So, you clicked that random superhero show on Amazon Prime and now you are simply hooked and cannot wait for the new season?
Well, GOOD NEWS.
Invincible is not only the best superhero show around, it was a comic book series first. So you can learn everything that happens right now. This article will guide you on how to read Invincible, all the spinoffs and give you our honest opinions all around.
What Are the Invincible Comics?
Invincible was created by Robert Kirkman. Kirkman is a hit-maker writer you may also recognize as the creator of The Walking Dead.
He is a master at simplifying concepts and reducing genres to their basic instincts. Then he hits you with a surprise at every turn. That translates to this: Kirkman gives you exactly the type of book you want to read and makes it worth your money in pure fun.
This series itself was born from the 2000s need to redefine comics and make them more readable to a modern audience. That audience was increasingly demanding more. At the same time, through the boom of superhero media, many were coming into contact with comics for the first time.
I always think of Invincible as a sister title to Bendis’s Ultimate Spider-Man. That comparison raises a question: how do you sell the basic product that keeps the wheel turning while also reinventing that wheel while it is already spinning?
Image Comics answered that with creative liberty. As a creator-owned company not attached to large corporations desperate to protect the legacies of their intellectual property, it allowed creators to take risks. So if you wanted Peter Parker with a modern perspective and no limits held back, you did not find that at Marvel. Instead, you found it in Kirkman’s Invincible.
Initially collaborating with Cory Walker, the lines are clear and the pages are clean. It feels like a book that is easy to follow, with a design that naturally pops. It is pleasing and comfortable.
By the time Ryan Ottley joins the book, it hits you with grandiose imagery that is intense while still readable at first glance. That also serves as a great metaphor for the writing itself. Complexity is built on trust, and when the blood finally splatters, it lands with the proper shocking effect.
What Is It About?
The central figure is Mark Grayson. Like many other books in the genre, he is a teenage boy not ready for life. The key difference is that when the eventual moment comes and his superpowers hit, Mark is not surprised. That is not the book’s big shift.
He has been expecting his powers all his life. In fact, they could not have arrived soon enough.
Mark is the son of Omni-Man, this universe’s analogue to Superman, the greatest superhero in the world. He is an alien from Viltrum, a race so advanced that it has reached a utopian stage and now travels to other planets to offer help. Mark is one of them, a son of destiny, of science, of heroism, and of pure good.
Mark’s universe begins to expand. He meets other heroes like the Guardians of the Globe and his soon-to-be love interest, Atom Eve. Mark is on a typical narrative trajectory for a superpowered teenager. He even gets his own villains.
Mark is Invincible.
Kirkman spends all this time building that familiar foundation so that when the true nature of the book finally hits, it destroys everything in a single, glorious blow. And once that feeling lands, it never really stops.
Spoiler warning:
Mark is not invincible. Not yet.
It turns out his father was lying. Viltrumites are not altruists. They are fascistic conquerors bent on enslaving every corner of the universe. If a planet refuses to comply, they simply subjugate it, destroying and killing all resistance. All the heroism was just psychological tactics, and humans are nothing more than unevolved worms.
“Your mom is nothing more than a pet,” Omni-Man tells Mark in what is one of the hardest lines ever delivered in comics. It immediately establishes the true stakes of the story.
But Mark was also raised as a human, by his mother, Debbie Grayson.
Mark is the son of justice and compassion. So he makes a choice. If his father is not what he claimed to be, then Mark will be. Omni-Man then beats him to the brink of death, killing millions in the process, before escaping off-world.
Kirkman is essentially telling the reader: welcome to my superhero comics. Nothing is as it seems. No legacy can protect these characters.
Welcome to Invincible.
Why Should I Read Invincible?
It is a fun book. I will just say that upfront. It builds on familiar tropes and extracts the best from them, and it has enough editorial freedom to fix a major problem Marvel and DC Comics often face: it can actually pay things off in the long run. What you are reading will have an ending, and the character arcs will wrap up.
There is a kind of magic to this book where everything keeps getting bigger without becoming overkill. What starts as a hero punch-and-kick story slowly evolves into a full science fiction saga with political and moral conflicts layered on top.
