Invincible Season One Review

In the continuing streaming battle, Amazon has fallen behind not only its early rival Netflix, but also recent additions like AppleTV+ in the push for buzzy shows. I rarely hear people talking about the great new show on Amazon – or even talking about Amazon’s TV offerings at all – which is a bit of a bummer, since Amazon does in fact have several good shows that are worth a watch (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Expanse, The Boys). And Invincible, the TV adaptation of Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) and Cory Walker’s comic series of the same name, is another entry on that list. With an incredible cast of voice talent, a strong story arc, and cool visuals, Invincible is a compelling superhero story and makes for a great binge.

So, what is Invincible about? Well, it tells the story of Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), the teenage son of Debbie Grayson (Sandra Oh, the heart of the series), a normal human woman, and Nolan Grayson (J.K. Simmons), an alien from the planet Viltrumite who also moonlights as the superhero Omni-Man. When Mark manifests his Viltrumite super powers and adopts the moniker Invincible, he get pulled into a world of superhero teams, government agencies, and saving the planet from the constant threats of villains and alien invaders – all while trying to live the normal life of a high school boy.

Invincible hits on a number of typical superhero story elements: learning to control your powers, understanding the line between what is necessary and what is too far, dealing with fellow heroes who aren’t necessarily being honest about their intentions, and how to hide your superhero actions from friends and the world at large. Invincible is a bit different than a standard DC or Marvel origin story in that the world already has a host of superheros on various teams (and of various abilities), so Mark is simply one among many – at least at the start of the series. And the show doesn’t bother explaining how everyone else received their super powers – it’s clear that Mark being part Viltrumite makes him unique among the heroes, but there’s no mention of how his fellow heroes became who they are. It’s something I’d love to see the series explore in its second season (it’s already been renewed), but I have to admit it was kind of nice to have a show so focused on a single character and his own journey, especially after spending so many MCU/DCEU films and TV shows wading through a bunch of superheroes fighting for time and focus.

And that’s the greatest strength of the series: It knows the story it wants to tell and it sets about telling it. Is it formulaic at times? Sure, but that doesn’t take away from the strong storytelling. It’s a compelling story with interesting, complex characters. I’m firmly of the camp that as long as a show is well made, top to bottom, I don’t need the story to surprise me with twists and turns. Just tell me a story I’m interested in and I’m happy. And that’s exactly what Invincible does – and does well. Invincible also isn’t interested in telling a story that is ironic or poking fun at the superhero mythos; rather, it’s telling a traditional story that pulls from other comic themes, but is original in its focus and genuinely cares about its characters and their stories.

Now, some disclaimers. Yes, the series is a cartoon, but it’s graphically violent throughout, so it’s not suitable for little kids (lots of blood, gore, and body parts flung around and ripped from people). This is a series much more in the vein of The Boys than The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. That freedom to show the cost of the battles being fought – and the villainy being wrought – serves to help make the issues facing Mark and his fellow heroes (and the US government and Debbie Grayson) hit harder than if the series were sanitized. The violence is never gratuitous and is necessary to drive home the key conflict at the center of the series (one I won’t spoil now, but it’s another classic comic conundrum).

So, if you’re looking for a smart, well-made, and just plain good superhero series, Invincible is for you. It’s a fast binge, the voice talent is incredible (Kirkman uses a number of his former Walking Dead actors throughout the early episodes, so it’s a fun game to match the voice to its respective Dead character), and the animation keeps with Kirkman and Walker’s comic sensibilities. Give it a look. It’s worth your time.

Invincible’s 10-episode first season is currently streaming on Amazon.