Cosplay Sketch Featuring Model Jennifer Ravensong

Whether you’re a cosplayer or an artist — or both — be sure to participate in our twice-a-month Cosplay Sketch.

Meet the model and talk cosplay, then have a seat and sketch, paint, sculpt, or draw the model. Entry is $10 at the door — and all proceeds go directly to the model.

On Tuesday, August 29, 2017, from 6 - 9 PM, cosplay model Jennifer Ravensong will pose as Poison Ivy for your sketching pleasure (click to add this event to your FB calendar).

Check our Facebook calendar for additional upcoming sessions.

Who Is Cosplayer Jennifer Ravensong?

Jennifer Ravensong (on FB at J Ravensong Productions | Instagram | Twitter) is a fictional character, with a solid mythology.

Known in some parts as the Villainous Vixen Ravensong, no one knows who the Lady Ravensong truly is; her name and face have changed so many times.

What is known is that she will never remain the same for very long, always changing and morphing to blend into her environment. 

She is known to win the affections of men and women alike, only to bring them to their undoing. A black widow by nature and a siren at heart, she will woo unsuspecting victims with the beauty of her words and song and is sure to drive you to madness. 

While it is said she has a heart of gold, very few have seen past her walls, but to those she holds dear, she is an angel in disguise.

But never trust a villain or a woman….especially a villainous woman.

She was trained in the Companion arts from birth and was then discovered to have a very high count of metachlorian.

She trained in the Jedi arts under Mace Windu before she was betrayed utterly and turned to the darkside. Now a Sith, she carries her light saber with her always but only resorts to its use in the trickiest of situations.

Nooligan's Big Barda an Empire's Comics Vault exclusive

One of the things I love most about the Sacramento comic scene is the huge amount of creative talent right here at our fingertips. You have writers, artists, sculptors, painters, crafters and so much more.

One creator that has made his mark both locally, and now nationwide, is Sacramento native Hainanu Saulque (Nooligan.com), but maybe you know him as Nooligan.

His classic design and stylistic use of space makes his work unmistakable and perfect for display on any wall. All of his pieces are limited edition so that means you can’t wait till the next con to get the piece you want since it may not be there.

Down here at Empire's Comics Vault, we have a very special piece done just for the shop. You won’t find this Big Barda print anywhere else and it is limited to only 50 prints. Make sure you get yours before they go. ^Ben

Captain Canuck Annual Fan Art Contest ends June 1, 2015

Now's your chance to get featured in a cool comic book. The publishers of Captain Canuck will select 10 fan art submissions to be featured in upcoming releases of the new book.

Draw Captain Canuck or any Canuck Universe character and submit it to them following the guidelines outlined on the contest page. Entry is free.

While you're there, check out the Captain Canuck web series. Hope you enjoyed the Captain Canuck Free Comic Book Day title as much as we did.

Celebrating Children's Book Week May 4-10, 2015

We're excited to announce that we're celebrating Children's Book Week (CBW) for the first time this year.

For 96 years CBW has been promoting literacy, and it's about time this local comic shop became involved.

As you know, we promote reading with Rolly's Reading Program, a program that provides a deep discount on all our children's titles, and Rolly's Summer Reading Program, which ran for the first time in 2014.

Click here to download

We're offering the following two specials for CBW, May 4-10, 2015:

• 25% OFF all comic book titles for Children (from the young children's wall) and for Teen readers. Young children and teens must be present with an adult/parent for this offer to be valid.
• Comic Book Trade: When children/teens create their own comic book (1-page minimum required) and give it to us, we'll let them choose 1 free comic book (from select titles). Download and use our 1-page panel layout or make your own. 

"Children's Book Week is administered by Every Child A Reader, a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children."
(Source: http://www.bookweekonline.com/about)

The official hashtag for CBW is #CBW15.

Empire's Art Gallery features Jeremy Rathbone in August

Artist Jeremy Rathbone and Boba Fett.

