Invincible (TV series)
Animated superhero television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Animated superhero television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Invincible is an adult animated superhero television series created by Robert Kirkman for the streaming service Amazon Prime Video, based on the Image Comics comic book series of the same name he co-created with Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley. It is produced by Skybound Entertainment, Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, Point Grey Pictures, and Amazon MGM Studios. The series follows teenager Mark Grayson and his transformation into a superhero under the guidance of his father, Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero on the planet. During his transformation, Mark finds himself struggling between his personal life and superhero duties, and is forced to prove that he can be the hero that his father is. Steven Yeun stars in the series as Mark Grayson / Invincible alongside Sandra Oh and J. K. Simmons as Mark's mother and father, respectively, while the remaining cast members have recurring roles.
| Invincible | |
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Title card as seen in the first episode | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Robert Kirkman |
| Based on | |
| Developed by |
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| Showrunner | Simon Racioppa |
| Voices of | |
| Composer | John Paesano |
| Country of origin |
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| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 17 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Running time | 45–55 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | March 25, 2021 – present |
Invincible premiered on March 25, 2021. Its first season, consisting of eight episodes, concluded on April 29, 2021. Following the season one finale, Amazon renewed the series for a second and third season. A prequel special, Invincible: Atom Eve, was released in July 2023. The second season, also consisting of eight episodes, was divided into two parts, with the first part released from November 3 to 24, 2023, and the second part released from March 14 to April 4, 2024. Three months after the second season finale, Invincible was renewed for a fourth season. The series has received acclaim from critics, with praise for its animation, action sequences, story, voice performances (particularly Yeun and Simmons), and emotional weight.
Mark Grayson is a seemingly normal teenager whose father Nolan is the most powerful superhero on the planet.[3] Shortly after his 17th birthday, Mark begins to develop powers of his own and learns how to wield them with help from his father, who turns out to not be as heroic as he thought, as he hides a dark secret, which starts to slip when he brutally murders the members of the world's greatest superhero team, the Guardians of the Globe.[4]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "It's About Time" | Robert Valley | Robert Kirkman | March 25, 2021 | |
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When hulking villainous scientists, the Mauler Twins, attack the White House, they are repelled by the Guardians of the Globe and Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man. Nolan's son Mark, who is waiting for his powers to emerge, goes to school and defends classmate Amber Bennett from bully Todd. After Todd beats Mark, Amber saves the latter and develops an interest in him. Later, Mark's powers emerge, and he tells his parents over dinner. While Nolan is initially uncertain, he nonetheless begins to train Mark on how to use them. However, wishing to emphasize the severity of being a superhero, Mark is caught off-guard by his father punching him too hard. Feeling hurt emotionally and physically, Mark blows off steam by stopping a robbery in a homemade suit. After a heart-to-heart with his son, Nolan takes Mark to meet superhero suit tailor Art Rosenbaum, who creates a proper superhero suit for Mark after he chooses to call himself "Invincible". Later, Nolan secretly ambushes the Guardians at their headquarters and brutally kills them all before falling unconscious from damage sustained from their resistance. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Here Goes Nothing" | Paul Furminger | Simon Racioppa | March 25, 2021 | |
