Invincible is finally back after a long break and is better than ever. The series premiered on March 25, 2021, to critical acclaim for its animation, voice cast, and storytelling. We got a taste of going back into this world over the summer with the Invincible Atom Eve special; while that was the appetizer, this is the main course. Mark Grayson (voiced by Steven Yeun) has a lot to deal with: the fallout from his battle with his father Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man (voiced by J.K. Simmons), his relationship with Amber (voiced by Zazie Beetz), and starting college while being a superhero.
The Plot
There are a few main storylines happening in these four episodes; they don’t seem like they will connect at first but I believe they will. First, we have Mark’s storyline with him going off to college and balancing being a superhero while his relationship with Amber becomes more serious. Next, we have Deborah Grayson’s (voiced by Sandra Oh) storyline with her struggling with Nolan’s betrayal and dealing with an empty house. Finally, we have the Guardians of the Globe’s storyline with them struggling to find leadership in the group as they deal with new threats to Earth.
Also Read: Invincible Atom Eve Review: Perfect Standalone Story
The Critique
I thought this was a fantastic start to the new season of Invincible. There aren’t a lot of truly great adult-animated series, especially superhero ones, so having a show like this is special. The animation and fight choreography is top notch just like the first season and just as bloody as you remember. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have worked very well with the creator of both the comic and series, Robert Kirkman. They are clearly passionate about this series and it shows in every frame. The only critique I can really give is that I want Part Two already, especially after Part One ends on a major cliffhanger.
The anchors of the voice cast are the Grayson Family and Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, and J.K. Simmons continue to give fantastic vocal performances. The real standout for me among these three was Sandra Oh as Debbie Grayson. She is still dealing with her depression after being betrayed by Nolan and gets some really emotional moments; you can almost see Sandra Oh delivering the lines through the animation.
The supporting voice cast is filled to the brim with amazing guest stars, from Walton Goggins to Mark Hamill. The thing that makes Invincible so special is that it can do what the MCU/DCU can only do some of the time: constantly have their heroes interact with each other. While the Avengers films are great, seeing these heroes consistently share the screen is terrific. Not only that, we get to see them deal with the consequences of their heroics frequently, not in a one-time scenario like Captain America: Civil War. It helps make the world feel realistic for us to connect to it more, especially with it being in animated form versus live-action.
In Conclusion
Overall, Invincible continues to be one of if not the best Prime Original series streaming right now; Invincible S2 – Part One will be on Prime Video this Friday, November 3rd. There isn’t another show like this right now and I hope its continued success will spawn more adult-animated series of this quality. Top-notch animation, an A-list voice cast, and fantastic writing make this a must-watch this coming weekend. The rest of the season should be released sometime in early 2024 and with the cliffhanger we get in Invincible S2 – Part One, that can’t come soon enough!
Rating: 10/10
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