Robert Kirkman’s “Invincible” is an action-packed and dramatic movie-esque streaming experience. The show’s entire first season is available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, with a length of eight episodes.
While the show starts a little slow, it quickly picks up the pace near the end of episode one. From that point on the pacing is much better.
The storytelling itself is superb. The main plot focuses on Mark Grayson, also known as Invincible, gaining his powers and learning how to be a superhero like his father Omni-Man. Classic superhero tropes are constantly torn apart as the episodes go on. The side plots are not only good by themselves, but are masterfully woven together in a way that leads to a satisfying conclusion by the end of episode eight.
While the show’s art style may remind viewers of kid-friendly shows such as “Batman: The Animated Series” and the original “Teen Titans,” “Invincible” is explicitly for mature audiences. The series contains cussing, graphic violence and mature themes such as abuse. People who do not sit well with blood and gore will likely find “Invincible’s” violence too much to handle.
The artists and animators did an excellent job. Each character, even the ones parodying
g existing superheroes, have unique designs that set them apart. The action, one of the best parts of the show, is fluid and has weight to it.
The “Invincible” soundtrack is inserted very well into the show. The music work does a good job of pumping up the viewer and immersing them into what’s going on.
One criticism of the show is the choppiness of the 3D modeled background characters. Their poor anatomy, mediocre animation, and constant use cause them to stick out like a sore thumb and draw attention away from any scene they are in. It would be unreasonable to ask the animators to manually animate up to hundreds of background characters, but higher-quality models would go a long way in alleviating this issue.
The show’s official Twitter account posted a promotional image confirming second and third seasons. If you are a fan of superheroes or action-packed animations, I highly recommend giving “Invincible” a watch.