Pretense reviewed Invincible - Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1 by Robert Kirkman (Invincible #1-3)
Review of 'Invincible - Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Invincible: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1
This book hails itself as one of the greatest superhero stories of all time—and though I don’t read a lot of those, I am inclined to agree. After watching the animated adaptation some time ago, I figured I would give the original comic a try. I definitely appreciate that choice, and my library for providing me this lovely ‘ultimate collection’ copy, because the comics were a blast.
True, the adaptation does certain things better than the comic—and don’t shun me just yet. I think some of the subtleties, like character development and backstory, get more breathing room in the show. The comic is fairy fast paced, to the point where some plot elements felt like they were arranged quite haphazardly; I suppose that is partially an effect of any serialized story.
What Invincible does exceedingly well, though, is the same in both media. Get ready …
Invincible: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1
This book hails itself as one of the greatest superhero stories of all time—and though I don’t read a lot of those, I am inclined to agree. After watching the animated adaptation some time ago, I figured I would give the original comic a try. I definitely appreciate that choice, and my library for providing me this lovely ‘ultimate collection’ copy, because the comics were a blast.
True, the adaptation does certain things better than the comic—and don’t shun me just yet. I think some of the subtleties, like character development and backstory, get more breathing room in the show. The comic is fairy fast paced, to the point where some plot elements felt like they were arranged quite haphazardly; I suppose that is partially an effect of any serialized story.
What Invincible does exceedingly well, though, is the same in both media. Get ready for a story that will subvert your idea of superheroes. In this world, superheroes are a mundane part of ordinary life, just are the catastrophic, existential threats that plague Earth. Fortunately for us boring humans, individual actors and groups, like the Guardians of the Globe, are there to save the day. How much loyalty can we expect of these guardians and whose interests do they have at heart?
Yet, the nice thing about Invincible is that it shies away from only pandering to big picture type questions. At its heart is the story of Mark Grayson, who is essentially just a teen, living his life. Okay, that admittedly sounds really cliché, but the story doesn’t neglect to display the complexity of Mark’s inner life as well—worrying not just about his grades and college prospects, but also about his budding superpowers and coming into himself as a young man. He is written in a fairly believable way, too—not as a mini adult, but as a teenage boy who is far from having all of the answers, aside from his ideals. (And where do kids typically get their ideals, hm?)
All in all, this was a great hype read for the upcoming second series of the show. I will continue to read the comic volumes as my library deigns to provide them to me, but I can’t belie my preference for the animated show. Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, and J.K. Simmons truly bring these characters to life in the best way. (Not to mention that incredible soundtrack…)