It is also a damn good action book, very much known for its graphic violence. When I say it begins as a punch-and-kick story, I am not suggesting that is a bad thing. Every punch is more fun and thrilling than the last, maybe only surpassed by the kicks.
And when the story expands into something larger, it never stops being that kind of action story. It only increases the gravity and intensity of the fights.
Sometimes superhero comics forget they are supposed, in a broader sense, to be action books in the first place. They act as if they are ashamed of that, as if it means they cannot be taken seriously. Well, no. Invincible is an action book that will be taken seriously, and it will also choose not to take itself seriously when it wants to land a joke.
And the jokes land. They really do. The funny moments are genuinely funny.
It is worth your money.
Is the Invincible Comic Finished?
Yes. The main story concludes in issue #144, published in 2018. There are still spin-offs being released, but they are complementary to the existing timeline. They do not move the story forward.
So, is Invincible a complete story?
Hell yes. From issue #1 to #144, you get the full story of Mark Grayson.
What Editions Can New Readers Buy?
Image Comics makes it very easy to follow the series in whatever format you prefer. The books are consistently kept in print because they sell extremely well.
THE COMPENDIUMS (3 volumes)
These are large, heavy softcover volumes that collect every issue of the series in reading order. There are three volumes in total. They are affordable and complete. Most of the spin-offs also have their own compendiums, which can be read separately.
- Invincible Compendium Volume 1 TP
- Invincible Compendium Volume 2 TP
- Invincible Compendium Volume 3 TP
The same compendiums are also available in hardcover, offering a more durable and hefty version. Think of them as a deluxe edition of the same content, designed for collectors.
- Invincible Compendium Volume 1 HC
- Invincible Compendium Volume 2 HC
- Invincible Compendium Volume 3 HC
THE TRADE PAPERBACKS (15 volumes and counting)
The series has also been reprinted in a newer edition of trade paperbacks. Each volume typically contains one story arc, making them more digestible and easier to carry than the larger collections.
Invincible Trade Paperback New Edition 01
THE ULTIMATE COLLECTIONS (12 volumes)
These follow a format similar to Marvel’s Epic Collection line, but in hardcover. They are more durable and aimed at collectors, while still maintaining a page count per volume that makes them easier to read than the full compendiums.
Invincible Ultimate Collection HC 01
THE OMNIBUS
Just when you might think the hardcover compendiums are the most deluxe way to own the series, the omnibus editions arrive. These are oversized hardcovers.
The main selling point of this format is that it includes Marvel Team-Up #14, the crossover with Spider-Man that takes place in the middle of Invincible #33. For legal reasons, this issue was not included in the other formats, making it exclusive to the omnibus line.
Although it is not essential to the main story, it is still one of the coolest extras you can own. There is even a direct market cover featuring both heroes, which will likely disappear from shelves very quickly.
Invincible Omnibus HC Vol 01 Ryan Ottley & Dave Mccaig Cover
Invincible Omnibus HC Vol 01 Direct Market Exclusive Cory Walker & Dave Mccaig Cover
Where to Start Reading Invincible Comics?
It 's easy. Issue 1. No relaunch or tricks here.
Which format is best for new readers?
I would say trades for better sampling if you are not sure you want to commit. But if you are already invested, the compendiums are the best investment you can make.
Omnibus and the other hardcovers are more for collectors. If you care that these books last and look good on your shelf, get the new Omnibus or the Ultimate Collections.
The Compendium Hardcovers are a good compromise between both approaches.
Should you start at issue #1 if you watched the show?
Yes. Although the show is very closely aligned with the comics, not everything is 1-for-1. This is true for both passing and storyline introductions, meaning that you will want to absorb the story in its own format. It’s just the cleanest starting point and works as both a revision and a cool experience of comparing notes if you have already watched the show.
It just makes every experience more enjoyable.
How Big Is the Invincible Universe?
It is ever expanding, and it gets pretty big, mainly dealing with other superheroes Mark encounters throughout his book.
