"Invincible" Review: a superhero show that takes off in bloody fashion

“Invincible” lifts the superhero genre to new heights with a bloody origin.

By Benjamin Royer, Staff Writer

Steven Yeun voices the superhero Mark Grayson, the main protagonist of the animated show "Invincible." (Photo Courtesy of Amazon Studios)

This new slab of paint on the superhero genre just so happens to be blood.

“Invincible,” adapted from Robert Kirkman’s comic book series, follows teenager Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) as he deals with the trials and tribulations of being the superhero son of the most powerful superhero on Earth — Nolan Grayson (J.K. Simmons), otherwise known as Omni-Man. The elder Grayson must battle his own inner demons, including his identity and relationship with his wife Debbie Grayson (Sandra Oh).

Amazon Prime Video’s “The Boys” created the brutal and action packed path for “Invincible” to see its journey in becoming the streaming service’s next big hit. “Invincible” follows a similar path to its predecessor as it hits each episode of its first season with passion.

Yeun’s voice throughout the season as Mark Grayson creates a pedestal for the series to launch off of from the get go. Oscar-winning Simmons and Oscar-nominated Yeun have a performance chemistry that somehow finds its way onto the screen of an animated television program. Both actors leave it all on the line, just as much as they would for an award-nominated feature film.

The broad spectrum of cast and characters give a multitude of background and plot for the series to explore. At times though, there are moments where the show could take a breath and show us the rest of its world. Even with hour-length episodes, “Invincible” still struggles at times to give each character its time.

That said, the story that “Invincible” does give us is dynamic and breathtaking. When watching sequences of action, one can only imagine the detail that the animatic and editing crew had to go through to make these moments occur. The horror from watching certain sequences over and over again could lead crew members needing a sleeping pill to sleep at night.

Gore is one thing that the style of the show does not shy away from. Blood is the largest recurring theme in the first season. Look away from the screen for a moment and the screen is filled with a new coat of red. Even though the show is animation and does not depict any real life possibilities, it feels real. The realness keeps the tension in the room high and your heart skipping a beat.

The ending of the season leaves the viewer with many questions answered and yet newer questions just keep coming to the surface. Kirkman was able to turn his comic book series into a legitimate action packed program, just like he previously had done with AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

As announced on Twitter, “Invincible” has been renewed for a second and third season on Prime Video. Any questions that viewers of the show may have a chance to be answered instead of the depressing dread of no renewal.

From episodes that leave the audience in awe and a breathtaking season finale, season one of “Invincible” leaves the viewer wanting more as soon as possible.