Artist of the Month: August 2014

Artist Jeremy Rathbone, from Sacramento, CA, will be featured in Empire’s Art Gallery for the month of August 2014, starting Tuesday, August 12.

Jeremy works in digital and acrylics and is well known for his Zombot collection. He enjoys science fiction and horror themes or a mashup of the two. He frequently displays at local galleries and conventions.

At Stocktoncon

This Saturday and Sunday he’ll exhibit at Stocktoncon, taking place at Stockton Arena. 

View more of Jeremy’s art in Empire’s Art Gallery or via @JeremyRathbone on Instagram. 

Watch EmpiresComics.com for more information about Stocktoncon. 

One of four new prints available at Stocktoncon. Batman by Jeremy Rathbone

Empire's Art Gallery: See the Pony Show before it's gone

A long, long time ago, at our old shop on a Way called Arden, we tried out an art gallery. It didn't last long.

At our new location, art still mattered.

So we started the Empire's Art Wall and brought you more than a year of local artists' works, from Jared Konopitski, Benjamin Bryan, and Jeremy Rathbone, to Lucas Cromwell, Jen Monson, and Georgina Gilmore.

We even displayed a private collection of pug art. You guessed it: Ben's collection.

Recently we opened up the small room in the shop to use as an art gallery to showcase known and unknown local artists. It just seems like a natural fit -- comics and art.

Empire's Art Gallery Is Back

We affectionately call our gallery's first exhibit "The Pony Show." It is the private collection of a local art enthusiast, Kevin Winter. Kevin has built a collection of paintings, sculptures, and photographs, supporting local favorites like Jared Konopitski, commissioning pieces, and supporting artists on sites like Kickstarter.

The Pony Show runs through Friday, July 25. Come check it out before it's gone.

In August, Jeremy Rathbone's new works will be featured.

Nooligan Launches Art Book Kickstarter Project

Artist Hainanu Saulque

Last night at 10 pm one of our favorite artists and comic book creators, Hainanu Saulque, aka Nooligan, launched a Kickstarter project to bring his art book, "RUMLUCK," to life.

As of this post, he's already 20% to goal and 29 days to go. There's no doubt in our mind that this project will fund, and you can be a part of it. It only takes a dollar. Please consider supporting this project today.

His style is classic, his art is amazing, and his passion for his craft comes through. This art book is sure to be a one of your personal treasures. We love it that much. Here's a quick video about his art and the project.

Meet The Frog God, Jared Konopitski and Fourth Way Comics at Second Saturday Extension

Date: Saturday, September 14, 2013
Time: 7 - 9 pm
Location: Empire's Comics Vault, 1120 Fulton Avenue, Ste. K

We Love Second Saturday

Last month we held our first Second Saturday extension event, and we're excited to bring you another Second Saturday add-on event.

BONUS: To celebrate making the Sacramento News & Reviews' Best of Sacramento 2013 list, graphic novels will be 25% off and any comic from the new comic wall that features a female heroine or is written or drawn by a woman will be 10% off. And a great big Thank You to our customers, to women creatives everywhere, and to SN&R for recognizing us the Most Egalitarian Comic Book Store. The sale starts at 6:30 pm and ends at 9 pm.

Debut of Konopitski's Hand-Painted Art from The Frog God

Local artist Jared Konopitski painted each and every panel of the comic, The Frog God, written and published by Fourth Way Comics. The comic book and the original art will be available for the first time in Sacramento. This also represents the first showing of Konopitski's original art, which will also be for sale.

Sacramento Premiere of The Frog God

Fourth Way Comics' describes the story of The Frog God this way:

"Things are not what they seem in this amphibian tale of death and resurrection.  A young girl embarks on an adventure with a strangely familiar polymorphic entity and discovers her own mysterious power.

With 44 pages of candy-colored imagery, The Frog God combines the fanciful acrylic paintings of Jared Konopitski  with the dreamlike word smithing of RFCL [Radio Free Clear Light]."

The artist and writers will be available to talk about the comic, the creative process and to sign copies of the comic.