Empiria #4 review

The kingdom of Empiria feels like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. Prince Andor has been kidnapped on live TV by unknown forces, anti-elf sentiments grow across the kingdom (especially amongst the human population that once helped the elves gain power), and readily available magic crystals flood the streets to grant destructive power to anyone with coin. Tensions are high, and all it will take is a spark to ignite an inferno that could engulf all of Empiria if not contained in time... 

*Mild spoilers ahead for Empiria #4*

Things are quickly escalating in Empiria. 

In the previous issue Prince Andor was kidnapped from his very publicized birthday party by unknown forces, leading to a desperate chase through the city by his mage sister, Mae. Her pursuit was ultimately in vain, though, as his captors managed to escape, stealing him away on a ship manned by goblins, dragons, and various other beings with no love for the elven monarchy. Whether they mean to ransom him or use him in something more nefarious remains to be seen, though hope may not yet be lost for the young prince. Mae is coming after him, diligently following the trail of his kidnappers in spite of the wishes of their father.

Meanwhile, Justin finds himself drawn deeper into the anti-elven church he was led to by Petra. The leader of the church speaks of a coming messiah, and says that Justin will be an “important disciple” when they come. Though he knows not yet what this messiah will ask of him, Justin is eager to serve, having fully accepted and embraced the anti-elvin doctrine preached by the Father. It remains to be seen just what this mysterious messiah will require of the young man, though given the glint in the Father’s eyes as he speaks, it seems likely that it will only add to the growing conflict. I’m curious to see whether it relates to the plans of the still-unknown group that carried out the kidnapping of Prince Andor or whether it's merely a coincidence brought on by the growing anti-elven sentiments spreading through the land. Either way, what seems certain is that Justin may soon find himself involved in far more than he expected. 

Then, of course, there’s Randy, the punk rock unicorn, in the north. Randy has been on a relentless quest for vengeance since a gang of dragons beat him up and forcibly cut off his horn in the first issue. He’s prepared, gathering intel on his targets and securing a dangerous weapon. Now, he’s ready to begin, and things are about to get very bloody.

As with the previous three issues, writer David K. Wilson does a fantastic job balancing the three storylines. While Mae has been presented as the main character and received the most focus in this issue, neither of the other two characters’ plotlines feel like afterthoughts meant merely to help control the pace of the main story. Rather, each of the stories feed into one another, building towards the larger picture Wilson is crafting. 

By switching between the three storylines as he does, Wilson also helps to ensure that none of the characters or scenes overstay their welcome. Never once did I feel like the issue started dragging, even in the more dialogue-heavy sections. Each of the storylines felt like they progressed, whether in small ways like in the case of Justin, or much bigger ways in Randy’s case. More importantly, though, the progression all feels natural. None of the characters feel forced, with each receiving exactly as much focus as their respective plotlines require at this point in the narrative. 

Another area where this comic continues to shine is the pacing. While this issue overall is a bit slower than issue three given that the bulk of the issue focuses on following the kidnappers’ trail instead of the desperate, fast-paced chase that occurred previously, it still reads as a fast-paced book. Part of this is because of how Wilson chooses to switch between characters, balancing dialogue-heavy sections with action scenes, but more than that is the way the story is written. Wilson doesn’t linger on scenes beyond what’s needed to avoid feeling rushed, and the characters all speak in such a way that is easy to follow instead of feeling like I’m reading an essay every time they open their mouths, as can be the case in a lot of fantasy stories. This moves the story forward at a much faster pace without leaving me feeling like nothing happened in this issue. 

Four issues in, Empiria has been one of the most fun comics I’ve read in a while. The characters are all intriguing, the world feels vast, and its added role as a TTRPG offers opportunities to extend the fun beyond the pages of the comic. 

A lot has happened in a short amount of time, and it looks like things are only going to continue to escalate from here. I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here. 

Empiria #4 is available now from Rocketship Entertainment.