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Empress #1-7
Empress: Book One
Imagine you're married to the worst bad guy from your favorite sci-fi movie. An alien dictator feared throughout the universe, who will kill you if you leave - but you need to escape for the sake of your three children. That's the life of Queen Emporia. All she has is her wits, her bodyguard and three guns to get her kids across the galaxy - and her husband Morax's forces are in hot pursuit. Easy, right? Their desperate race for their lives will take them through interplanetary war zones, across dead worlds and into the path of monstrous beasts! Danger piles upon danger when slavers circle and a tribal priestess thirsts for a blood sacrifice! All the while, Morax executes anyone and everyone in his way. Welcome to EMPRESS, your new favorite comic!
Collecting EMPRESS #1-7.
Collecting EMPRESS #1-7.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published February 8, 2017
9 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Mark Millar
1,512 books2,564 followersMark Millar is the New York Times best-selling writer of Wanted, the Kick-Ass series, The Secret Service, Jupiter’s Legacy, Jupiter’s Circle, Nemesis, Superior, Super Crooks, American Jesus, MPH, Starlight, and Chrononauts. Wanted, Kick-Ass, Kick-Ass 2, and The Secret Service (as Kingsman: The Secret Service) have been adapted into feature films, and Nemesis, Superior, Starlight, War Heroes, Jupiter’s Legacy and Chrononauts are in development at major studios.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
November 30, 2025
(B+) 77% | Good
Notes: An art attraction, packed with action, plot is loose at best, a too-convenient, prowess-lenient, haphazard refuge quest.
*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-3 ◦ Issues #4-6 ◦ Issues #7
Notes: An art attraction, packed with action, plot is loose at best, a too-convenient, prowess-lenient, haphazard refuge quest.
*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-3 ◦ Issues #4-6 ◦ Issues #7
July 19, 2017
Fun read. Well constructed and well executed, as you would expect from a veteran writer like Millar.
If I had to give the elevator pitch of this one, I'd probably say something like: "Imagine Saga, except it's less about the characters and their relationships, and more about action scenes, fights and car-chases in space."
And while there's nothing *wrong* with that. I like a slower, more deliberate pace to my stories. I want to explore the world a little bit. Smell the roses. I want *more* time with the characters and their relationships. Not less.
So if you thought Saga was kinda draggy, this comic's for you. But for me, I constantly found myself wishing the pace would ease off a bit.
If I had to give the elevator pitch of this one, I'd probably say something like: "Imagine Saga, except it's less about the characters and their relationships, and more about action scenes, fights and car-chases in space."
And while there's nothing *wrong* with that. I like a slower, more deliberate pace to my stories. I want to explore the world a little bit. Smell the roses. I want *more* time with the characters and their relationships. Not less.
So if you thought Saga was kinda draggy, this comic's for you. But for me, I constantly found myself wishing the pace would ease off a bit.
April 25, 2017
A long time ago (65 million years to be precise) in a galaxy not too far away… on Earth in fact! A sophisticated, yet deeply violent, space empire existed during the time of the dinosaurs led by Darkseid rip-off #576. His wife gets sick of his barbaric ways, takes their kids and runs – Darkseid-wannabe gives chase. And that’s Empress!
Space operas are seriously IN these days. Star Wars is murdering at the box office, as is Guardians of the Galaxy, and Saga is one of the biggest comics titles ever. I get the impression Mark Millar is a canny operator so I’m sure he noted the trend and decided “Me too!”. He’s done a space comic recently, the Flash Gordon pastiche Starlight, but thankfully Empress is better than that effort – though not by much.
The story is exceedingly shallow and generic: Empress and her family, including her Han Solo-bodyguard/obvious love interest, get into spaceship battles/chases, pew-pew laser-gun fights on alien worlds and there’s ‘splosions aplenty. In other words, it’s full of stuff from any number of space operas that have gone before.
As usual with Millar, the characters are paper-thin, mostly as we get almost no time getting to know them before the action starts up and keeps going for the entirety of the book. A lot of them are derivative too – I couldn’t tell you their names but I thought of them as Darkseid, Gamora, Han Solo, and Tyrion Lannister; Millar’s offering nothing new here.
Stuart Immonen’s art is cool and I enjoyed some of the alien creatures/landscapes he drew. Mark Millar’s writing reads smoothly – partly because he’s a capable, experienced comics writer but largely because he leans heavily on (if not outright steals) scenes, storylines and characters we’ve seen in other, better stories elsewhere – though the overall effect is uninteresting, insubstantial and uninspired.
The choices in this book are too safe, too mainstream – but then Millar’s in the film storyboard business these days, not comics. The book screams “Option Me For a Mindless Blockbuster Popcorn Summer Movie!”, which, of course, it has. Le sigh. I was unimpressed for the most part and never got caught up in the story which felt lazy, cynical and exploitative, like many of Millar’s recent books. Empress is a flashy space adventure that’s easy to read but it’s too unmemorable and unoriginal for my taste.