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The clandestine Global Defense Agency (GDA) nurses a comatose Nolan back to health, but fails to revive the Guardians. Director Cecil Stedman informs Mark and his mother Debbie. As extra-dimensional aliens called the Flaxans attack, Mark helps the Teen Team fight them. When the Flaxans rapidly age and retreat, Teen Team leader Robot deduces this was due to a time dilation difference between the Flaxans' dimension and Earth. As Mark recognizes Atom Eve as classmate Samantha Eve Wilkins, they share their secret identities and become friends. The Flaxans return with anti-aging technology, but Mark and the Teen Team destroy them, forcing another retreat. The Flaxans return once again and nearly succeed until a recuperated Nolan forces them back to their dimension, where he devastates their planet in retaliation before returning as news breaks of the Guardians' deaths. Meanwhile, Mark skirmishes with Allen the Alien, who wants to test Earth's defenses for the Coalition of Planets. Using a time-out to talk and learning of Allen's mission, Mark helps Allen realize he confused "Earth" for another planet called "Urath" and leaves on good terms. Concurrently, demon detective Damien Darkblood investigates the Guardians' deaths for Cecil, theorizing the killer was among the heroes. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Who You Calling Ugly?" | Jeff Allen | Chris Black | March 25, 2021 | |
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Following a televised funeral, the Graysons attend the Guardians' private burial with their loved ones, where Darkblood questions Nolan privately and hints at his suspicions. Cecil commissions Robot to form a new Guardians roster of his choosing, given his handling of the Flaxan invasions, so Robot merges the Teen Team with experienced heroes Monster Girl, Black Samson, and Shrinking Rae. However, Eve immediately quits, still resentful of her teammate and ex-boyfriend Rex Splode after catching him cheating on her with teammate Dupli-Kate. Mark gets Amber's number and sets up a "study date", which is interrupted when he helps Eve stop Doc Seismic from attacking Mount Rushmore. Nonetheless, an intrigued Amber waits for him. When Rex tries apologizing to Eve, she refuses to accept and seeks out Mark, only to discover him with Amber. Despite being saddened, she acknowledges his happiness and quietly leaves. With Robot's unseen help, the Maulers escape from their GDA prison, though one sacrifices the other. When Darkblood questions Debbie, he finds Nolan shared little with her. This encounter leaves her suspicious of Nolan, who senses Darkblood's lingering presence. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Neil Armstrong, Eat Your Heart Out" | Cory Evans | Ryan Ridley | April 1, 2021 | |
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Angry that the GDA has not caught the original Guardians' killer yet, Red Rush's widow, Olga, commissions Debbie to sell her house so she can return to Moscow. Cecil asks Nolan to protect the first mission to Mars, but the latter refuses, citing his duty to protect Earth, so Mark volunteers. Despite successfully landing, Mark's inattentiveness allows Martians to abduct the astronauts. The Martian Emperor orders their execution to prevent the parasitic Sequids from reaching Earth and destroying the universe. Mark hastily evacuates the astronauts, unaware that a Martian had secretly replaced one of them while the real astronaut is possessed by the Sequids and launches an invasion of Mars. As Nolan and Debbie vacation in Rome to rekindle their relationship, he manipulatively regains her trust with half-truths. Cecil realizes Nolan is the killer, but cannot act until he determines the latter's motive and a way to stop him. Knowing he will not drop the case, Cecil exiles Darkblood to Hell, unaware that the detective hid his notepad in Debbie's closet. As the surviving Mauler begins cloning himself, Robot monitors his progress and methods before stealing a DNA sample from Rex on his real self, the deformed Rudy Connors', behalf. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "That Actually Hurt" | Jay Baker | Christine Lavaf | April 8, 2021 | |
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After Debbie finds Darkblood's notepad, her lingering suspicions return, leading to her locating Nolan's bloodied super-suit while he is away. After Samson lectures his teammates on failing to protect civilians due to their infighting, Robot secretly approaches the restored Mauler Twins with a job offer. Meanwhile, Mark promises to help Amber at a soup kitchen she volunteers at as recompense since he neglected her while working as Invincible. However, he must also help the superpowered enforcer Titan defeat his boss Machine Head, who predicted their attack and hired multiple villains for security. The Guardians arrive to help, but Mark, Monster Girl, and Samson are beaten and severely wounded by Battle Beast, which prompts the rest of the Guardians to act as a team. Seeing the other villains swiftly defeated, a disgusted Battle Beast leaves. The GDA arrest Machine Head and medevac Mark and the others, allowing Titan to take over Machine Head's organization. Eve also volunteers alongside Amber, needing direction after quitting being a superhero, but leaves when Cecil calls her about Mark's hospitalization. Elsewhere, GDA scientists test samples of Mark's blood, discovering that his cells are invulnerable to every lethal test they run. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "You Look Kinda Dead" | Paul Furminger / Jae Harm | Curtis Gwinn | April 15, 2021 | |
