Empowered and Sistah Spooky's High School Hell #3 Review

Writer: Adam Warren
Artist: Carla Speed McNeil
Letterer: Carla Speed McNeil
Colorist: Jenn Manley Lee
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

This third issue of the mini-series Empowered and Sistah Spooky’s High School Hell is definitely my favorite issue so far. The ex-classmates in this issue were my favorite that they’ve had to battle in this mini-series yet. I also think this issue made me chuckle out loud even more than the first two did.

In this third issue, like the first two, Empowered and Sistah Spooky battle two sets of blond ex-classmates in two different settings. The first battle in music class is my absolute favorite battle of this series. Ashleigh and her two backup singers bullying in song is hilarious and Spooky’s attempt at battling in song brought that humor up another notch. Them singing to Spooky, “She’s a creeeep, (yeah, yeah) she don’t beloooong heeere (no, no)” had me laughing so hard. This battle was so cleverly written and I enjoyed it so much, especially that we got a “pitchfork review” of the blond’s song, which also had me chuckling.

I enjoyed the first battle because of the humor, but I enjoyed the second battle because it was quite terrifying. Dirty school bathrooms that bullies hang out in is a scary setting for anything. A dirty school bathroom with bullies in a high school hell that the devil is the principle of is maybe one of the strangest and scariest things I could ever imagine.

The art, once again, is perfect for this series and really makes this issue great. The imagination of Adam Warren in this issue is impressive and with Carla Speed McNeil’s ability to take his strange ideas and bring them to life through her artwork is amazing. All throughout the issue, her artwork is detailed, weird, and beautiful and that is exactly what the Empowered universe needs in an artist.

This mini-series has been great and this issue pushes that greatness forward while also moving us forward in the story. Everything about this issue is fun, from the story and dialogue to the artwork. I highly recommend anyone picking this issue up, along with the first two, and giving it a read.