Space operas are seriously IN these days. Star Wars is murdering at the box office, as is Guardians of the Galaxy, and Saga is one of the biggest comics titles ever. I get the impression Mark Millar is a canny operator so I’m sure he noted the trend and decided “Me too!”. He’s done a space comic recently, the Flash Gordon pastiche Starlight, but thankfully Empress is better than that effort – though not by much.
The story is exceedingly shallow and generic: Empress and her family, including her Han Solo-bodyguard/obvious love interest, get into spaceship battles/chases, pew-pew laser-gun fights on alien worlds and there’s ‘splosions aplenty. In other words, it’s full of stuff from any number of space operas that have gone before.
As usual with Millar, the characters are paper-thin, mostly as we get almost no time getting to know them before the action starts up and keeps going for the entirety of the book. A lot of them are derivative too – I couldn’t tell you their names but I thought of them as Darkseid, Gamora, Han Solo, and Tyrion Lannister; Millar’s offering nothing new here.
Stuart Immonen’s art is cool and I enjoyed some of the alien creatures/landscapes he drew. Mark Millar’s writing reads smoothly – partly because he’s a capable, experienced comics writer but largely because he leans heavily on (if not outright steals) scenes, storylines and characters we’ve seen in other, better stories elsewhere – though the overall effect is uninteresting, insubstantial and uninspired.
The choices in this book are too safe, too mainstream – but then Millar’s in the film storyboard business these days, not comics. The book screams “Option Me For a Mindless Blockbuster Popcorn Summer Movie!”, which, of course, it has. Le sigh. I was unimpressed for the most part and never got caught up in the story which felt lazy, cynical and exploitative, like many of Millar’s recent books. Empress is a flashy space adventure that’s easy to read but it’s too unmemorable and unoriginal for my taste.
December 1, 2016
Like a lot of Mark Millar's work, I find I end up enjoying it more than I probably should. I mean, this book didn't exactly bring anything new to the table. Each issue had a cliffhanger, however, it was all very predictable and I never felt like anyone was ever in any real jeopardy. The story was enjoyable but never took me anywhere that I hadn't seen before in many other iterations.
And yet, I was enjoying the hell out of it all.
And that's the thing about Mark Millar. I get the sense that he just doesn't give a fuck. He tells the story that he wants and makes it a fun little ride. He doesn't smother it all with trying to be something smarter than it actually is.
And it works. I was entertained. It didn't hurt one bit either that Stuart Immonen made every single page a complete joy to look at. The dude was on fire with the art direction and it really helped sell the story that he and Millar were trying to tell.
It was a fun adventure. The pace was fast - and it reminded me in a way of the Indiana Jones movies where it was just one thing after another after another after...another. Set pieces lined up to thrill us, the viewers, never really giving us a chance to catch our breaths.
And then it's over. Quick, easy, and fun.
I like fun. And that's why I like Mark Millar.
I'd give this three and a half stars if Goodreads would let me...
And yet, I was enjoying the hell out of it all.
And that's the thing about Mark Millar. I get the sense that he just doesn't give a fuck. He tells the story that he wants and makes it a fun little ride. He doesn't smother it all with trying to be something smarter than it actually is.
And it works. I was entertained. It didn't hurt one bit either that Stuart Immonen made every single page a complete joy to look at. The dude was on fire with the art direction and it really helped sell the story that he and Millar were trying to tell.
It was a fun adventure. The pace was fast - and it reminded me in a way of the Indiana Jones movies where it was just one thing after another after another after...another. Set pieces lined up to thrill us, the viewers, never really giving us a chance to catch our breaths.
And then it's over. Quick, easy, and fun.
I like fun. And that's why I like Mark Millar.
I'd give this three and a half stars if Goodreads would let me...
July 17, 2017
A long time ago in a galaxy very, very near was an empire ruled by a tyrant. The queen has had enough and escapes with her children and bodyguard. What follows is 7 issues of a family on the run from Darkseid-lite.
The Good: Even though it's highly derivative of every other space opera out there, it's still a fun, quick read. It's basically storyboards from a future movie.
The Bad: All flash, no substance. All the characters are superficial and flimsy.
The Ugly: Stuart Immonen gives his typical dynamic art with some pages looking unfinished like they are just thumbnails.
The Good: Even though it's highly derivative of every other space opera out there, it's still a fun, quick read. It's basically storyboards from a future movie.
The Bad: All flash, no substance. All the characters are superficial and flimsy.
The Ugly: Stuart Immonen gives his typical dynamic art with some pages looking unfinished like they are just thumbnails.
