The adventure continues! I’m at the mid-way point of the series now, and I’m certainly not bored yet.
Invincible Vol. 13: Growing Pains
Robert Kirkman (writer)
Cory Walker (penciler, inker)
Ryan Ottley (penciler)
Cliff Rathburn (inker)
Dave McCaig (colorist)
FCO Plascencia (colorist)
Rus Wooton (letterer)
Forget this Mark guy. Can I just keep reading about Allen and Nolan’s intergalactic scavenger hunt? Mark spends too much time being angsty and self-absorbed. No wonder Eve doesn’t want to share some important news with him! At least the grownups are keeping track of the main mission, which is saving the galaxy from an evil empire.
Quick roundup of some other characters: Eve’s dad is awful. Oliver is growing up fast. Cecil continues to be a moron.
On the villain front, Universa seemed way too cool to waste on a one-off. I’d rather spend more time with her than spend pages and pages dealing with goofy pink brains (I still can’t take them seriously). At least it looks like she’ll be back, as indicated by future trade covers.
Rating: 4 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
Invincible Vol. 14: The Viltrumite War
Robert Kirkman (writer)
Ryan Ottley (penciler, inker)
Cliff Rathburn (inker)
FCO Plascencia (colorist)
Rus Wooten (letterer)
This volume was a fabulous ride, definitely living up to all the build-up.
It started with an emotional bang, first. I appreciate that Nolan has grown as a character and apologized to Debbie. I also completely support Debbie’s response.
Then, the war officially commences — and Mark is already in pretty bad shape. Their lack of strategy to deal with a surprise attack strikes me as plot shoe-horned to fit events, in order to leave our three heavy-hitters hanging out on a planet while the actual war happens. (On the other hand, Mark looks kind of hot with facial hair.)
I love Tech Jacket’s youthful optimism in contrast to Mark’s recent angst. The top villain is a bit extreme, though. Talking to skulls is never a good sign.
The artwork in this volume, though. WOW. Lots of amazing space combat spreads that allow you to really appreciate the detail that Ottley puts into his work. Make sure to stop and peruse rather than scrambling for the ending.
The unexpected ending, that is. Despite the skull conversations, Thragg is smarter than he looks. It will be interesting to see when and how this all backfires spectacularly. Luckily, I have 11 more books to find out.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
Invincible Vol. 15: Get Smart
Robert Kirkman (writer)
Ryan Ottley (penciler, inker)
Cliff Rathburn (inker)
Nikos Koutsis (colorist)
John Rauch (colorist)
Rus Wooten (letterer)
It is inevitable that things should grow and change after the events of the Viltrumite War. This collection of issues certainly had a lot of “I didn’t see that coming!” moments. Mark and Eve are growing up, which means grown-up issues, from the “mundane” (Mark’s reaction was good and supportive) to “only in a superhero book” (poor Las Vegas).
It’s official — Dinosaurus is one of my favorite characters, especially since his villainy is up for debate. If Mark has to explore shades of gray, it’s only fair that his conflicts get more subtle. And Dinosaurus is a delightfully conflicted villain.
But it’s not just all about Mark and Eve, these days. Robot and Monster Girl are back! Moments with them are interspersed through this collection in a fantastic build-up, hinting about what we missed between them. Definitely reason alone to keep reading.
But seriously, Mark: Stop going in the white room!
Rating: 4.5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
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