Invincible 16: Family Ties

Comic Info

Invincible #88

Reprints Invincible #85-90 (November 2011-April 2012).  Nolan and Debbie’s trip to Talescria leads to battle when Allen learns that the remaining Viltrumites are hidden away on Earth.  When Allen and Oliver set out to release the Scourge Virus on Earth to stop the danger of Viltrumites forever, Invincible finds himself in for a fight for his life…and if Invincible falls, a new hero might rise!

Written by Robert Kirkman, Invincible 16:  Family Ties follows Invincible 15:  Get Smart.  The collection features art by Cory Walker on Invincible #85-86 and art by Ryan Ottley on Invincible #87-90.  The issues in the volume were also collected in Invincible:  Ultimate Collection 8 and Invincible Compendium—Volume 2.

Invincible never fails to shock and surprise you.  Just when you think you know where the story is going, it takes another turn and changes it up.  Last volume had Mark on the path to change the world with Dinosaurus.  This volume has a battle for Earth that is independent of the story and introduces a new “Invincible”.

I don’t know if I was crazy about the whole “change the world” storyline set up in the previous volume (and it might still resurface, but this volume really changed up the pacing again…plus, ended in a typical Invincible bloody mess.  I like that the Viltrumites are already back because the idea of dumping a warring race on Earth always seemed like a bad plan.  Here, everyone else gets to weigh in on it.

Invincible #89

I really liked the teaming of Invincible and Dinosaurus.  It is a weird almost pet-like relationship with Invincible riding Dinosaurus into battle practically.  It is kind of like the Lone Ranger and Silver…if Silver was a mad genius.  The volume ends on a cliffhanger with Dinosaurus appearing to be dead…leaving you wanting to read the next issue which is a good selling point for a comic…and Invincible is really good at the issue cliffhangers.

The story also introduces Bulletproof as the “new” Invincible.  I hope that Kirkman takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to this story.  Comic book companies love to replace their hero with another hero in a storyline.  It generally is a woman or a minority since both are often lacking in strong representation.  After a few issues, the character generally gladly hands back the mantle (or dies in a tragic nature).  This could be a lot of fun to play with and I hope Bulletproof plays out nicely.

Invincible continues to truck on.  It might not be the hot title it once was, but it is almost more enriched than it was when it began.  I would compare Invincible to South Park.  Both started out hot and cooled a bit, but in the cooling became better and stronger.  Invincible 16:  Family Ties is followed by Invincible 17:  What’s Happening.

Preceded By:

Invincible 15:  Get Smart

Followed By:

Invincible 17:  What’s Happening