Invincible (2021) – Prime Video Series Review
17-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) is just an average guy whose dad happens to be Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), the most powerful superhero on Earth. But as Mark begins to develop his own powers and is trained by his father, he begins to learn that being a superhero is not as it seems.
Invincible is an Amazon Original from Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead. The show is based off the Image/Skybound comic created by Kirkman and Cory Walker, and, like the comic, balances superhero elements with adult drama and ultraviolence.
To start off, I thought Invincible was incredible. I only read the first comic book issue so I didn’t really have any idea what to expect, but I was still excited for it. And even being excited, it surprised me with how good it was, especially for a cartoon superhero show. Although it’s quite different, this show reminded me of The Boys, dealing with the darker side of superheroes. While The Boys focused on the people who suffered because of the corruption of heroes, Invincible focused on the heroes who have to deal with the consequences of being super-powered beings. And even in a cartoon format, the action and violence were on par or even possibly more brutal than that of The Boys.
The voice acting was great in this series. Among its all-star cast, every character’s voice seemed to be a good fit for their respective roles, with Yeun and Simmons performances shining. But with other characters, voiced by Sandra Oh (Gray’s Anatomy), Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Walton Goggins (Justified), Gillian Jacobs (Community), and Zachary Quinto (Star Trek), this series had a well-rounded cast that elevated the show. I enjoyed getting to see a whole new cast of superheroes outside of DC or Marvel, and a fresh take on the superhero genre.
Starting to dip my toe into anime and other animated content, the cartoon format didn’t bother me at all. In fact, the animation was done really well and most of the time, it seemed to give the series a lot more freedom to highlight the heroes’ powers and the devastation that can be caused by them. But, if you just have zero interest in cartoons/animation or graphic violence, then this show probably isn’t for you.
I really enjoyed Invincible and would rate it 4 ½ / 5 stars. But don’t just take my word for it – Invincible has already been renewed for a second and third season by Amazon. It is also certifiable fresh receiving 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. If you don’t mind watching a cartoon-styled show and were a fan of The Boys, I’d highly recommend you check this out. You won’t regret it.