After the somewhat somber ending of season two, Mark Grayson is back and stronger than ever. The adaptation of the comics continues to surpass the original in almost every way, through the writing, action and characters.
The story takes a break from the threat of the Viltrumite invasion to focus on more domestic issues. The central conflict of the season so far is between Mark and Cecil, and their disagreement on the rehabilitation of supervillains.
It is learned early on, and foreshadowed in earlier seasons, that Cecil is using the likes of Darkwing and D.A. Sinclair to fight threats to Earth. Mark disagrees, wishing for the villains to be locked up and never seen again. Cecil’s logic is that they are more useful to the planet when controlled and rehabilitated. Mark cuts ties with the GDA and goes solo.
It’s a solid start to the season in my opinion. Both sides have merit in this situation, and Mark doesn’t have much of a say when he killed Angstrom Levy at the end of season two.
The central question of the season is “Can people change?” The show posits several scenarios with different characters to try and answer that question. These scenarios range from two minor villains trying to be better citizens, to the main cast adapting after the trauma they’ve faced in the past. Mark Grayson is also slowly changing, and not for the best.
After the death of Angstrom Levy, Mark is slowly turning more rash and violent. The new black and blue suit reflects this shift. He is slowly but surely forgetting what made him a hero in the first place.
The bright yellow and blue of adolescence has been dulled to the black and blue of adulthood. This moral shift of a once bright star will be interesting to watch as the season progresses. Eventually Mark will need to face himself for the fate of his character, and one can only hope the light inside will shine through the darkness.
A new addition to the main cast is Mark’s younger brother Oliver, or as he likes to be called, Kid Omni-Man. Unfortunately he shares more with his father than a name. Mark agrees to teach Oliver the tools of the trade for superheroes, in which Oliver is incredibly eager to follow in his brother’s footsteps. Oliver crosses a line, however, and forces Mark to question his own morality.
Once again, this season is helmed by Robert Kirkman, who also wrote the comics. He continues to vastly improve the source material, making the already great comic series feel like a rough draft in comparison.
One example is the romance between Mark and Eve. In the comics, their relationship was forced into existence merely by the fact that Kirkman wanted them together. It eventually worked out in the end, but it was a rocky and abrupt transition.
The show takes its time getting the characters together. It leaves much more breathing room for the relationship, while also showing some love to the comics.
Despite being incredibly popular, “Invincible” just cannot seem to get a budget increase. This is obvious in the animation quality, which is serviceable, but gets ugly in some places.
There’s a sequence in the first episode that I cannot believe made it into the final cut, it’s that unpolished. People who have seen the episode know exactly what I’m talking about. It seems nitpicky to complain about the animation– especially when the team is likely working under tight deadlines with a small budget– but, some of the animation errors are a little ridiculous.
In the comics, Ryan Ottley’s art is beautiful to look at. It’s bright and colorful, while still portraying the story perfectly. The show is just “meh” in comparison. It’s flatter in presentation, and while the action scenes are done well, everything else is just bland at best. I expect more from an adaptation of such a beautiful looking comic.
Despite issues with the animation, “Invincible” season three is off to a great start, and I can’t wait to watch how it adapts the upcoming arc. It proves to be the best superhero media outside of Marvel and DC, even surpassing the leaders of the industry in some areas.
Robert Kirkman has stated in interviews that “Invincible” will last about seven or eight seasons. In comparison to the comics, I say that they’re on track.
Hopefully the animation will be improved upon one day. Until then, I’m content that the world’s greatest superhero will continue his story for the foreseeable future.
