First impressions of ‘Invincible’, Amazon’s new animated series about wandering heroes

The animated series Invincible debuted last Friday (26) in the Amazon Prime Video catalog. Based on the eponymous comic, the Robert Kirkman series tells the story of Mark Grayson, a teenage son of Omni-Man, the Superman of this universe. Lightweight and lacking in skills, Mark is frustrated that he hasn’t developed his powers to follow his father’s path. However, he eventually discovers his skills and is trained by the greatest hero in the world. There’s just one problem: Omni-Man isn’t exactly the best example to follow.

By far the most interesting thing on the show is Mark (Steven Yeun). Functioning as a sort of Peter Parker with the skills of Superman, the boy lived his entire life as a normal, outcast teenager and suddenly saw great responsibility fall to his knees. Initially dazzled by his abilities, he begins his hero’s journey by trying to beat baddies and help people. But there’s a reality check in an alien invasion, in which he accidentally injures an elderly woman. This gives Mark a better understanding of what he needs to do to evolve and honor his father’s legacy, while also trying to establish himself as a new superhero. Not to mention the common dramas of adolescence, such as interest in girls and school.

The other big highlight is the Omni-Man (JK Simmons), who turns out to be an ambiguous character, with questionable morals and who apparently hides a big secret from everyone, since he is considered the biggest superhero of the world. Descended from an alien race, the hero is part of a program on his home planet that sends its inhabitants supposedly to protect “lower evolution” planets from interplanetary threats until those worlds can take care of them. themselves.

The other characters are still not that interesting, although some are already quite boring. But to defend the series, we’ve only seen three episodes, so they should improve as the season progresses. So the biggest issue with Invincible so far is the length. Unlike ordinary animations, the episodes here last almost an hour. It would be nice if this whole time was filled with good, exciting content, but there are times the show gets tired in the middle of the episode, giving that “sausage filling” feel. Now, a pattern that has been followed in these first three chapters is the crazy last 10 minutes, leaving you anxious to see what will happen next. The best moments of the episodes are always in those last minutes.

Enjoy watching:

On a technical level, the line of the series is very reminiscent of Cartoon Network animations of the last decade, like Mutante Rex and Ben 10: Alien Force, which is very interesting. However, the animation of the lines is much simpler, practically animated comic book pages just like Marvel did in the 60s. Those unfamiliar with this format may be surprised. Another point that will cause strangeness in the audience is the proximity of the theme of the series to another Amazon Prime Video production: The Boys. If audiences decide to compare the two, chances are they will end up liking less than one of the two series. In other words, there is the recommendation to try and forget about Captain Patria et al. while watching Invincible for a better experience.

Either way, Invincible is a series with a lot of potential, although it comes at a time when this story of morally corruptible heroes is no longer new. With a new episode released every Friday through April 30, it’s likely that this week-long hiatus will do the trick for the production, allowing audiences to theory and talk about the show. It’s worth seeing if this will develop using explicit violence as a crutch, as some hero movies do, or if the plot will be worked out in depth, with content. Let’s wait.

Make sure to watch: