Creating the world of Invincible

Invincible may have commonalities with other super hero content but this show carves its place and immediately reminds us that making a show for adults can give that edge it needs to be something refreshing.

One of the things you immediately notice is that tonally it feels like a Spider-Man film that borrows troupes and ideas from teams such as The Avengers and the Justice League. However what immediately sets it apart is the realism of the animated violence that occurs during the fights with the bad guys. We get to see blood fly, bones break and people wounded which is something most comic book movies only gloss over and don't end up focusing too much time on.

Mark Grayson is also a lot younger than most primary heroes and adding that youth to him allows him to explore growing up both within society and within the superhero community he is suddenly thrust into when gaining his powers seemingly on a whim. He must now balance high school life, find excuses for why he suddenly has no time and why his grades are beginning to slip. Mark does all of this while maintaining that he not only has powers but while keeping the secret that his father is Omni-Man one of the world's most well known heroes. Suddenly Mark finds himself trying to live up to his family legacy and making new friends who push him to find his own identity.

One thing it does as well that I think elevates it above most is the quick reveal that Omni-Man is not operating on behalf of good. He secretly wishes to take over earth. Now we have the ability to see how Nolan must maintain a facade with his family while knowing what his true end goal really is. It gives more tension as Mark and Debbie struggling knowing he offers kind and sensitive advice all the while being a cold and calculated murder of colonies.

It's a strong series because it allows us to see these people as real with burdens and stakes in every decision they make. Watching Mark struggle between choosing Invincible duties or dates with Amber makes us realize how much he is sacrificing for the greater good. It makes Mark's excuses feel less like excuses and more like trying to protect the ones he loves from the threats that he faces on the daily. Factor in he has no idea who his dad truly is and that reveal has to be in the pipeline of things to come and it will be explosive.

One of the coolest things about this show is that the way the title card is revealed by way of someone saying the word Invincible and then it being sprayed with a little more blood each time as the story ramps up towards the season finale. It's presented in top notch form and I haven't even begun to discuss the actors who are involved in this project. Just with the Grayson's alone we are treated to the talents of Steven Yuen, Sandra Oh and JK Simmons who definitely set the bar high as far as animated projects go. Yuen is likable and charming and grounds Mark with a sense of right and wrong. Simmons is also commanding, especially being given the chance to display Omni-Man's anger right away. It's watching him then go back to these tender moments that make us realize how versatile he is even when voice acting. It lives and breathes with the Grayson's being believable and they are. Then add in voice talents like Seth Rogen as a travelling Alien Planet Inspector, Zazie Beetz as Amber, Marks love interest and now Mahershala Ali as Titan, a criminal who enlists the help of Invincible before assuming the role of crime boss himself. It's brilliant to watch all these actors work while the animation still looks exactly like the book. Also fan fact about Rogen appearing here, he along with his producing partner Evan Goldberg are developing a live action film based on the Invincible comic. I'm intrigued to see casting options for that film as more comes to light.

Robert Kirkman has stated he believes that this show has the content to last seven seasons and that has me intrigued because season one is off to a stellar start and has not slowed down the pace at all. It all builds the characters and the world and reading the book at the same time has shown me that small changes can go a long way to making a big difference in storytelling. The big Omni Man reveal happens in issue 6 and the show opted to reveal it first episode. Which I believe was the best option to juxtapose against Mark learning of his powers and there always being secrets beyond what you believe you know. It's a very well made show and if it continues along this trend may become one of the best series ever made. That's all time. It's that good and makes that much of an impact on a growing culture that seems to have gone stale thanks to over saturation of similar content.