January 30, 2018
Decently built world. The writing was just decent.
November 18, 2017
How often do you get to see a guy in spacesuit, riding a T- Rex, to a Colosseum sized arena?
The book opens up with a premise like the ancient Minerva situation from Assassins Creed, and then on boasts itself as the story of the very first emperors of Earth. It features a futuristic past from Jurassic ages where aliens, animals and humans co exists in a cosmopolitan space culture. The universe is as diverse as that of Incal or Valérian and Laureline, and crosses sci-fi and fantasy in its delightfully inked stylized artwork.
Teleporting jumps between different planet, Little guy Tor, the mother ship with levitating console were ingenious and impressively imaginative. Though this might easily pass as an Indie comic like Chrononauts(bad comparison), without Millers name on the cover, Empress isn't short of his defining edginess like violence(very less graphic this time), fast pace, abrupt ending, cheesy setting etc.
So, what in first look felt like a cheesy ridiculous science fantasy turned out to be exactly that, with more fun than I could have ever expected of the premise. And in the end that is what matters.
The book opens up with a premise like the ancient Minerva situation from Assassins Creed, and then on boasts itself as the story of the very first emperors of Earth. It features a futuristic past from Jurassic ages where aliens, animals and humans co exists in a cosmopolitan space culture. The universe is as diverse as that of Incal or Valérian and Laureline, and crosses sci-fi and fantasy in its delightfully inked stylized artwork.
Teleporting jumps between different planet, Little guy Tor, the mother ship with levitating console were ingenious and impressively imaginative. Though this might easily pass as an Indie comic like Chrononauts(bad comparison), without Millers name on the cover, Empress isn't short of his defining edginess like violence(very less graphic this time), fast pace, abrupt ending, cheesy setting etc.
So, what in first look felt like a cheesy ridiculous science fantasy turned out to be exactly that, with more fun than I could have ever expected of the premise. And in the end that is what matters.
June 30, 2018
Awesome! Can't wait for them to turn this into a movie. Mark Millar really did a good job to subtly hint at the lasting effects of domestic violence. The scenes where the children struggle with their new realities as they run with their mother allowed for some good character development. The bodyguard was a nice touch that added a very "stepfather" feel without it being mentioned. I hope Mark Millar continues with this series. I enjoyed reading about a Queen for once rather than a super hero.
November 23, 2016
I must admit I squealed when I read the "end of book ONE" line. That's how good these seven issues were!
June 15, 2019
Flashy action and paper thin characters, Empress is a quick & easy read, fun and action-packed but basic and one-note. Totally forgettable once closed.
I bumped up the 2* rate I would have given it otherwise for two reasons:
- the twist during the final fight, not that amazing but surprising enough and I didn't see it coming, so...
- Stuart Immonen of course! Great art and awesome storytelling, as always.
I bumped up the 2* rate I would have given it otherwise for two reasons:
- the twist during the final fight, not that amazing but surprising enough and I didn't see it coming, so...
- Stuart Immonen of course! Great art and awesome storytelling, as always.
September 16, 2023
A quick read, but a lot happens through this story. A tad bit predictable, but not in a way that blemished my enjoyment for the story too much. While the family was always in danger, I quickly learned that they likely weren’t ever in any danger, so I’d hold back a 5-star rating for that. The journey through the story was enjoyable though and the ending was satisfying. Art was also really good! Would love it if Millar revisited this in the future.
March 31, 2017
Yes! Finally a Millar comic that doesn't read like a mid-level storyboard for a movie. This one actually looks like it might continue past this first volume. Exellent artwork throughout from Stuart Immonen.
Read
September 5, 2019La idea es genial...hay un emperador universal que es malo como Político Colombiano , y su esposa un día decide irse con sus hijos lo mas lejos para darles una mejor vida, y así empieza una aventura por planetas , razas, luchas , persecuciones y demás , con un arte del inmenso Stuart Immonem.
Pero no.
La historia es plana, sencilla, no hay giros argumentales, tu ves venir todo lo que se viene y rara vez te sorprende,y el gran Stuart lo hace maravillosamente pero aca le falta algo mas de la chispa que el tiene .
Pero no.
La historia es plana, sencilla, no hay giros argumentales, tu ves venir todo lo que se viene y rara vez te sorprende,y el gran Stuart lo hace maravillosamente pero aca le falta algo mas de la chispa que el tiene .
February 9, 2017
Empress is a story of escape. Escape from a world, relationship and a truly terrible dictator. Emporia with her bodyguard Dane are racing across the Galaxy with her 3 children to escape her terrible Tyrant of a Husband, Morax.
Mark Millar (Civil War) & Stuart Immonen (All New X-men) have teamed up to bring us this Sci-Fi adventure series which can easily be compared to Saga. Though a lot more tame than the Brian K. Vaughan epic, this story is all about family and space, so it's very easy to draw a comparison between the two.
