Join us to discuss Ed Brubaker's Sleeper

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EMPIRE'S COMICS GRAPHIC NOVEL DISCUSSION GROUP

 Date: Thursday, June 11 2015
Time: 6:30 – 8:00pm, PST
Location: Empire’s Comics Vault
Just show up or, RSVP on Facebook

Sleeper: A Synopsis

In "Sleeper," a story that unfolds in the Wildstorm comics universe, Holden Carver, aka "The Conductor," is a covert operative whose encounter with an alien artifact has infused him with an impressive suite of powers: he's unaffected by physical pain, has the ability to heal rapidly and can store and weaponize any pain inflicted on him. Carver views these powers as a curse, but that hasn't stopped him from putting them to "good" use while working deep under cover to penetrate a potent criminal organization with a global reach, headed by a villainous mastermind named Tao.

But now Carver's International Operations handler is in a coma and no one knows that Carver is really a good guy. In fact, with all the really nasty, underhanded things he's had to do to rise as a trusted assassin within Tao's syndicate, Carver's not even that sure himself anymore.

Join us

Written by Ed Brubaker with art by Sean Phillips, published by DC Comics under the Wildstorm imprint, Sleeper melds noir, spy craft, and super humans.

Join us Thursday, June 11 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm to discuss. 



Transcend the Boundaries of Time and Space: Trillium

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Empire's Comics Graphic Novel Discussion Group

Date: Thursday, April 9, 2015
Time: 6:30 – 8:00pm, PST
Location: Empire’s Comics Vault
Just show up! Or, RSVP on Facebook

Trillium: a synopsis

When a trippy, time-bending, otherworldly flower transports scientist Nika Tensmith from across dimensions from the year 3727 to 1921, she meets and forms a life/universe altering connection with shell-shocked, WWI veteran, William Pike.

Though the fabric of time is fraying all around them, their refusal to let each other go, combined with black holes, aliens, pyramids, warmongers and a sentient plague that threatens to wipeout humankind, spawns writer and artist Jeff Lemire's romantic space opera, Trillium.

Join our dizzying discussion through time and space as we talk all things Trillium on the night of March 12 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
  • Is the concept innovative or cribbed from various, superior sci-fi stories? 
  • Nika and William's relationship: Epic, cosmic, love story or flimsily contrived, drug-induced infatuation? 
  • Upside down panels: Mind-bendingly effective or simply annoying?
  • Did you take the time to decode the alien language? C'mon, be honest! Was the cipher an engaging element or a distracting gimmick?
  • Lemire's art: Sloppily ugly or beautifully weird?

Be part of the discussion.
Date: Thursday, April 9, 2015
Time: 6:30 – 8:00pm, PST
Location: Here at Empire’s.

Get Down and Dirty with Southern Bastards

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Empire's Comics Graphic Novel Discussion Group

Date: Thursday, March 12, 2015
Time: 6:30 – 7:30pm, PST
Location: Empire’s Comics Vault

Just show up! Or, RSVP on Facebook
Southern Bastards Synopsis
Welcome to Craw County, Alabama. If you like your football muddy, your BBQ greasy, and your town rampant with vengeful, violent folk, then kick off your boots and sit a spell ‘cause we reckon you're gonna fit right in.
Good old boys, Jason Aaron and Jason Latour, head Down South to write and draw what they know in their pulpy, grim tale of crime, drugs and greed. Southern Bastards is the story of one man hell-bent on setting things right in his hometown some 40-years after he left it to rot, armed with only a big stick and righteous indignation fueled by family tragedy and the death of an innocent friend.
Up For Discussion
We’ll take up residence in the crusty, corrupt town of Craw County for a few hours on the night of March 12 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Join us to chew the fat on these and any other tasty tidbits that strike your fancy:
  • What do you think of the recurring one-man vigilante theme across Aaron’s titles (Scapled, Punisher MAX, etc.)? Is he merely retreading old ground with Southern Bastards? Or does this series bring something new to the table?
  • Was Latour’s art equal to both the quiet, emotional scenes and the more frenetic, violent scenes? Or was it more suited to one over the other?
  • Did Southern Bastards portrayal of the American South seem one-sided and stereo-typical? Would you ever want to visit the South after reading this book?
  • How menacing did you find the villain, Coach Boss? What did you think were his motivations for corrupting the football team to his own evil ends?
  • What’s with the dearth of female characters?
  • Did the end of the book shock or disappoint you?
Be part of the discussion.
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2015
Time: 6:30 – 7:30pm, PST
Location: Here at Empire’s.