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Humbled by his week-long recovery, Mark reconciles with Amber before they accompany his best friend William on a weekend visit to Upstate University to see his crush Rick Sheridan. However, a cyborg experiment of mad scientist, D.A. Sinclair, escapes confinement and fights Mark before killing himself. As William deduces Mark's identity, Amber breaks up with Mark due to his "absence" during the cyborg's rampage and he sacrifices reconciliation to rescue William and Rick from Sinclair. Seeing Rick converted into a cyborg, William's pleas for help enable Rick to overcome his alteration and help Mark defeat Sinclair. Following Sinclair's arrest, Cecil takes an interest in his technology, which overwhelmed Mark's physiology. Meanwhile, Rosenbaum examines Nolan's bloodied suit for Debbie, confirming Nolan killed the Guardians. Both fearfully agree to stay silent, but the revelation sends Debbie into a drunken depression. Having studied her biology beforehand, Robot gathers magical ingredients to heal Monster Girl. While the Maulers continue to grow a body for Robot, they also exhume the Immortal's corpse, intending to resurrect him as their enthralled weapon against Robot. Concurrently, Eve is inspired by Amber to skip college and use her powers in direct humanitarian endeavors. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "We Need to Talk" | Vinton Heuck | Simon Racioppa | April 22, 2021 | |
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After Debbie relocates to the GDA, Cecil explains the truth before both witness Nolan kill Cecil's second-in-command, Donald Ferguson, and several GDA agents. After adding a neural link upgrade, the "Rudy" clone reluctantly euthanizes his progenitor. Paying and betraying the Maulers, the new Rudy leaves for a Guardians summons. He explains himself to the team, who are taken aback by his revelations before learning the truth about Omni-Man and their predecessors' fates. Cecil talks to Nolan before deploying Sinclair's "Reanimen" and a modified kaiju to kill him. Unfazed by Mark revealing his superhero identity, having deduced the truth weeks earlier, Amber dumps him as he never trusted her before. Mark seeks Eve's wisdom, but she criticizes his selfish behavior. When the two intercept Nolan's fight with the kaiju, Cecil orders Eve to leave Mark and rendezvous with the Guardians. When the Maulers revive the Immortal, he flies off to battle Nolan in an attempt to avenge the death of his team while Mark narrowly subdues the kaiju. News helicopters capture Nolan killing the Immortal in a live global broadcast before Nolan asks to talk to a bewildered Mark. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Where I Really Come From" | William Ruzicka | Robert Kirkman | April 29, 2021 | |
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After revealing himself as an infiltrator for the Viltrum Empire sent to conquer Earth, Nolan fails to convince Mark to join him and overpowers his son, devastating Chicago and killing thousands. Despite being beaten into a near-death state, Mark causes Nolan to remember his love for his family. Unable to reconcile this with his duties, Nolan tearfully abandons Earth. The Guardians and Eve mobilize to aid Chicago relief efforts as the world learns of Nolan's betrayal while Cecil helps Debbie and Mark by falsifying Nolan's civilian death. A heartbroken Debbie shares a drink with a similarly heartbroken Rosenbaum as Mark and Amber rekindle their relationship after his two-week recovery. As Amber and William learn Eve is also a superhero, Cecil sends Mark to intercept an approaching Allen and updates him on recent events. Allen warns Mark that the Viltrumites will come for Earth given Nolan's uncharacteristic abandoning of his post, but he thinks that Mark can help the Coalition stop the Viltrumites' expansion. As Mark plans to finish high school, the Maulers are arrested while the Immortal recuperates under GDA protection. Villainous forces conspire to return as Cecil commissions Sinclair to mass-produce Reanimen contingency troops. | ||||||
| No. overall | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | "Invincible: Atom Eve" | Haylee Herrick | Helen Leigh and Robert Kirkman | July 21, 2023 | |
