Panel 2: I’m vaguely bemused by the fact that the shuriken on Ninjette’s headband, here, inexplicably lacks the letter “N” label that has appeared on it from the character’s very first appearance. I really have no idea why I forgot this little detail, but that shuriken appears to be mysteriously letter-free throughout most of the last third or so of Empowered vol. 1.

Odd that panel 5’s amusing image of Ninjette burping in mid-reply to Sistah Spooky may be the only time that I’ve shown her doing so in the entire series, despite her essentially constant beer drinking. I believe she occasionally utters a mild “urpp” during moments of extreme drunkenness later on, but never quite seems to let fly with a seriously loud eructation like this. An odd omission on my part, to be honest; perhaps, as a drinking ninja, loud burping is frowned upon in her clan, given its unfortunate lack of stealthiness.

Panel 6: Long-time readers will note that Spooky’s insinuation re: Thugboy might be a tad, well, out of character for her. As will be made clear in a few panels during Empowered vol. 4, though, she had a reason for this seeming lapse—though it’s not a rationale that paints her in a particularly positive light, alas. 

-Adam Warren