The world of superhero television has been dramatically changed by the addition of Invincible, the animated series based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book of the same name. The first half of season 2 that left audiences eagerly awaiting the arrival of the latter half. As the second part of this season hits screens, deeper character exploration, darker themes, and even more of the incredible story courtesy of Amazon Prime.
The first season of Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a senior in high school, who discovers he has powers resembling those of his father Nolan, known as “Omni-Man” to the rest of the world. As Mark’s powers emerge, and he develops his superhero identity, he decides to go by the moniker “Invincible.”
The original season of Invincible was met with great reviews, receiving a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, and nominations for multiple awards. The second season, while admittedly unfinished, has received even better reviews, as of April 8, 2024 a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
What caught the ire of many fans is the way the show is being released, one episode a time every Thursday at 1 am Mountain Standard Time. Many fans feel that after waiting for multiple months the entire half of the season should be released at once, instead of an episode at a time.
The second installment of Invincible while very impressive on it’s own, pales in comparison to the original season, missing much of the charm the first season had. As the storylines get more complex they naturally become harder to follow, as the show expands to encompass characters across multiple planets and even whole timelines, the show can become slightly convoluted at times, the second season trades its charm for more action and an expanded world.
One of Invincible’s greatest strengths is how the medium of animation is used to support the original art style from the comics. The animation, done by Skybound Animation is incredible, bringing the 2D characters of Kirkman’s into 3D seamlessly.
Invincible, while being animated, is still incredibly gruesome and even though the violence is often cartoonish in style, the show earns its “Mature” rating. The show also deals with many mature themes, making it clear that this show is not suitable for children, despite the fact that it is animated.
As of the time this was written, only three of the total five episodes have been released. These episodes are some of the most action-packed yet, and all are receiving glowing reviews from critics and fans alike. The rest of the season shows the potential to be some of the best episodes yet.
Invincible has already been renewed for a third season, which has no official release date. Fans can only speculate as to when the third season may be released, but anything before 2025 seems very unlikely.