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Eighteen years ago, government scientist Dr. Elias Brandyworth disobeys his superior, Steven Erickson, and leaves with a dying pregnant woman named Polly, who gives birth to a powerful superhuman. Fulfilling Polly's wishes, Brandyworth swaps her child with the Wilkins' deceased newborn so that she can grow up with a normal family as Samantha Eve Wilkins. Growing up, Eve proved highly knowledgeable about molecules and was admitted to a school for scholars, but longed for a normal life. After discovering her transmutation powers, she is transferred back to public school for failing class. As she attempts to become a hero, she encounters a homeless Brandyworth, who reveals her origins as a government project and warns her not to use her powers. She later battles a group of deformed children that the government created amidst failed attempts at recreating her. After the children die, Erickson captures Eve, Brandyworth, and Polly, intending to use them to create better weapons. In the ensuing fight, Erickson kills Brandyworth and Polly. Enraged, Eve overcomes the mental barrier that prevented her from transmuting living material and erases Erickson's memories. She returns home to find her adopted parents upset with her for not being normal. | |||||
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |||||||
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| Part 1 | ||||||||||||
| 10 | 1 | "A Lesson for Your Next Life" | Sol Choi | Simon Racioppa | November 3, 2023 | |||||||
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On a devastated alternate Earth where Mark sided with Nolan, scientist Angstrom Levy escapes through a mysterious portal. One month after Nolan's departure, Mark continues to struggle with his father's betrayal while performing his duties as Invincible. Cecil appoints the revived Immortal to succeed Rudy as the Guardians' leader and adds a new hero called Bulletproof to their ranks. The Maulers escape prison with help from their version of Angstrom, who tasks them with building a device capable of transferring the memories of various alternate universe variants of himself to him so he can use their collective knowledge to advance Earth's technology and save other planets. Cecil sends Mark to stop the Maulers as they begin the process, forcing Angstrom to use his multiversal powers to summon variants of the Maulers, who nearly kill Mark against his wishes. Angstrom stops the transfer prematurely, causing an explosion, which one Mauler, Mark, and a horrifically scarred Angstrom survive. Driven mad by his variants' memories of their versions of Invincible and Omni-Man, Angstrom vows revenge on Mark and escapes. | ||||||||||||
| 11 | 2 | "In About Six Hours, I Lose My Virginity to a Fish" | Ian Abando | Matt Lambert | November 10, 2023 | |||||||
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While graduating, Mark defeats Doc Seismic and his Magmanites. Over the summer, tension grows between him and Debbie after she realizes he is only continuing his work as Invincible and working for Cecil to avoid Nolan's legacy. She confronts Cecil, during which she learns Donald is alive and later has a breakdown over continuous reminders of Nolan. After converting a vacant lot into a park, Eve argues with her father, believing he cannot accept that she can help with her powers. However, the park collapses due to being built on unstable ground, though no casualties were sustained. The stowaway Martian, who had taken the place of astronaut Rus Livingston, becomes inspired by original Guardian member Martian Man to become the superhero Shapesmith and join the current Guardians. After encountering and defeating Darkwing II, Cecil assigns Mark to appease the Atlanteans for original Guardian member Aquarus' death. Amidst a trial by combat, Mark battles a kaiju, but is injured by its roar. Nonetheless, he saves the Atlanteans from it against Cecil's orders. Angstrom Levy travels to an alternate Earth where Mark is captured by the GDA to gain information on how to defeat his own. | ||||||||||||
| 12 | 3 | "This Missive, This Machination!" | Tanner Johnson | Adria Lang | November 17, 2023 | |||||||
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In flashbacks, Allen's homeworld of Unopa was attacked by the Viltrumites, leading to his people joining the Coalition to stop them and breeding him to become the strongest Unopan. In the present, Allen discusses his findings from Earth with the Coalition, explaining that Mark is unaffiliated with Viltrum and Nolan left Earth. Over several members' skepticism, Coalition leader Thaedus supports Allen, believing they possess an advantage, before secretly tasking him with rooting out a Viltrumite mole within their ranks. After Allen is attacked by three Viltrumites demanding information on Mark, Earth, and Nolan however, Thaedus secretly ends his life support. Concurrently, Mark attends college and meets a shapeshifting insectoid alien from the planet Thraxa who claims his people are in danger. Upon arriving, Mark is unexpectedly reunited with Nolan, who has become Thraxa's ruler. Debbie joins a support group for superhero spouses, only to be accosted by original Guardian member Green Ghost's widower Theo for being previously married to Omni-Man, and leaves in shame. | ||||||||||||
| 13 | 4 | "It's Been a While" | Jason Zurek | Helen Leigh | November 24, 2023 | |||||||
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In flashbacks, Nolan flew aimlessly through space after abandoning Earth. While contemplating suicide at a black hole, he instead saved a Thraxan ship being pulled into it and was made their ruler. In the present, Mark's lingering anger towards Nolan is worsened when he learns of Nolan's new wife Andressa and their child. Understanding his son's feelings, Nolan nonetheless asks for his help in protecting Thraxa, but three Viltrumite soldiers arrive. As he takes Andressa and her son to safety, Mark learns from her that Nolan truly regretted his actions and loves him. The Graysons defeat the soldiers, but are grievously wounded. Nolan is subsequently captured and taken back to Viltrum to be executed while Kregg, a high-ranking Viltrumite general, tasks Mark with Nolan's original mission of preparing Earth for their invasion or else they will destroy it. Meanwhile, Debbie accepts that her relationship with Nolan was a lie, stops accepting his income through Cecil, and throws out his books. Elsewhere, Donald discovers evidence of his death. Suspicious that he might not be human, he stabs himself in the forearm as a test. Initially relieved to draw red blood, he then notices that he has bent the knife's tip. | ||||||||||||
| Part 2 | ||||||||||||
| 14 | 5 | "This Must Come as a Shock" | Haylee Herrick | Helen Leigh | March 14, 2024 | |||||||
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Following the Viltrumites' attack, Mark spends two months helping Thraxa rebuild before returning to Earth with his brother. At the GDA, Donald confronts Cecil about his body. Cecil reveals he successfully recovered Donald's brain and placed it in a robotic endoskeleton. The Guardians discover a Martian ship bound for Earth, prompting Shapesmith to reveal his identity and the impending Sequid invasion. After Eve recommits to heroism with Rex's encouragement, Cecil recruits her and Mark to join most of the Guardians in thwarting the invasion, but they are overwhelmed. Concurrently, remaining Guardians members Rex, Dupli-Kate, and Shrinking Rae confront the Lizard League after they capture a military base to ransom its nuclear missiles, resulting in Kate's apparent death, Rae getting devoured, and Rex losing a hand and being held at gunpoint by King Lizard. In the post-credits, Allen recovers from his injuries despite Thaedus ending his life support and has become as strong as a Viltrumite. Thaedus reveals he is a rebel Viltrumite and tasks Allen with recruiting Mark to aid the Coalition against the Viltrum Empire. | ||||||||||||
| 15 | 6 | "It's Not That Simple" | Sol Choi | Vivian Lee | March 21, 2024 | |||||||
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Rex survives being shot and defeats King Lizard before he and Rae are recovered and treated for their injuries. The Guardians narrowly escape the Sequids and rescue the real Rus. Debbie decides to raise Mark's half-brother and names him Oliver. Despite her suspicions of Cecil, she accepts a nanny he hired to help care for him. Rick recovers from being a Reaniman, but remains traumatized by the ordeal. Mark and Amber's relationship becomes strained when both realize the toll that Mark's work as Invincible has taken on their lives. Eve's feelings for Mark begin to resurface. While Amber speaks to Eve, Mark talks to Rosenbaum, who reveals Nolan previously wrote several unsuccessful sci-fi novels, which Mark learns potentially reveal Viltrumites' weaknesses. He relays the information to Allen, who tells him about Thaedus and the Coalition's stand against the Viltrum Empire. Rus returns home but is attacked and re-possessed by a Sequid hidden inside him. A healed and imprisoned Nolan is interrogated by General Kregg for his loyalty to Earth. Angstrom Levy returns to his native Earth. | ||||||||||||
| 16 | 7 | "I'm Not Going Anywhere" | Ian Abando | Simon Racioppa | March 28, 2024 | |||||||
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Mark and Amber attend a comic convention, but he leaves to help Rex. After Cecil puts the Immortal on temporary leave, Rudy returns as the Guardians' leader. Donald discovers that he has died numerous times and that the original ordered the memories to be erased. Nonetheless, he later overcomes the trauma while dissuading Rick from committing suicide. While on a date, Mark is confronted by the Viltrumite Anissa who tries to remind him to have Earth join the Viltrumite Empire. When Mark abruptly leaves to save a cruise ship from a kaiju, Anissa joins him and effortlessly kills it, saving the passengers. Despite proving Earth's weakness, Anissa fails to convince Mark to complete his mission and grievously beats him before ultimately sparing him and leaving to report back to Kregg. Amidst this, the Viltrumites confront a passing Allen, who feigns defeat and allows himself to be captured. After breaking up with Amber, Mark is then called by Angstrom Levy, who has taken Debbie and Oliver hostage in their own home. | ||||||||||||