Stuart Immonen does a great job on the art front. Combat is a big part of this story and Immonen does a great job making combat exciting but easy to follow. The colour palatte is very bright which helps keep you engaged in the story.
I've had a mixed history with Millar in the past and I didn't have high hopes for this book but I was pleasantly surprised. Each of the characters are very likeable in their own way, the twists that the story takes are engaging and it's actually just a fun read.
This story doesn't give us anything new or groundbreaking but it was very enjoyable and I will be carrying on with the series. If you are a sci-fi fan like me I'd advise picking it up and you'll probably not regret it.
Mark Millar (Civil War) & Stuart Immonen (All New X-men) have teamed up to bring us this Sci-Fi adventure series which can easily be compared to Saga. Though a lot more tame than the Brian K. Vaughan epic, this story is all about family and space, so it's very easy to draw a comparison between the two.
Stuart Immonen does a great job on the art front. Combat is a big part of this story and Immonen does a great job making combat exciting but easy to follow. The colour palatte is very bright which helps keep you engaged in the story.
I've had a mixed history with Millar in the past and I didn't have high hopes for this book but I was pleasantly surprised. Each of the characters are very likeable in their own way, the twists that the story takes are engaging and it's actually just a fun read.
This story doesn't give us anything new or groundbreaking but it was very enjoyable and I will be carrying on with the series. If you are a sci-fi fan like me I'd advise picking it up and you'll probably not regret it.
September 23, 2019
Esse Mark Millar é muito do espertinho (bom, e isso quem não sabe?). Ele se valeu do hype que foi feito sobre as space operas, principalmente no auge do sucesso de filmes como Guardiões da Galáxia e quadrinhos como Saga, para lançar seus esforços nesse sentido. Só que aparentemente não deu certo. Afinal, em lugar nenhum eu vi as pessoas comentarem sobre esse quadrinho, Imperatriz. E nem é porque tem uma mulher protagonista, porque ela nem protagoniza nada, só está ali pra dizer que está. Talvez esse seja o grande erro desse quadrinho que, no meu ranking, acaba ficando com o segundo quadrinho pior de Mark Millar em matéria de roteiro, ficando atrás somente de Nêmesis. Já a arte do desenhista Stuart Immonen está mais sensacional e incrível do que nunca. Ficou muito valorizada tanto pela finalização quanto pelas cores. Os conceitos dele para os gadgets espaciais são incríveis. Pena que o roteiro seja tão qualquer coisa e com um deus ex machina meio bobão no final. Mark Millar quis fazer o próximo Star Wars e acabou fazendo um seriado de ficção científica das cinco horas na Manchete. É, Marquito, não se pode ter tudo.
August 26, 2023
La reine Emporia ne supporte plus la cruauté sans limites de son mari. Elle décide alors, avec l'aide de son garde du corps, de s'enfuir et d'emporter avec elle ses trois enfants. S'ouvre alors une course poursuite à travers les mondes.
Un récit hyper bien rythmé et un dessin très sympa. On regrette juste une certaine précipitation qui ne nous permet pas d'apprécier la diversité de l'univers proposé et laisse place à un scénario quand même assez banal bien qu'accrocheur.
Un récit hyper bien rythmé et un dessin très sympa. On regrette juste une certaine précipitation qui ne nous permet pas d'apprécier la diversité de l'univers proposé et laisse place à un scénario quand même assez banal bien qu'accrocheur.
January 28, 2021
3.9 Stars.
This was a lot of fun. I think if there is a vol. 2 I might change the score... but all and all it was worth a read if you love rip-roaring, out of this world space opera action. Very Fifth Element, which made me very happy.
This was a lot of fun. I think if there is a vol. 2 I might change the score... but all and all it was worth a read if you love rip-roaring, out of this world space opera action. Very Fifth Element, which made me very happy.
August 1, 2017
It's a beautifully drawn book. I've got issues with the coloring job though. Millar's script leaves a lot to be desired as well. His stories have really gone down hill since Old Man Logan.
February 4, 2018
It took me ages to get my hands on a copy of this. All that effort meant it couldn't live up to my expectations. It didn't.
February 25, 2018
Bonus points for not going where I expected, but when you have to employ a 3 panel flashback of what happened earlier in the book to sell your reveal? Hmm, I'm not sold.
August 23, 2018
Definitely reading the next one. 4 stars.
Read
May 1, 2021 Typical Millar Sci-Fi. Predictable, and hits all of the usual cliches and tropes, bur a couple of unexpected turns at the end that made me smile gain this an extra star or two.
September 18, 2017
A fun read ! Over the top space opera. Artwork by Immonen is super-dynamic. Good stuff !!!
