Somewhat akin to the previous volume, Empowered volume 9 consists of a long-ish introductory story, a briefer interlude chapter ("Power Stripped"), then a very long, action-packed concluding story ("Distress and the Damsel"). Wheeeee!

This volume represents the last time that I used linen-finish cardstock for the chapter-break/ title page illos, as that once-beloved medium had now begun to bug the crap outta me due to its aggravatingly low resolution; the paper's "weave" linen-finish pattern not only prevented me from using much detail in this illos, but was maddeningly smudge-prone as well. You probably can't tell from this page's heavily processed scan, but I had to render a bunch of the image's finer details in ink as my pencils were unable to convey noodly stuff in graphite on this surface.

In fact, IIRC I had already stopped using linen-finish cardstock for my convention sketches around this time in favor of the larger, 11" X 14", two- or three-color format that I still use today. (Well, that I would use if comic cons were still a thing, which they currently aren't for me.)

Today’s Patreon update: In an attempt to scratch out more worktime to complete the long-gestating Empowered vol. 12, I've switched over to a Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday Patreon posting schedule that won't feature the fixed content format I previously used. However, my vast archive of years of Patreon posts—extensive Empowered previews, vintage con sketches, work stages on covers, "damsel in distress" commissions, life drawings & much, much more—remains available for Patrons' perusal.

-Adam Warren