EMPATH #1, by BlackBox Comics on 1/10/24, begins a new kind of superhero story when Jace Emery protects the city streets by night with the power to sense and change criminals’ emotions.
The Details
- Written by: Brian Hawkins
- Art by: Debora Carita
- Colors by: Ceci De La Cruz
- Letters by: Micah Myers
- Cover art by: Debora Carita (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: January 10, 2024
Is EMPATH #1 Good?
Emotions are more powerful than most people realize. They shape and motivate every action we take, so it’s with this concept in mind that Brian Hawkins has invented a new kind of superhero in EMPATH #1. Who knew emotions could be used as a powerful weapon?
Brian Hawkins’s premier issue focuses on Jace Emery, a wealthy man who grapples with family drama by day and fights the city’s criminals by night. With a superpower based on emotions, Jace can sense anger and malice as a type of homing beacon, can steal a criminal’s emotions to see what they’ve done, and possibly more.
If the concept of emotion as a superpower sounds wonky or hard to visualize, Brian Hawkins makes it easy with fairly organic narration, elevated by Debora Carita’s inventive art. Through the use of energy and color, Carita makes emotions tangible in a way that makes sense for the story.
What’s great about EMPATH #1? The highlight of Hawkins’s premier issue is its central concept. Because emotions are generally considered ethereal, using them as a superpower, as Hawkins has done here, feels original. Once you get what Jace is all about, the issue becomes increasingly intriguing when you start to imagine how far his power can extend and evolve.
What’s not so great about EMPATH #1? Hawkins’s central premise about emotion-based powers is intriguing, but that’s the only hook you get. No big villains are established, we don’t know where Jace’s powers come from, and the major family drama presented in this issue doesn’t do much by way of generating motivation or urgency for Jace to act. Some readers will find his powers cool for being unique, but that may not be enough to keep readers coming back for more.
How’s the art? Carita has the unenviable task of visualizing emotions to make Jace’s powers make visual sense, and she pulls it off. The fight choreography mostly makes sense, barring a few awkward spots, and De La Cruz’s coloring looks great.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s EMPATH #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a hooded figure spying on a home invasion robbery in progress. Through narration, we learn the hooded figure, Jace, can sense the emotions of the robber. Jace crashes through the window of the victim’s apartment and beats the robber down using a combination of martial arts and his empathy powers. Jace sees the criminal acting out of desperation to feed his family, but desperation doesn’t mask an undercurrent of anger and greed.
Later, Jace visits his dying sister in the hospital. Jace’s relationship with his mother, Cashmere, is strained to the breaking point, and the two argue once the doctor gives a terminal diagnosis. Later, Jace lets off some steam by hunting down more criminals. We conclude the issue with a sickening memory, overwhelm, and an ending.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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EMPATH #1 premiers a new superhero with a unique superpower. Hawkins delivers a decent script that ticks all the boxes in terms of pacing dialog, and plot, and Carita’s inventive art helps visualize an esoteric concept.
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