Webtoon Review: Invincible
Markus “Mark” Grayson is, on the surface, a fairly typical teenager in his final year of high school. He studies, is interested in a girl, has a terrible part time job, and worries about living up to his father’s expectations. What makes this a bit more unusual is that Mark’s father Nolan is secretly Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero on Earth. Nolan came to our planet from the utopian society of Viltrum to help and protect humanity. Theoretically, Mark should inherit some of his powers. But there’s been no sign of that.
Until one day, Mark’s powers just kind of turn on. Taking the code name “Invincible”, Mark starts learning how to use his abilities to become a superhero, under the sometimes irritable guidance of his father. Mark makes some rookie mistakes, and soon learns the difficulty of keeping a secret identity as his hero activities interfere with his studies and romantic life.
Just when Invincible thinks he’s got a handle on things, the bottom drops out of his world when an unknown enemy murders the Guardians of the Globe, Earth’s greatest hero team, and puts even Omni-Man into the hospital in critical condition. With the mysterious killer still out there, can Invincible rise to the challenge of saving the planet?
This Amazon Exclusive animated series is based on the Invincible comic book series by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley published between 2003-2018. Those who read that series will be familiar with most of the twists ahead; as for the rest of you, you’re in for a ride.
Events have been moved around quite a lot for the animated version, moving the first shocking reveal to the end of the first episode rather than several issues into the comic book version. Mark’s mother Deborah Grayson is given considerably more to do and is more central to the story. At least one minor character has vanished entirely, while another (comic book: male) has been swapped out with a female counterpart.
This is mostly to the good; Kirkman and Ottley were relatively new creators back in 2003, and were still feeling out what would work in terms of storytelling and characterization.
Content note a bit higher up than usual: This cartoon is “mature audiences” for violence and gore. A lot of people die, very messily. The originally pristine title card becomes more and more blood-spattered as the series continues.
Note that this series is not, however, a “deconstruction.” It’s more or less a normal superhero series that happens to have way more gore. (Kirkman’s other major series is The Walking Dead, so this is something he’s known for.) That said, it’s pretty clear that the general quality of superheroes on this alternate Earth isn’t the best; after the Guardians of the Globe are taken out, several members of the lackluster “Teen Team” have to be promoted to the replacement “world’s greatest superhero team.”
The voice cast is excellent, particularly J.K. Simmons as Omni-Man. The animation is also good.
There’s scheduled to be two more seasons; the comic book series kind of wandered a bit after the first big plotline was resolved, so we will have to see if the creative team can tighten it up; there’s also some twists that didn’t work too well, so I am cautious.
Overall: If you have a strong stomach, this is a good adaptation of the comic book with a strong season finish.