March 10, 2025
Not bad. I just find comics a bit boring.
November 21, 2017
Ok it is another epic space story focusing on family (cough cough saga) but i still really enjoyed it. A big part of why this book is good is Stuart Immonen on art, he is at good action, people, and creating interesting panels. Now this isn't really like Saga except in concept, the writing is more serious and there is no humor, profanity, or sexuality but the core is a space family escaping danger on the daily. Millar on writing is fine, there are some cheesy lines occasionally but it works. The characters are interesting especially Tor and ship. The family of Emporia and children are a little more predictable but it was alright with me. There is also a nice minor twist at the end which i appreciated, so all and all it was a good time.
December 27, 2016
Read Empress today.. one of the MillarWorld sci-fi books. This is the one with Stuart Immonen doing the art, just off his Star Wars gig. As most of Millar's work is these days, it's clearly meant to be a screen play... the 7 issue series took me just over an hour to read.
It's pretty, that for sure, with some cool alien designs and concepts. They all just kinda fly by the window while the plot happens, though. The actual story is about a queen and her kids fleeing her husband that happens to be dictator of the universe.... of course the kids are practically superheroes.. the boy is a techincal genius and the girl an insane hand to hand fighter... so it kinda feels the the Incredibles on the run in space.
The plot is fairly predictable.. funny how Millar, who is a publisher and a bit of an icon in the field now, is carried by whatever artist he can convince to help him these days. The thing is, the story is such that it would be enormously expensive to make into the movie it's meant to be (unless it's animated) so it seems a fail on that score.
Decent read, but I don't think I'd spent $3.99 per issue on the next Millar project like this... I'l wait for the more inexpensive trade and not have to keep the singles around until the series is complete.
It's pretty, that for sure, with some cool alien designs and concepts. They all just kinda fly by the window while the plot happens, though. The actual story is about a queen and her kids fleeing her husband that happens to be dictator of the universe.... of course the kids are practically superheroes.. the boy is a techincal genius and the girl an insane hand to hand fighter... so it kinda feels the the Incredibles on the run in space.
The plot is fairly predictable.. funny how Millar, who is a publisher and a bit of an icon in the field now, is carried by whatever artist he can convince to help him these days. The thing is, the story is such that it would be enormously expensive to make into the movie it's meant to be (unless it's animated) so it seems a fail on that score.
Decent read, but I don't think I'd spent $3.99 per issue on the next Millar project like this... I'l wait for the more inexpensive trade and not have to keep the singles around until the series is complete.
July 21, 2023
7/10.
A fun, fast paced, world jumping space adventure. All main characters have seven layers of head-to-toe plot armor and a dues ex machina in every pocket, but the story has a good payoff. Well worth the read.
A fun, fast paced, world jumping space adventure. All main characters have seven layers of head-to-toe plot armor and a dues ex machina in every pocket, but the story has a good payoff. Well worth the read.
September 22, 2017
Playacting the wife of an intergalactic psychopath is not an admirable station for a woman of prominence to possess. And yet, somehow, Queen Emporia manages the position with remarkable grace and fortitude. Yes, the woman has her fair share of secrets, but she cares deeply for her three children. Will the ambition and fury driving her forward prove to be her undoing?
EMPRESS is a book lacking in believable (narrative) dynamism but is chock full of dynamic characters. How well readers can suffer such an imbalance is a question for the ages.
Emporia rebels. Flees. Takes her children with her.
King Morax is not happy.
That's the gist of EMPRESS. The striking violence and enmity with which Morax rules his corner of the universe has worn thin the last of Emporia's patience. It's time to seek higher ground.
Assassinating innocent people for serving as cheap bystanders to betrayal? Disemboweling fair-minded citizens in a public arena? Morax is one bad dude. As such, escaping his grasp is going to require the skills of an equally but righteously badass dude.
Dane Havelock doesn't screw around. Readers with a bit of history will note the character's resemblance to soldiers-of-fortune from decades past, with his blue-gray stubble, pressed khaki riding pants, and an indefatigable confidence that mark him as a man of destiny. Havelock is the hero's hero. He's a soldier but he's a humanist. He's a bullet and a blade who will hold your hand until the final moment, and then kiss you goodnight.
But there's only so much Havelock can accomplish. Havelock cannot master matters of the heart; he cannot convince someone to unbelieve, to unmoor themselves from years of loyalty. Not so ironically, Havelock himself is one such victim to duty.
EMPRESS, however, does posit an intriguing obstacle to these two men-as-opposing-forces: fear.
Emporia fears she will lose her children. Aine, Emporia's daughter and the eldest of said children, fears her strengths and diligence will go unrecognized. Adam, Emporia's son, fears he will let people down, despite the reach of his vast intellect.
Notably, of those characters in EMPRESS whom show no fear, all of them fail. It is those who articulate their fears and confront them who survive.
