Invincible
Part 1: Everything is New (and Fun) again!
Issues #0-#47
by Phil Perich for the Capes and Lunatics Blog
In last week’s blog I gave a quick summary of the Image Comics I’m currently reading and why I enjoy them so much. The one I’ve recently dove into and currently is my favorite is Invincible by Robert Kirkman. A completely different type of tale by the Walking Dead writer, Invincible begins as the story of 17 year old Mark Grayson who finally develops superpowers he inherits from his father. While many of the characters and concepts in the series may seem like knockoffs from classic comic books, Kirkman uses them in orginal, creative, and fun ways.
Omni-Man
Mark’s father is this universe’s version of Superman. Omni-Man is an alien that comes to Earth with powers that make him the most powerful hero ever. I don’t want to spoil too much, but Omni-Man’s people still live on the planet Vitrum unlike Superman’s Krypton. The Vitrumites play a big part in the series and Mark’s destiny especially when it comes to his father.
Teenage Dream
Robert Kirkman also does a realistic job of portraying what would actual happen if a regular teenager woke up with superpowers one day. How would it affect his relationship with his best friend William? And if you think it’s difficult enough to date as a teenager, image how much harder it would be as a superhero. Should Mark date the normal Amber Bennett or his superhero pal Atom Eve?
Heroes and Villains
And of course any superhero tale wouldn’t be complete without heroic allies and villainous enemies. It’s either Kirkman’s genius and love of the superhero genre or his comedic talent that makes these characters so entertaining, maybe even a combination of both. When the heroes of the Guardians of the Globe (this universe’s version of the Justice League) have names like Dupli-Kate and Rex Splode you have to wonder if Kirkman is a mad genius or constantly making fun of super heroes in general. One of my favorite Guardian members is Monster Girl. Young genius Amanda had a curse placed on her during her senior trip to Europe. She can alter her form and change into a super strong monster, but every time she does it de-ages her a little more. It’s very humorous to see this supposedly 29 year old women who looks like a 12 year old hit on her male teammates and curse all while smoking a cigarette. Even the villains dance between comical and deadly. The Mauler twins (one is a clone and they constantly argue which is which), Doc Seismic, Titan, D.A. Sinclair (Invincible’s Lex Luthor) and Angstrom Levy. This mix of characters reminds you of the writing genius of Kirkman.
Alien Nation
All great super hero and science fiction tales are only made better due to character interactions with alien races. Between attempted invasions by Martians, encounters with other Vitrumites and the Coalition of Planets (think intergalatic United Nations), Invincible’s universe truly is an ever expanding place.
So in closing I’m really enjoying the Invincible journey so far. Sometime in the next few weeks I’ll do another review of the next 48 issues or so. Anyone else out there love this series as much as I do? Anyone know how I can contact Robert Kirkman for an interview? Reach out and let’s chat!
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You can hear me discussing all things TV, movie, comics, music, gaming and more every week with my friends on the Capes and Lunatics Podcast. You can find my podcast, blog and those of others at www.southgatemediagroup.com. You can also find all my creative endeavors at www.philperich.wordpress.com.