Invincible Episodes 1-3 Review
Directed by – Robert Valley, Paul Furminger, Jeff Allen
Produced by – Simon Racioppa, Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Catherine Winder, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Written by – Robert Kirkman, Simon Racioppa, Chris Black
Starring – Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, J. K. Simmons
Released March 26, 2021
Based on the Image Comics series from Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cory Walker
Amazon Prime Video has superhero fever. With the success of The Boys, they have now released the animated adaptation of the Image comic, Invincible. This series will follow 17-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) as he navigates the worlds of high school, and tries to figure out how to be a superhero under the guidance of his father, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), the world’s greatest superhero.
EPISODE ONE: “IT’S ABOUT TIME”
The first episode kicks off with an attack at the White House by the Mauler Twins (Kevin Michael Richardson), a brute of a villain and his clone. They both claim to be the original, and that will most likely be a running theme with this character as the series progresses. Unfortunately for the bad guys, their attack gets thwarted by the Guardians of the Globe and Omni-Man. Meanwhile…..Mark Grayson must survive another day of high school while dealing with the bully, Todd (Todd is the worst). Later that day while working his crappy after school job his powers finally manifest as he accidently tosses a bag of trash into space (space trash is not cool). After telling his parents the news, Omni-Man takes his son out for a day of training (it goes….fine). Feeling like he might have been too hard on Mark, Omni-Man takes his boy to a superhero tailor to get his official super suit, and inspires Mark to decided on his superhero alias (can you guess what it is?) It’s Invincible. The episode ends with the bloodiest bloody blood bath that has ever been animated, Omni-Man tricks the Guardians of the Globe to their headquarters and proceeds to savagely slaughters all of them. We are all left questioning, why?
EPISODE TWO: “HERE GOES NOTHING”
This episode starts with the Global Defense Agency discovering the murdered Guardians of the Globe and Omni-Man covered in blood. Omni-Man is rushed to their super secret hospital. The Guardians are gone (who will save us now?) We are introduced to a demon detective, Damien Darkblood (Clancy Brown), who is on the case investigating the murders. He seems very suspicious of Omni-Man. With Omni-Man in the hospital, and the Guardians out of commission, the GDA sends Mark to help fight off the Flaxons, an interdimensional alien race bent on world domination (because of course they are). His first super team up, Invincible finds himself fighting next to the Teen Team, a group of teenage superheroes led by Robot (Zachary Quinto). They manage to repel the aliens and saves the day (sort of). Lots of casualties. Invincible realizes one of the members, Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs), is a classmate (small world). Invincible is offered a membership with the team, but the Flaxons attack again. The team is getting it handed to them by this alien army, but Omni-Man makes his big return (don’t call it a comeback), and saves the day. The invasion attempt was foiled. Omni-Man informs the world of the Guardians’ murder in a press conference (the nerve of this guy). We also get a brief introduction to Allen the Alien. What’s his deal? We’ll have to stay tuned.
EPISODE THREE: “WHO YOU CALLING UGLY?”
The funeral for the Guardians starts off this episode, and seriously what is wrong with Omni-Man? He gives the eulogy as if he doesn’t recall murdering them himself (very strange behavior). Damien Darkblood is still on the case as he interrogates Omni-Man concerning the murder. Robot is given a promotion as he is asked, by the head of the GDA, Cecil Stedman (Walton Goggins), to run the new Guardians of the Globe. Robot now has the mission to create a new team. He recruits Monster Girl (Grey Griffin), Black Samson (Khary Payton), and Shrinking Rae (Grey Griffin) and his team members from Teen Team for the roster, but the team quickly begins to fight each other (drama, am I right?). Meanwhile……the Mauler Twins escape from prison with help from a mysteries figure from the shadows (who could it be?). The episode ends with Darkblood in the Grayson home interrogating Debbie Grayson (Sandra Oh), Omni-Man’s wife. He has questions about the murder. He tells her that Omni-Man left out some details about the incident, and that leaves Debbie suspicious of her husband (the plot thickens).
The first three episodes really showcase the potential that it holds. It’s not doing anything new in the superhero genre, but they are doing it in their own way. They do an excellent job of engaging their audience, allowing us to fall in love with the characters. The show has a lot of heart. Check it out on Amazon Video.
