take a look at the dialog heavy but entertaining world of Empowered.
Adam Warren’s manga-esque franchise comes from an appreciation of superheroes and manga, while making fun of them. In fact it’s about growing confidence and getting your name out while rolling with the punches. That may be the reason why Adam decides to make the series in webcomic form many years after publication. The franchise revolves around its title character, a super heroine who by several definitions is a C or D-Lister. Non-comic fan translation: cannon-fodder.
Empowered: Comedy or Tragedy?
Elissa Megan Powers (aka Empowered, Emp for short) has a rather weak power set from a skin-tight costume that gives her a whole list of problems. Super strength, shooting beams, and a slew of other powers are all pretty decent. But the output (supposedly) depends on how much of the costume is in tact. Given how fragile it is in the heat of battle, it often leaves Emp vulnerable. Because of the suit’s fragility, Emp usually ends up in a vulnerable position. But that’s not even half of her problem.
The Life of a Low-Rank
Emp is not a full member of her town’s resident superhero team the Super Homeys, she’s just an associate token member. Her power-set and reputation of being a hogtying victim makes Emp a laughing stock in the superhero community. This is actually a reference to other characters who are often victims of mockery by comic fandoms.
In many of the big two comic book companies there are hundreds of characters; many often join superhero teams after revolving around several ideas. Unfortunately, most of these characters aren’t very well written and are usually just placeholders. Often they only appear for diversity’s sake and just to add to a story from out of nowhere. Some like Triathlon (from Marvel) and Vibe (DC) are little more than niche fillers that fans want to forget. TV Tropes even has a page describing them as cannon fodder for motivating actions in the story.
Unlike those characters though, Emp doesn’t have the luxury of cancellation to save herself from humiliation. Like every person she has to go through every day of her life no matter how hard it is. As such, since Emp doesn’t have the same perks many heroes do so has to take steps to sustain herself. At least it makes her more humble than those jerkhat capes.
These People Qualify as Heroes?
Superheroes play most of the notes when it comes to regularities including secret identities. Many of them have a celebrity status and with Empowered being satire, this goes to their heads. Many of these so-called heroes are narcissists or stock characters.
Major Havoc for example, is practically a jock reveling in attention despite his lack of fighting skills. He is also loyal to the male members of his team, even when under suspicion of sabotage. When it comes to Emp, though he takes the opportunity to humiliate or derail her whenever possible. But when met with something he can’t overcome, Havoc shows his more cowardly side.
Sistah Spookay, the team’s magic user defines herself by her tragic past as a bully victim by white blonde girls. It’s why she’s such a jerk to Emp, even though Emp never deserves it. Yet unlike Havoc, Spookay doesn’t take every opportunity to ruin Emp; she just tells her hard truths like special awards are for humiliating less popular heroes. Beneath this however, Spookay is deeply insecure about her appearance as well as her sexuality. Unlike the rest of the heroes who are usually uptight glory hounds. With heroes like these who needs villains?
What About the Baddies?
That’s not to say the villains are good guys; in fact many of them are as much as jerks as the heroes are. A small number are complete monsters like Willy Pete (it’s a lot more intimidating if you get the reference). Others are just people in costumes trying to make a living and couldn’t make it as heroes. A smaller number of them are adults with the minds of children like Tyrant Lizard King. Then there’s Manny, a former child cancer patient. Despite his young age, he takes advantage of his situation to become a fully fledged, albeit polite super villain.
The only thing that keeps most of these supervillains in line is a code that prevents killing; lest the cape community comes down on them hard. Oh… and raping a superhero doesn’t cut as a serious crime. At the very least they never throw bodies into a fridge; the world’s bleak, not pessimistic.
The World’s Not so Empowered Either
Paying the Super Bills
Empowered brings the idea of being a superhero in the form of dry satire. Being a superhero in both a supported community and government gives the capes a few benefits. But lower tier ones like Emp have to take a few extra jobs to get by. Some upload videos to the internet or be a ghost writer. Of course, being the title character Empowered goes through the most motions. She works part-time as a mascot with that ironically makes her more comfortable than her supersuit.
Even the villains have bills to pay; most villains need to find and give work to make those ends meet. Due to the fact most supervillains get carted off to jail being henchmen is often a freelancer career; Emp’s boyfriend Thug Boy and his co-workers have to change employers on the fly. I wonder if this serves as ideas for Henchmen for Hire. Someone should consider some superhuman resources at some point.
The Powers Don’t Empower Either
Superpowers themselves are under the parody microscope. At least three characters got their powers as a result of STDs. Doesn’t anybody bring condoms to these meetups? More traditional power granting means like drugs meanwhile have way too many risks for the average person. And then there’s Emp who gets her supersuit in the mail that literally just comes out of nowhere. But what about the non-sci-fi powers?
The magic tends to be on the soft side of applications. Sistah Spookay and some other capes get their powers from otherworldly entities which attack their insecurities whenever possible. But unlike the strange but mesmerizing aspects of Dr. Strange, the costs tend to be greater than the payoff. For example, they can’t die because their powers reanimate the capes’ bodies (while still having gaping holes) and minds. Worst part is, because of the public situations surrounding their deaths, the “Superdead” aren’t even allowed to walk outside. I wonder if it’s actually an insurance thing. What’s the point of being a superhero anyway?
What’s so Great About Empowered?
What makes Empowered such a good read however is the colorful cast of support characters Emp has. I don’t mean her teammates, they can have the fate of Rick and Morty’s Vindicators. Except the one with a cinder block for a head or Battle Maid, they’re awesome. Emp’s relationship with her boyfriend Thugboy is ranked #22 in the Greatest Romantic Couples in comics because of how much they complement each other. Then there’s Ninjette, another former antagonist who has more fun drinking with Emp. It really goes to show that despite the bad circumstances in the competitive superhero world, there are people to count on.
There are even quirky situations that while bad are still fun to watch. Eldritch beings aren’t that scary once you get to know them. But all of that pales in comparison to how each character lives their lives in that hellhole they call home. As Emp exemplifies, while most people would rather let it all end the most important thing is to push forward. No one even has to do it all alone, it’s always important to have people remind you of your goodness.
But what do you think? Is this the worst world to be a superhero in or a place that has some benefits? The ink’s not dry yet.
Thanks for coming and as always remember to look between the panels.