Regrettably, beyond this assessment, this comic is a shallow excursion. Morax is always one step behind when chasing down the queen until somebody makes a near-fatal mistake and gives away the fleeing family's position.
The book's kinetic action sequences and repeat brushes with death are a highlight, but also point to a rather enormous plot hole: Havelock saves Emporia's family time and again but with little practical capacity to do so. If Grant McKay of Black Science were as physically imperious as he was intellectually commanding, then one would have the adventures of Captain Havelock. The impractical nature of Havelock's escapades makes EMPRESS a borderline tedious experience. The character is always forming a plan and always has an escape route in mind. Exciting, yes. Convenient, for sure. Original, not at all.
There are other soft spots, too. The comic introduces a sorely unneeded romantic angle into the closing chapters that completely and unjustifiably fragments a number of key character dynamics. This is a sad, lingering consequence of genre writing whose breadth of male perspective is long overdue for an overhaul.
Also left unexplored or unexplained is King Morax's empire and how far it actually reaches. At one point, the man brags his "sector" has been under his thumb "for a hundred and fifty years." However, since readers don't know what race or ethnicity Morax is, this appears wholly incongruous with the fact that the apocryphal ruler has a baby, a tween son, and a teenage daughter by the same woman (whom has been at his side for the entirety of his rule).
Similarly, Emporia comes across less like a woman of aptitude and more like a toy for the writer to wield when bored. When Emporia shows what she can do in the closing pages of the book -- a surprise to all -- it turns out she possesses some form of genetic promise . . . but the fact that the creative team chose the final pages of the whole book to reveal this information feels cheap.
EMPRESS, unsurprisingly, and like many of Millar's books, reads like a film or a television script. It is exciting and possesses a few turns of drama, but between the fissures there yet remains a deeper, unfulfilled progression of character integrity and an illegitimate sequence of action or drama that simply leaves one shrugging their shoulders.
EMPRESS is a book lacking in believable (narrative) dynamism but is chock full of dynamic characters. How well readers can suffer such an imbalance is a question for the ages.
Emporia rebels. Flees. Takes her children with her.
King Morax is not happy.
That's the gist of EMPRESS. The striking violence and enmity with which Morax rules his corner of the universe has worn thin the last of Emporia's patience. It's time to seek higher ground.
Assassinating innocent people for serving as cheap bystanders to betrayal? Disemboweling fair-minded citizens in a public arena? Morax is one bad dude. As such, escaping his grasp is going to require the skills of an equally but righteously badass dude.
Dane Havelock doesn't screw around. Readers with a bit of history will note the character's resemblance to soldiers-of-fortune from decades past, with his blue-gray stubble, pressed khaki riding pants, and an indefatigable confidence that mark him as a man of destiny. Havelock is the hero's hero. He's a soldier but he's a humanist. He's a bullet and a blade who will hold your hand until the final moment, and then kiss you goodnight.
But there's only so much Havelock can accomplish. Havelock cannot master matters of the heart; he cannot convince someone to unbelieve, to unmoor themselves from years of loyalty. Not so ironically, Havelock himself is one such victim to duty.
EMPRESS, however, does posit an intriguing obstacle to these two men-as-opposing-forces: fear.
Emporia fears she will lose her children. Aine, Emporia's daughter and the eldest of said children, fears her strengths and diligence will go unrecognized. Adam, Emporia's son, fears he will let people down, despite the reach of his vast intellect.
Notably, of those characters in EMPRESS whom show no fear, all of them fail. It is those who articulate their fears and confront them who survive.
Regrettably, beyond this assessment, this comic is a shallow excursion. Morax is always one step behind when chasing down the queen until somebody makes a near-fatal mistake and gives away the fleeing family's position.
The book's kinetic action sequences and repeat brushes with death are a highlight, but also point to a rather enormous plot hole: Havelock saves Emporia's family time and again but with little practical capacity to do so. If Grant McKay of Black Science were as physically imperious as he was intellectually commanding, then one would have the adventures of Captain Havelock. The impractical nature of Havelock's escapades makes EMPRESS a borderline tedious experience. The character is always forming a plan and always has an escape route in mind. Exciting, yes. Convenient, for sure. Original, not at all.
There are other soft spots, too. The comic introduces a sorely unneeded romantic angle into the closing chapters that completely and unjustifiably fragments a number of key character dynamics. This is a sad, lingering consequence of genre writing whose breadth of male perspective is long overdue for an overhaul.
Also left unexplored or unexplained is King Morax's empire and how far it actually reaches. At one point, the man brags his "sector" has been under his thumb "for a hundred and fifty years." However, since readers don't know what race or ethnicity Morax is, this appears wholly incongruous with the fact that the apocryphal ruler has a baby, a tween son, and a teenage daughter by the same woman (whom has been at his side for the entirety of his rule).