| 17 | 8 | "I Thought You Were Stronger" | Tanner Johnson | Robert Kirkman | April 4, 2024 | |||||||
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Mark returns home to confront Angstrom as he threatens Debbie and Oliver. Angstrom retaliates by sending Mark across the multiverse to weaken him. Debbie tries to convince Angstrom to let Mark go but he refuses, emboldened by the memories of his variants and their Marks' murderous actions from their dimensions. Debbie attacks Angstrom, who breaks her arm and beats her. Mark returns and, enraged by his mother's injuries, battles Angstrom across multiple dimensions before furiously beating him to death, stranding himself in a desolate dimension. Distraught by his actions, Mark is eventually found and sent home by a future incarnation of the Guardians from his own dimension. Before Mark leaves, the future Eve confesses her feelings to him. The Immortal discovers that the original Kate is alive and in hiding and reunites with her while two archaeologists uncover the tomb of Ka-Hor. At the urging of her future-self, Mark meets with Eve, but is unable to admit his mutual feelings for her. Allen is sent to a Viltrumite prison where Nolan is being held and proposes he join the fight against them. Nolan reveals his guilt for his actions and admits that he misses his first wife, Debbie. | ||||||||||||
A live-action film based on the Image Comics comic book series Invincible was revealed in April 2017 to be in development at Universal Pictures, with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who were fans of the comics, hired as the writers and directors. The duo were set to produce the film alongside James Weaver through their company Point Grey Pictures, while Invincible co-creator Robert Kirkman also joined to produce alongside David Alpert, Bryan Furst, and Sean Furst through his company Skybound Entertainment, which had a first-look deal with Universal for the film.[19] However, when the series was announced, the film remained in hiatus, until on January 26, 2021, it was revealed that the film was still in development and would exist separately from the series.[20][21] In a 2023 interview, Rogen stated that the animated series has had a strong influence on the live-action film version in development with Universal, which is essentially being developed as a live-action version of the animated series.[22]
On August 11, 2017, Robert Kirkman signed a deal with Amazon to develop various series for Amazon Prime Video, with his company Skybound Entertainment. However, it was revealed that series that are already in production or development with other studios, will not be developed for Amazon.[23] Kirkman revealed that he was interested on developing a series of the Invincible comic series, but that would not be possible at the moment because Universal was developing a film based on the comic series.[24][25]
However, on June 19, 2018, it was announced that Amazon had given a series order to the project for a first season consisting of eight episodes.[26] It was also revealed that the series would be animated and its episodes would be hourlong.[27][28][29] Simon Racioppa serves as showrunner for the series and also serves as executive producer alongside Kirkman, David Alpert, and Catherine Winder. Production companies involved with the series include Skybound.[4][30][31][32] Coincidentally, executive producers Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen (who also provides a voice on the show) are working on a live-action film adaptation of the comic, which is separate from the animated series, as co-directors, writers, and producers.[33][34]
On April 29, 2021, after the release of the final episode of the first season, Amazon renewed the series for a second and third season.[35][36][37] In April 2023, series creator Robert Kirkman stated that the second season would focus on Angstrom Levy, a supervillain with access to multiple dimensions.[38] In April 2024, Amazon was reported to have renewed the series for a fourth and fifth season, although IGN subsequently reported this was not accurate.[39][40] In May 2024, Ross Marquand said that season 3 "is nearly finished" and is to be released in early 2025.[41] In July 2024, Amazon officially renewed the series for a fourth season.[42]
On January 31, 2019, the cast of the series was revealed, with Steven Yeun to portray Mark Grayson / Invincible and J. K. Simmons portraying Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man.[43][44][45] Sandra Oh, Mark Hamill, Seth Rogen, Gillian Jacobs, Andrew Rannells, Zazie Beetz, Walton Goggins, Jason Mantzoukas, Mae Whitman, Chris Diamantopoulos, Malese Jow, Kevin Michael Richardson, Grey Griffin and Max Burkholder also joined the cast of the series.[46][47] On July 18, 2020, Robert Kirkman confirmed the casting in a live video on Twitter.[48][non-primary source needed]