What is important to know is that the main series stands on its own. You do not have to read anything else to get the full story.
Think of the spin-offs as expanded reading if you become a fan of the franchise. When crossovers happen, everything you need is explained in the main book. Most appearances are cameos or cool team ups that do not require outside reading.
What Are the Spin-Offs and Why Should I Read Them?
Invincible Presents: Atom Eve and Invincible Presents: Atom Eve & Rex Splode are miniseries that reveal the origins of these characters. If you like them, these are worth reading. They complement their storylines in the main book in a satisfying way.
Guarding the Globe focuses on the new dynamics of the Guardians of the Globe, this universe’s equivalent of the Avengers or the Justice League. It is best read during the Viltrumite War arc in the main series, which means later in the run.
Invincible Universe is a crossover miniseries that follows the events of Invincible #100 and continues plotlines from other books, featuring characters like Tech Jacket, Wolf-Man, and Brit. It is complementary material meant to be read alongside the later parts of the main series.
All of these books are collected in the Invincible Universe Compendium.
Other Invincible Universe Heroes With Solo Series
All of these characters appear as supporting players later in Invincible.
Tech Jacket tells the story of Zack Thompson, a normal Earth kid who stumbles upon the most advanced technological weapon in the universe: an alien suit that merges with his body and gives him incredible abilities.
This was actually a Kirkman creation that predates Invincible, which he later folded into the same universe once the second book became a success.
I personally love this one. It uses the same simple premise that gave birth to Invincible, with all the elements that make fans of things like Power Rangers and Blue Beetle happy. Highly recommended.
It is collected in its own compendium.
Brit
Brit is the story of an old school thug from the 1980s who is basically invulnerable. It is told through a mix of manga inspired art and crime noir storytelling. It is perfect for fans of action movies and hyper masculine antiheroes. He is old. He is tired. He does not care. That kind of character.
Visually, I think this might be Kirkman’s best work, and the original books are incredibly underrated. I might even call it his best work overall.
The series begins with a graphic novel, Brit Vol. 1 Old Soldier, followed by its two sequels, Cold Death and Red, White, Black & Blue. It then continues into a 12 issue ongoing series collected in three trade paperbacks.
The Astounding Wolf-Man
This title is exactly what it sounds like. It explores the more supernatural side of the Invincible universe while still retaining the writing style fans have come to love. Gary Hampton is a billionaire whose life is turned upside down when he is bitten by a werewolf.
What makes this series fun is that it treats the werewolf as a conventional superhero while constantly testing that idea by forcing the character to confront the monster he appears to be. It feels like two genres wrestling with each other.
It is also collected in its own compendium.
Capes
Capes is a workplace comedy mixed with superheroes. Think The Office, but with action. It follows an agency that employs superpowered individuals, so imagine clocking in to punch the bad guy. I am still proud of that joke.
Kirkman has called this his favorite series he has ever written. When the original miniseries was reprinted, it received a remastered edition with new dialogue and improved art. The reception was strong enough that the series continued with new stories.
You can find it in newly released trade paperbacks.
Invincible Universe: Battle Beast
This is the most recent addition to the universe and is currently being published. It is quite literally a side story that spun off from Invincible #19 and focuses on a character who captured fan attention for years.
Battle Beast is essentially a walking tragedy in monster form. He is cursed with a thirst for violence so overwhelming that he almost wants to die because of it. He travels the universe searching for a warrior strong enough to kill him. But that warrior will have to fight.
It is a surprisingly rich character arc, centered on the idea of seeking peace through violence. The first story arc has already been collected in trade paperback.
Anyway… Should I Read Them All?
If you enjoy the main story and want more, or if you become interested in specific characters when they appear in the main title, then yes, they are worth reading.
But do not feel obligated.
They can add interesting context, but they can also distract from Mark’s central story if you are primarily focused on his journey.
So, if you like the show, just get into it and pick up issue one in whatever format works best for you. It is impressive how well the book still holds up even 20 years later, which is a strong argument for its quality.
If you have never watched the show, even better. The comics are still the perfect way to experience the Invincible story. You will feel like you were there from day one.