Similarly, Emporia comes across less like a woman of aptitude and more like a toy for the writer to wield when bored. When Emporia shows what she can do in the closing pages of the book -- a surprise to all -- it turns out she possesses some form of genetic promise . . . but the fact that the creative team chose the final pages of the whole book to reveal this information feels cheap.
EMPRESS, unsurprisingly, and like many of Millar's books, reads like a film or a television script. It is exciting and possesses a few turns of drama, but between the fissures there yet remains a deeper, unfulfilled progression of character integrity and an illegitimate sequence of action or drama that simply leaves one shrugging their shoulders.
March 7, 2018
Imperatriz é um doce para qualquer fã de uma ficção científica plena de ritmo, perseguições, seres monstruosos e volte-faces inesperados. Nem tanto para quem preza o lado mais intelectual do meio. Na minha opinião, o álbum alia uma arte de efeitos visuais vistosos e coloridos, que agradará decerto aos fãs de Fiona Staples, Alan Davis, Chris King ou Rob Guillory (créditos ainda para o trabalho de Wade von Grawbadger e Ive Svorcina nas cores) a um argumento pop corn que, independentemente dos gostos, entretém e arrasta o leitor numa jornada de tirar o fôlego.
Achei que a imagem e a história casaram na perfeição. Ambas muito competentes, cumpriram aquilo que prometiam. A história da mulher que foge do esposo, um tirano inter-galático de quem todos temem, pode não ser propriamente original, mas foi muito bem desenvolvida e apresentada, passando de vários planos sem desprimor de nenhum. O humor não é utilizado com a frequência desejada, mas funciona quando aparece.
A composição do grupo de protagonistas foi aquilo que mais me agradou neste comic. Temos Emporia, a rainha que decide fugir do marido cruel com os três filhos (a carismática Aine, o inventivo Adam e o bebé de colo chamado Puck), um capitão da guarda chamado Dane e o seu amigo Tor, um ex-militar experimentado que me fez lembrar um Tyrion Lannister de pele escura, por sua vez sempre acompanhado por um teletransportador de formato esférico chamado Nave.
Graças a Nave, o grupo consegue fintar os enviados do Rei Morax e escapulir-se de planeta em planeta, mas o prémio pela sua captura é elevado e ninguém, independentemente do planeta, parece disposto a ajudá-los, até porque isso significava enfrentar a crueldade lendária do tirano. Morax parece ter também espiões em tudo quanto é lugar, decidido a frustrar os planos da sua esposa.
À medida que a narrativa avança, vamos conhecendo mais sobre Emporia e a sua relação com Morax, assim como descobrimos as potencialidades dos vários personagens, que todos eles parecem revelar-se à medida que os obstáculos o exigem. Emporia pretende chegar à irmã, que a deverá manter a salvo, mas poderá contar até com a oposição da filha. A imaginação de Millar toca em muitos aspectos o universo Star Wars, embora a linguagem visual também brinque em vários momentos com Blade Runner.
O álbum é auto-conclusivo, ainda que termine num cliffhanger que obriga o leitor (e os autores) a ter em mente que aquilo que julgavam ser o final pode ser apenas o início de uma aventura maior, mais complexa e original do que este primeiro volume o foi. A interação entre os personagens foi, para mim, o ponto forte da trama, pelo que podia considerar o livro extraordinário não fosse um dos plot-twists finais tirarem consistência e coerência à fuga de Emporia.
Ainda assim, Imperatriz é um volume lindíssimo que tem tudo para conquistar o leitor. Se naves espaciais e tiroteios inter-galáticos não te chegarem, junta a isso dinossauros, monstros horríveis e personagens com cara de bróculos (ou algo parecido) e encanta-te com uma protagonista que tem tudo para se revelar tão carismática quanto os secundários, assim o autor nos traga mais histórias deste mundo novo.
http://noticiasdezallar.wordpress.com
Achei que a imagem e a história casaram na perfeição. Ambas muito competentes, cumpriram aquilo que prometiam. A história da mulher que foge do esposo, um tirano inter-galático de quem todos temem, pode não ser propriamente original, mas foi muito bem desenvolvida e apresentada, passando de vários planos sem desprimor de nenhum. O humor não é utilizado com a frequência desejada, mas funciona quando aparece.
A composição do grupo de protagonistas foi aquilo que mais me agradou neste comic. Temos Emporia, a rainha que decide fugir do marido cruel com os três filhos (a carismática Aine, o inventivo Adam e o bebé de colo chamado Puck), um capitão da guarda chamado Dane e o seu amigo Tor, um ex-militar experimentado que me fez lembrar um Tyrion Lannister de pele escura, por sua vez sempre acompanhado por um teletransportador de formato esférico chamado Nave.