Get Tangled Up with The Wicked + The Divine

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The Wicked + The Divine
Empire's Comics Graphic Novel Discussion Group:
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2015
Time: 6:30 – 7:30pm, PST
Location: Empire’s Comics Vault

Just show up! Or, RSVP on Facebook.

The Wicked + The Divine: A Teaser


What if "gods were pop stars and pop stars were gods"? When does fandom become idolatry? Is burning twice as bright worth burning far less than half as long? Such are the thought-provoking questions stirred up by The Wicked + The Divine.

In this series, written by Kieron Gillen and drawn by Jamie McKelvie, set in 2014 London, you’ll meet the 12 members of The Pantheon. Once everyday teenagers, they’ve gained superhuman powers with just a few little catches: a life expectancy of a mere two years, a mandate not to harm humanity with their powers, and a chance to ‘recur’ (read: reincarnate) every 90 years. They’re also pop icons with all the trappings of fame, including obsessive fans, nasty haters, and for some, ambitions and vices that put them and, potentially, all of humanity at risk.

Join us as we bandy about the questions above and below, exploring the relationships between fame, idolatry and art, and the potentially sinister influence of pop culture as reflected through the pages of our February Graphic Novel Discussion Selection: The Wicked + The Divine.

Up For Discussion


  • How confusing was the beginning? Very or not at all?
  • This book has been lauded for its predominantly female and multi-racial cast. What did you think about the diversity of characters?
  • In today's culture, are celebrities just as, if not more, influential as religion?
  • Mythology: Is familiarity with mythology essential in order to fully enjoy and understand this story?
  • Is the bond between Laura and Luci realistic?


Be part of the discussion.
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2015
Time: 6:30 – 7:30pm, PST
Location: Here at Empire’s.

Uncover the Secrets Hidden Under Locke & Key

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Locke & Key is Empire's January 2015 Reading Selection


Join the discussion
Date: Thursday, January 8, 2015
Time:  6:30 – 7:30pm, PST 
Do family dramas, gruesome horror, bone-chilling suspense, and portals into other dimensions hold a fascination for you? If so, then it’s time you opened up a copy of Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft. You’ll meet the Locke family and discover that they have more than their fair share of family skeletons (demons, and spirits, and ghosts, oh my!) in their ancestral closets.
In a story created by Joe Hill (son of horror master Stephen King) and Gabriel Rodriguez, IDW Publishing unleashed the Locke family demons into the world back in February of 2008 in an issue that sold out in a single day. The Locke & Key series went on to win British Fantasy Awards in 2009 and 2012 for Best Comic or Graphic Novel and multiple 2011 Eisner Awards. Despite a failed TV series adaptation that same year, a film trilogy based on the complete Locke & Key series was officially announced at Comic Con 2014.
Whether you’re already fans of Tyler, Kinsey and Bode Locke or we’ve only just piqued your curiosity to learn more about their intriguing family secrets, you’ll want to join us for our January Graphic Novel Reading Club discussion.

Read Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft. Then join our Graphic Novel Reading Club.

On the second Thursday in January, we’ll explore what’s hidden under Locke & Key, discussing everything from the art and the characters, to the delivery, the plot and the story arcs.
If you’re possessed by a spirt of curiosity and eager to share your input, here are six doors of debate we’ll unlock and open at our upcoming reading night:
  • Did the opening of the story confuse or intrigue you?
  • What clues and telling details did you find within the book’s various artwork panels?
  • Did you feel any empathy for Sam Lesser? If so, why?
  • Does the quality of the content justify the gore?
  • Do the series of flashbacks serve the story or distract from it?
  • How many magical keys are too many?
Join the discussion if you’ve got the soul (and the stomach!) for it! Thursday, January 8, 2015 from 6:30 – 7:30pm, PST here at Empire’s.
How To Participate

  1. Check out the line-up below to see which graphic novel or collected edition titles we'll be reading and discussing each month.
  2. If there's a title you're interested in, talk to Ben at the shop or message him via Facebook or Twitter, and he'll make sure there's a copy of the book for you.
  3. You may participate in one or all of the discussions or whichever ones interest you. Also, you can get the book at the shop or the library or the one that's already in your collection.
  4. Show up by 6:30 p.m. on discussion night. We'll take over Empire's Lounge and get into the book! Feel free to bring something for yourself to eat and drink or something to share. There are decent food options on Fulton Avenue and a convenience store in the shopping center.
  5. Check our events schedule regularly for new and updated entries.

