Invincible is the story of a young superhero who, despite his name, is anything but invincible. The show recently released the final episodes of its second season, and the show represents a fresh and unique take on the superhero genre.
Invincible has been praised for its strong characters and storytelling, which both come into full play in its second season. The show delves deep into the complex relationship between the protagonist, Mark Grayson, and his father, the infamous Omni-Man.
Mark struggles in the wake of his father’s brutal actions in the first season, and both his internal and external conflicts unravel the question at the core of the series: what is the meaning of power?
In addition, the show’s storytelling is bolstered by its excellent cast of voice actors. A-list actors such as Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, and J.K. Simmons perfectly capture the emotional turmoil their characters are forced through following the horrific events of Season One.
Another welcome change Invincible makes to the superhero formula is how it embraces its comic book roots. Heroes in Marvel and DC movies have often been criticized for wearing dulled-down, tactical outfits that scarcely resemble their original designs.
In stark contrast, Invincible’s cast wears bright, colorful suits ripped straight from the comic pages. This unorthodox character design perfectly suits the show’s animated format, cementing Invincible as a less grounded, but no less serious, work of superhero fiction.
Characters
Another common weakness of superhero movies is that studios are often prohibited from using certain key characters due to licensing issues. For example, Marvel Studios was barred for years from using characters such as Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four in their movies, as the rights were held by Sony and 20th Century Fox respectively.
Invincible is no exception, as in the comics, Mark Grayson often works with other superheroes owned by Image Comics, such as Tech Jacket and Brit. Due to Amazon not owning the rights to these characters, they were unable to appear.
However, the Invincible IP already boasts a wide range of interesting characters, and all of these characters olay evolving roles throughout the story. This more than makes up for the show’s lack of superhero crossovers.
Animation
One of the show’s greatest flaws, however, is its mediocre animation. Although the show’s fight scenes are decently animated, the characters have a tendency to move stiffly and awkwardly in most other scenes.
Generally, the show’s animation quality has not improved much since Season One, most likely due to the amount of pressure Amazon puts on animators. Perhaps if artists were given more time, the show would be much more enjoyable for the viewers and animators alike.
Verdict
Invincible’s Season Two has continued the strong storytelling and world building established in Season One, although the animation quality continues to suffer. Overall, Invincible’s future is looking bright, and the show’s producers have the opportunity to create a great adaptation.