Graças a Nave, o grupo consegue fintar os enviados do Rei Morax e escapulir-se de planeta em planeta, mas o prémio pela sua captura é elevado e ninguém, independentemente do planeta, parece disposto a ajudá-los, até porque isso significava enfrentar a crueldade lendária do tirano. Morax parece ter também espiões em tudo quanto é lugar, decidido a frustrar os planos da sua esposa.
À medida que a narrativa avança, vamos conhecendo mais sobre Emporia e a sua relação com Morax, assim como descobrimos as potencialidades dos vários personagens, que todos eles parecem revelar-se à medida que os obstáculos o exigem. Emporia pretende chegar à irmã, que a deverá manter a salvo, mas poderá contar até com a oposição da filha. A imaginação de Millar toca em muitos aspectos o universo Star Wars, embora a linguagem visual também brinque em vários momentos com Blade Runner.
O álbum é auto-conclusivo, ainda que termine num cliffhanger que obriga o leitor (e os autores) a ter em mente que aquilo que julgavam ser o final pode ser apenas o início de uma aventura maior, mais complexa e original do que este primeiro volume o foi. A interação entre os personagens foi, para mim, o ponto forte da trama, pelo que podia considerar o livro extraordinário não fosse um dos plot-twists finais tirarem consistência e coerência à fuga de Emporia.
Ainda assim, Imperatriz é um volume lindíssimo que tem tudo para conquistar o leitor. Se naves espaciais e tiroteios inter-galáticos não te chegarem, junta a isso dinossauros, monstros horríveis e personagens com cara de bróculos (ou algo parecido) e encanta-te com uma protagonista que tem tudo para se revelar tão carismática quanto os secundários, assim o autor nos traga mais histórias deste mundo novo.
http://noticiasdezallar.wordpress.com
September 28, 2020
Since reading Millar’s Prodigy, I’ve gone back and read a few of his older comics only to realize Prodigy pretty much sums up one of Millar’s favorite tropes. And that is characters who are exceptionally talented. Whether it’s Huck or Prodigy or Empress or Jupiter’s Legacy, these characters can do the impossible. Done well, that can be thrilling. Done poorly, and it just strains belief. And, frankly, it’s dull. You know how it all ends as soon as you begin.
With Empress, Millar makes some bizarre choices. To start, the story is set 65 million years ago, about an advanced civilization that somehow leaves no trace of its existence for future humans to discover. I expected Millar had a purpose in this choice, but I was wrong. He just does it for the hell of it, and it’s one of many confounding choices that make it difficult to suspend disbelief. Why not just make it a sci-fi story set in its own universe?
When it comes to prodigies, Empress is filled with them. The gist of the story is that a woman, Emporia, escapes her husband, who is a mad king a la Thanos. She leaves with her bodyguard, Dane, who can fight his way out of any situation; her daughter, Aine, who is a skilled warrior; her two sons, the oldest of whom can do anything with tech; Dane’s friend, Tor, who can control gadgets, though he’s a bit rusty; and a device called Ship that can teleport anywhere. About Ship, it can only travel if it can see the sky, and apparently it can’t travel in daylight because the stars aren’t out. That’s just bad science, and it’s plain stupid.
There are some imaginative parts, such as a species that can trade bodies, allowing one to veg out as this species, while they get your actual body in shape. And it is clever the way little details play out by the story’s end. But then we learn about Emporia’s past and it just shows how Millar outfoxes himself. When we learn what Emporia is capable of, why did everything else need to happen?
With Empress, Millar makes some bizarre choices. To start, the story is set 65 million years ago, about an advanced civilization that somehow leaves no trace of its existence for future humans to discover. I expected Millar had a purpose in this choice, but I was wrong. He just does it for the hell of it, and it’s one of many confounding choices that make it difficult to suspend disbelief. Why not just make it a sci-fi story set in its own universe?
When it comes to prodigies, Empress is filled with them. The gist of the story is that a woman, Emporia, escapes her husband, who is a mad king a la Thanos. She leaves with her bodyguard, Dane, who can fight his way out of any situation; her daughter, Aine, who is a skilled warrior; her two sons, the oldest of whom can do anything with tech; Dane’s friend, Tor, who can control gadgets, though he’s a bit rusty; and a device called Ship that can teleport anywhere. About Ship, it can only travel if it can see the sky, and apparently it can’t travel in daylight because the stars aren’t out. That’s just bad science, and it’s plain stupid.
There are some imaginative parts, such as a species that can trade bodies, allowing one to veg out as this species, while they get your actual body in shape. And it is clever the way little details play out by the story’s end. But then we learn about Emporia’s past and it just shows how Millar outfoxes himself. When we learn what Emporia is capable of, why did everything else need to happen?
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