Graphic Novel Reading Selection by Month

Here's what we've selected to get started. If there's something we should consider, please let us know and we'll add it to our growing list of titles.
  

Rat Queens take on Empire’s Graphic Novel Reading Club

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Empire’s Graphic Novel Reading Club reads and discusses a diverse selection of collected comic books and graphic novels, from the thought-provoking to the entertaining. All are welcome. Read your own copy or pick up one at the shop. Join the next discussion on Thursday, December 11, 2014 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm at Empire’s Comics Vault.

"Who are the Rat Queens? A pack of booze-guzzling, death-dealing battle maidens-for-hire, and they're in the business of killing all god's creatures for profit. It's also a darkly comedic sass-and-sorcery series starring Hannah the Rockabilly Elven Mage, Violet the Hipster Dwarven Fighter, Dee the Atheist Human Cleric and Betty the Hippy Smidgen Thief. This modern spin on an old school genre is a violent monster-killing epic that is like Buffy meets Tank Girl in a Lord of the Rings world on crack."

Join the discussion

Date: Thursday, December 11,  2014
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.


How To Participate
  1. Check out the line-up below to see which graphic novel or collected edition titles we'll be reading and discussing each month.
  2. If there's a title you're interested in, talk to Ben at the shop or message him via Facebook or Twitter, and he'll make sure there's a copy of the book for you.
  3. You may participate in one or all of the discussions or whichever ones interest you. Also, you can get the book at the shop or the library or the one that's already in your collection.
  4. Show up by 6:30 p.m. on discussion night. We'll take over Empire's Lounge and get into the book! Feel free to bring something for yourself to eat and drink or something to share. There are decent food options on Fulton Avenue and a convenience store in the shopping center.
  5. Check our events schedule regularly for new and updated entries.

Graphic Novel Reading Selection by Month
Here's what we've selected to get started. If there's something we should consider, please let us know and we'll add it to our growing list of titles.

Empire's Graphic Novel Reading Club

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George Warren, KXTV News 10; John Marcotte
with Stella and Anya

Thank You, John Marcotte

We can't talk about the graphic novel reading club without first talking about John Marcotte. He's one of our amazing customers.

We can't thank him enough for first bringing the graphic novel reading club idea to us and then for bringing to life the Explicitly Graphic Novel Reading Club.

Watch for him at the shop and at discussions and be sure to meet him. There's a good chance you've already seen or heard about his daughters. In addition to raising two wonderful little girls, he's doing a lot of other amazing things.

Read Bill Willingham's Fables and Let's Talk


Therefore, we're pleased to announce that, starting Thursday, September 18, Empire's Comics Vault will bring back the graphic novel reading club.

Our first graphic novel selection is Bill Willingham's magical series, Fables. This first volume is a self contained murder mystery that introduces you too a host of fables, shown in a whole new light, living in New York City.

We will talk about the art, the story, the delivery, the characters and anything else that pops up about the selected Graphic Novel.

How To Participate

  1. Check out the line-up below to see which graphic novel or collected edition titles we'll be reading and discussing each month.
  2. If there's a title you're interested in, talk to Ben at the shop or message him via Facebook or Twitter, and he'll make sure there's a copy of the book for you.
  3. You may participate in one or all of the discussions or whichever ones interest you. Also, you can get the book at the shop or the library or the one that's already in your collection.
  4. Show up by 6:30 p.m. on discussion night, and we'll take over Empire's Lounge and get into the book! Feel free to bring something for yourself to eat and drink or something to share. There are decent food options on Fulton Avenue and a convenience store in the shopping center.
  5. Check our events schedule regularly for new and updated entries.

Graphic Novel Reading Selection by Month

Here's what we've selected to get started. If there's something we should consider, please let us know and we'll add it to our growing list of titles.