Yeun and Oh are both of Korean descent. Oh's character Debbie Grayson was made to be Korean American in the animated adaptation, with her son Mark Grayson being half-Korean.[49][50] Their Korean identity is not directly mentioned in the show,[49] but a painting featuring Hangul (안녕, annyeong, 'hello') is depicted in the Grayson home.[51] The decision came from a desire to increase diverse representations in the show. Similarly, Amber Bennett, Mark's girlfriend, was made an African American teenager in the adaptation.[49][50] The character of William, Mark's best friend, is openly gay from the outset of the series in contrast to the comics, where he spends a significant amount of time closeted.[52]
When the show was confirmed to be animated, it was confirmed that Wind Sun Sky Entertainment and its partner company, Skybound North, would be co-producing and animating the series.[2][1][53]
Robert Kirkman praised the work of the show's animation studio, Maven Image Project. Kirkman noted in particular the Guardians' death at the end of episode 1, and the fight between Mark and Nolan in episode 8.[54] Two additional animation studios were brought on for season 2 according to an interview with Margaret Dean.[55]
The series title sequence is recognized by appearing right where a character would have said "Invincible" for the first time at each episode. However, the title sequence also becomes bloodier with each episode. Invincible's creator Robert Kirkman revealed that he wanted to represent the dark days that lie ahead by using the increasingly bloody title cards. Simon Racioppa revealed that he wanted each episode to be different from the previous ones to convince the audience to not skip it.[56][57] The animation style borrows from the look of Saturday morning cartoons from the early 2000s.[38]
The second season's title cards feature a similar progression, with a bloodied variant of the first season's title card cracking to uncover a black-and-blue design underneath.[58]
On December 2, 2020, it was revealed that John Paesano would be composing the score to the series.[59]
After Amazon ordered the first season of the series, it was confirmed that the series would be consisting of eight episodes.[60] On January 22, 2021, during a live-stream celebrating the 18th anniversary of Invincible #1,[61] Kirkman revealed that the series would debut on March 25, 2021 (midnight EST), with the first 3 episodes.[62][63] The remaining episodes would release weekly thereafter.[64] On January 20, 2023, a teaser trailer was released, in which Steven Yeun and Seth Rogen as Invincible and Allen the Alien respectively discuss the upcoming season.[65] During San Diego Comic-Con on July 21, 2023, a second trailer was shown, and it was announced that part one of the second season will premiere on November 3, 2023,[66] with part two debuting on March 14, 2024.[67] It was also announced that a special episode, called Invincible: Atom Eve, would release later that day.[68][69][70]
| Season | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98% (88 reviews)[71] | 73 (16 reviews)[72] |
| 2 | 100% (41 reviews)[73] | 82 (13 reviews)[74] |
The series received critical acclaim, with praise for its animation, performances, and writing.[75][76][77] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of Invincible holds a 98% approval rating, based on 88 critic reviews, with an average rating of 8.6/10. The site's consensus reads: "With bold animation, bloody action, and an all-star cast led by the charming Steven Yeun, Invincible smartly adapts its source material without sacrificing its nuanced perspective on the price of superpowers."[71] Metacritic reported a score of 73 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews" for the first season.[72] The second season has an approval rating of 100% based on 41 reviews, , with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's consensus reads: "Still as bracing as a punch to the face and invigorating with its vivid worldbuilding, Invincible is practically impervious to disappointing audiences in this sterling sophomore season."[73] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[74]
Ben Travers of IndieWire gave the show a B grade, stating that "Kirkman's adaptation is provocative, surprising, and sometimes challenging, as it constantly tries to disrupt the accepted ideas of its genre, whether that's the superhero genre, the teen drama genre, or the misguided notion that animation is a genre unto itself."[78] Kathryn VanArendonk of Vulture states "the series has a palpable 'more of an eight-hour movie' thing going on, and the potential of that model is that it will all coalesce in the end into this glorious, big, transfixing story" but also adds that "the pitfall is that it makes these opening episodes a little weaker; there are so many characters happening here, so many story threads to put in place, that it's hard to know what to invest in as a viewer."