Looking for my Starbase Indy convention report? I’m still traveling (in Houston now, where at least it’s not freezing), so that post is getting delayed to Friday. In the meantime, after a long (too long) hiatus, I’m ready to finish this epic series!
Invincible Vol. 22: Reboot?
Robert Kirkman (writer)
Ryan Ottley (penciler, inker)
Cliff Rathburn (inker)
Jean-Francois Beauliue (colorist)
Rus Wooton (letterer)
Things are not going well back on Earth, but that completely depends on the perspective. Perhaps things are going a little too well? Either way, the heroes back home are divided in their loyalties. If Mark ever goes back, he’ll have an interesting homecoming.
In the meantime, Eve is not having a good time on Telescria. Either Kirkman intentionally made some commentary here on the trials of a stay-at-home spouse in a environment without a support system, or he couldn’t decide what to do with her beyond “stay-at-home mom.” I’d like to assume it’s the former, but I’ve never been super impressed with Kirkman’s depiction of women in this series.
But before I could be too disgruntled with the story line, Kirkman hit me with my favorite plot device. Time travel shenanigans!! Or are they? A visit to a familiar past forces Mark to make a really important choice. We won’t find out until the next volume what affect that will have on the world, but we’re left with a pretty strong cliff-hanger to carry us there.
Rating: 4.5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
Invincible Vol. 23: Full House
Robert Kirkman (writer)
Cory Walker (artist)
Nathan Fairbairn (colorist)
Rus Wooton (letterer)
The throwback to art by Cory Walker for this volume is distracting, but the dramatic revelations of Kirkman’s storytelling drag you back in. Time has passed. Everything is weird. Oliver has a mustache.
The passage of time gives Kirkman some great plot opportunities. For example, Terra is a much more interesting character now. At first, the Viltrumite drama seems like same old-same old. It quickly becomes obvious, however, that the empire has grown to the point of becoming a bit of a problem once again. But after a bittersweet visit to Earth, Mark and Eve are done with it all.
Too bad the Viltrumite Empire is still not done with them. The thrilling conclusion to this collection of issues sets our heroes up for the final show-down.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.