EMPYRE TIE-INS WEEK OF 8/5: PLANTS GONE WILD

Empyre: X-Men #2
Gerry Dugan, Ben Percy, & Leah Williams – Writers
Lucas Weneck– Artist
Nolan Woodard – Colors
VC’s Clayton Cowles – Letters
Stephen Segovia & Sunny Gho- Cover Artists

If you thought Empyre: X-Men #1 was fun, then you are in a for a treat in the second issue. Empyre: X-Men #2 takes everything the first issue did right and cranks it up to eleven. Despite writing duties having passed to Gerry Duggan, Ben Percy, and Leah Williams, the story flows smoothly between the two issues. With the addition of Hordeculture to the battle royal, witty and snarky dialogue is necessary, and the writers don’t disappoint. As the plot escalates and the situation on Krakoa becomes more ridiculous, the art by Lucas Werneck and colors by Nolan Woodard rise to the occasion. No matter what situation, interaction or expression the writers throw at them, and there is a lot, they delivery it beautifully onto the page,

Lords of Empyre: Celestial Messiah #1
Alex Paknadel – Writers
Alex Lins– Artist
Matt Yackney– Colorist
VC’s Ariana Maher – Letters
Rod Reis- Cover Artists

Lords of Empyre: Celestial Messiah #1 provides a look at another angle of the onset of the Crotati invasion. This issue provides insight into Sequoia, a character who many readers are sure to be unfamiliar with. This could have easily been a boring recap issue with references to comics the reader may or may not have read, instead Alex Paknadel framed the story as an emotional battle between mother and son. Alex Lins and Matt Yackney on art and colors work well with the narrative, adding layers into the flashbacks within flashbacks of the story and emotion to the conflict.