[79] Caroline Framke from Variety commented: "Now, of course, Kirkman is the wildly successful co-creator and executive producer of 'The Walking Dead,' so even those who might not have picked up an 'Invincible' comic might be interested in this spry, hourlong animated series that somehow manages to be both snarky and earnest within the same breath."[80] William Hughes from The A.V. Club praised the series for its animation and stated: "Funny, exciting, and emotionally smart—seriously, Sandra Oh is killing it here—Invincible isn't bulletproof. But, like its increasingly burdened hero, it's trying. And sometimes, in the superhero game, that's all you can really do."[81] Bob Strauss from Datebook praised the show, commenting: "While you can't describe 'Invincible' as gritty, it does feel like the right kind of animated super-show for an era marked by Zack Snyder's dark-hued 'Justice League' reconstruction and Amazon's own, ultra-pathological take on the genre, 'The Boys.' It's as clean-looking as any program we grew up with, but it has the dirtier stuff we secretly wanted."[82]
Siddhant Adlakha of IGN gave the first season an 8 out of 10, stating the season "is great, thanks to its unique action and strong character-centric gravitas" and that the show "combines familiar superhero tropes with unexpected gore and moving character dynamics, resulting in the year's most surprising superhero series."[83] Alan Sepinwall from Rolling Stone stated: "As the series moves along, Kirkman and company begin introducing twists to what we think is the formula — perhaps too many. Even within three episodes, the number of reversals and secrets pile so high that it can be hard to invest in certain characters and scenes, rather than trying to guess what will come next."[84] Roxana Hadadi from RogerEbert.com praised the series for its story and animation, commenting: "'Invincible' sets up those questions quickly and engagingly in these first three installments, wraps them in a mystery, and then splatters them with blood. It's not an entirely new approach for this genre, but the familiarity of 'Invincible' is forgivable in light of the confidence that both Kirkman and Yeun bring to the material. They're the reason to watch."[85] Niv M. Sultan from Slant Magazine gave the first season 3.5 stars of 4, and commented "Invincible recaptures what our current glut of superhero fiction largely loses sight of: the pleasure that superheroes must feel when wielding their powers. Not the sacred satisfaction of helping the downtrodden, but the id-centered thrills of soaring through the sky and inflicting hurt on those deemed deserving."[86] Louis Chilton from The Independent gave the series 3 stars of 5 and stated "Invincible often seems derivative; perhaps its ideas were more groundbreaking in the original early-2000s comics. Some of its characters are unapologetic parodies (the Batman facsimile "Darkwing", for example), and you could easily go through picking out elements or story ideas that have cropped up in Watchmen, or The Incredibles, or Sky High, or Misfits. But there are still some good bones to its premise, and just enough subversiveness to let you ignore the fact this is a story you've seen a hundred times before."[87]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | August 22, 2021 | Best Animated Series or Animated Television Movie | Invincible | Nominated | [88] |
| Dorian TV Awards | August 29, 2021 | Best Animated Show | [89] | ||
| Saturn Awards | October 25, 2022 | Best Animated Television Series | [90] | ||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | September 15, 2024 | Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance | Sterling K. Brown as Angstrom Levy (for "I Thought You Were Stronger") | Nominated | [91] |
The eighth episode of the series' first season spawned a popular Internet meme called "Think, Mark".[92][93] A 2022 promotional episode of the web series Death Battle! pit Invincible's Omni-Man against The Boys' Homelander,[94] with Amazon Studios' Head of Marketing Adam Bersin having partnered with Rooster Teeth to promote their series, previously including the second season of The Boys, also produced by Amazon.[95] Consequently, both Omni-Man and Homelander were made available as playable characters in the 2023 video game Mortal Kombat 1, with J. K. Simmons reprising his role as the former.[96] In November 2023, the RPG Invincible Presents: Atom Eve was released.[97] In February 2024, a mobile game RPG called Invincible: Guarding the Globe was released.[98] In April 2024, Skybound was revealed to be internally developing an AAA video game based on Invincible. Over 30 employees were working on the game, which included industry veterans who had worked for Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, and AMZ Games, while a fundraiser campaign was also being established.[40]
Invincible creator Robert Kirkman was sued by comic book colorist William Crabtree, citing a rights and profits concern, on January 10, 2022.[99][100] The case was settled on January 25, 2024.[101]
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