Creative Staff:
Story: Robert Kirkman
Art: Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley
What They Say:
Mark, an average teenager and the son of Omni-Man, is about to get the surprise of his life. One night while taking out the trash, Mark’s long awaited powers manifest, and a garbage bag is accidentally sent hurtling into space. With a legacy to uphold and a world to save, Mark dons a costume of his own.
Content: (Spoiler Free)
After spending a long weekend binging on Invincible, it’s been this reviewer’s greatest challenge to deliver a concise review without spoiling one of many twists that drive the plot. I can tell you that after finishing the first hardcover collection, I immediately went back for more, and soon I was closing the cover of issue #118 with the disappointment of not having any left to read.
Robert Kirkman, best known for The Walking Dead, proves he can spin a superhero yarn with the best of them. Early on we are introduced to a cast of characters that are both nostalgically satisfying and refreshingly new. Omni-Man and the Guardians of the Globe especially represent some very familiar faces to the comic-literate, their depictions wonderfully tongue-in-cheek. Kirkman knows the audience he’s writing for and uses these characters as a foothold for the skeptical to feel at-home in his universe.
As a well-versed comic geek I’ve seen just about every alien invasion, multiverse collapse, and character death there is. Every summer you need only check a local comic shop for the latest apocalyptic event wreaking havoc on your favorite universe. Drastic changes are made to grab readers, motivating their hand into buying an issue that will no doubt take them on a wild ride, but when the dust settles and the event ends, the only thing that’s changed is the weight of their wallets. Even now, Marvel and DC are knee-deep in their respective event books replete with tie-ins and side stories.
Kirkman’s boldness doesn’t stem from trying to reinvent the wheel with Invincible, but rather demonstrating what the genre of superhero comics is capable of. Striking a duality between the candy-colored books we’ve grown up loving, and the deep shadows of modern comics, Invincible keeps from being too bright or dark. Bestriding the middle ground with a well-deserved confidence of a series that’s been running for over ten years.
However, when Kirkman wants to get your attention he does so unapologetically and without warning. Several times during my reading I was brought to a screeching halt to witness the level of brutality Invincible was able to reach when not hindered by a PG-13 rating. Keeping this review spoiler free prevents me from listing specific events, but if you ever wondered what two super-powered beings could do to each other in an all-out brawl, you get your answer. Characters age, gain weight, and bare the scars of battles fought earlier in the series. Every single action, large or small, has a ripple effect that carries through to the most current issue.
It takes more than a stellar story to make a comic work, and the art of Invincible evolves as much as the characters. Cory Walker pioneered the early days, and while his line work may be rough, his art is reflective of the series’ infancy. With Walker’s short tenure on Invincible ending by issue #7, covers and back-up stories notwithstanding, Ryan Ottley took up the reins.
Together, Kirkman and Ottley create some of the most stunning scenes I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Planets and jaws crack with equal brutality in beautifully detailed page layouts. Character designs are not immune to this evolution either, trading the sketched qualities of Walker’s run for a smooth and silky look brought on by Ottley.
In Summary:s
What Kirkman and Ottley have given me is more than an excellent read. They’ve managed to rekindle a passion this reviewer thought he’d lost. The need to dash into the local comic shop, grab the latest issue, and see what our intrepid heroes are up to. Invincible is the breath of fresh air the genre has sorely been missing, and I can’t wait to see what’s waiting over the horizon.
Grade: A+
Age Rating: Mature
Released By: Image Comics
Release Date: Ongoing
Issue MSRP: $3.99
