“Invincible” is not your average superhero cartoon, and it is certainly not suitable for children. Shying away from your typical lighthearted superhero narrative, where characters are distinguishable as either “good” or “bad”, “Invincible” instead is filled with richly developed characters whose growth continuously alters their motivations and allegiances. Filled with gruesome violence, death and gore, “Invincible” is not for everybody; but for those who can stomach visually blood filled spectacle, you are in store for a deeply captivating family drama.
“Invincible” is an animated show based off of Robert Kirkman’s comic book series by the same name. It is firstly a coming of age story and a family drama, it just so happens that some of the characters who reside in the “Invincible” universe are privy to superpowers. The story follows a 17 year-old boy named Mark (Steven Yeun), whose father is the equivalent of DC’s Superman, while his mother, Debbie (Sandra Oh), is a mortal Earthling. His father, Nolan aka Omni-Man, voiced by the ever intimidating J. K. Simmons, is an alien who came to Earth on a universe protectors mission. When Omni-Man comes to Earth he discovers he is not the only being with super abilities, rather there are multiple groups of superheroes who work together to protect different areas of the globe. It is when one of these superhero teams is hauntingly wiped out that a feeling of inevitable catastrophe fills the superhero world. As this tragedy and mystery unfolds, young Mark gets his powers, becoming “Invincible”. As if it wasn’t hard enough being a teenager, Mark has to learn how to use his powers and navigate through the ethical challenges that come with being a superhero, all while balancing a home life and a social life.
At times “Invincible” may seem like a satire of the superhero genre, similar to that of Allan Moore’s “Watchmen”, where characters are ill-fitting for the title of “hero”; this is because rather being defined by their abilities, each character is painted as a conscious being, whose choices and actions define their purpose. True to Kirkman’s writing style, each superhero, villain and civilian who are lasting figures in the story are complex in their nature. Once introduced characters wind up having lush backstories or huge development; and for those who don’t, their actions play a role in the development of another character. What is of great focus in the “Invincible” universe is the fact that each creature, from Earth, Hell or another planet, is an individual, that they have their own agendas, their own traumas and their own perspectives. Because of this, there are endless possible conflicts that are happening at any given time. There is always going to be some kind of side story unfolding that may or may not directly affect the story’s main character immediately, but eventually each cause has a meaningful affect to the overall narrative.
There are few things in the show that are said or shown that do not have a purpose, the writing is deeply intricate, either to the overall story, or to a character’s personal growth. Of course the show is focused on its namesake “Invincible”, the story really is a type of coming of age tale; a deep look at a young teen who is forced into adulthood when they acquire their superpower abilities. Going off of the saying “with great power comes great responsibility”, Mark has more than “great” power, his power is tremendous, his responsibility is literally to protect the entirety of Earth. Since Mark’s character has the ability to travel anywhere globally, and universally, there are endless possibilities when it comes to introductions of new characters and conflicts.
The “Invincible” comics ran from 2003 to 2018, this equals out to 144 issues; comparing this to Kirkman’s tv show adaption of his most popular comic series “The Walking Dead”, which now has 11 seasons adapted from 193 comics, it is safe to say that Invincible’s journey has only just begun. After already having been renewed for a second and third season, when in conversation with “Den of Geek” Kirkman was asked how long he could see the show running for, his response was; “We could possibly tell the entirety (of the story) in anywhere from five to seven seasons […] Obviously there would be differences if it were five seasons than if we were able to do it in seven seasons. The plan is to do a good number of seasons and tell at least the full length of Invincible’s journey, as it was told in comic book form.”
For those who can’t get enough of the superhero industry, but are seeking a freshly fearless unfolding of a cruel superhero universe, “Invincible” is for you.
Score: B
© 2021. UniversalCinema Mag.