Invincible #111 -Review

by Robert Kirkman (Writer), Ryan Ottley (Artist), Cliff Rathburn (Inker)

The Story: Robot shows how far he’s willing to go.

The Review: This series is becoming increasingly brutal. It’s not better or worse than it had been but the threats seem bigger, the tone is darker and the violence is even more unsettling than it’s ever been before. Seriously, it’s giving The Walking Dead a run for it’s money lately…

This issue shows how deeply Robot has been warped by his time ruling over the Flaxan’s in their dimension. In this issue he coldly dispatches one of his oldest allies and mutilates another merely to prove a point to Mark. The best thing about Robot’s descent into villainy and madness is that we’ve got to see it unfold over years, he’d always been cold but now he is displaying a malicious side. The character’s psychology is utterly disturbing in that he seems to divorce himself entirely from any responsibility into his actions. Robot’s journey is a great reflection and parallel to Mark’s team-up with Dinosaurus, the difference being that Mark was able to bring himself back.

Kirkman certainly isn’t afraid to kill his darlings, or tear their limbs off or have them subjected to rape. The writer’s fearlessness with these characters really has set this story up as one with high stakes and a lingering sense of doom, fully taking advantage of the fact that Invincible isn’t a corporately owned super-hero character. It seems likely that things will only get worse before they get better and that can only mean good things for the reader.

Avengers #16 – Review

Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer (Writers), Stefano Caselli (Artist), Frank Martin (Colorist)

The Story: A big robot comes crashing down on the Avengers as we see some development on Starbrand and Nightmask.

The Review: It must be really hard to write a proper team book. Having to juggle with different characters, different personalities that can clash together as they face bigger threats that the members might not be able to overcome all on their own. We can all name some team books that are or were more successful than others, yet what made them so memorable for us? Was it the fact that each characters were important and distinct enough so that we got to see enough of them in order to grow to like them? Was it the numerous large or innovative problems they had to solve? Was it simply the action, seeing the characters display their fighting abilities and powers in ways that were impressive?

Many could argue that it takes a bit of all three elements named earlier in order to make a really good superhero team book. When all these things align, we know that we have something that we’ll look forward to each month. However, does Avengers, by the standard of this issue, possess these elements?

Plot wise, I’d have to say that this issue does deliver in a lot of ways, as both Hickman and Spencer advance several elements that can catch the interest of the readers while advancing the main plotline. Here, not only we catch up with what happened in all those early and confusing issues dealing with what happened to the planet, but we also see Nightmask and Starbrand again, two characters that had been teased as being quite important to the future of this title. While both plotline are significant for their own reason, the writers balance them quite well, giving us the burgeoning awareness of Starbrand and his discovery of what he can do and what he has become with the more action-oriented Avengers part. Of course, the issue also delves into other parts as well, as this arc does use what has been built before in order to prepare for Infinity.*

Invincible #68 – Review

by Robert Kirkman (writer), Ryan Ottley (pencils), Cliff Rathburn (inks), FCO Plascencia (colors), and Rus Wooton (letters)

The Story: Dinosaurus attacks, Mark meets Eve’s parents, and several old foes of Invincible’s consolidate for their next big attack.

What’s Good: Well, you certainly can’t get on this issue for lack of plot progression.  This is a very brisk read literally jam-packed with action, humor, and happenings.  After last month’s dry affair, it’s also a breath of fresh air.

The issue’s generally strong because it hinges on the chemistry between Mark and Eve, which has been one of the bedrocks of the series for some time now.  Their affection, compatibility, and mutual understanding have always been well done, and this month is no different.  The two fit together as well as ever and their conversations are always a smooth, comfortable read.

Kirkman expands that dynamic outward this month, as Mark meets Eve’s parents.  What ensues is well-executed comedy that’ll definitely bring a smile to your face.  This comes largely thanks to Kirkman’s portrayal of Eve’s father.  The guy’s just the right combination of antiquated patriarchy and unnerving masculine perversion.  Kirkman essentially takes the “man’s home is his castle” complex to its most appalling heights, and it’s hard not to laugh, particularly when it comes to Ottley’s illustration of Mark’s reaction.

Of course, like any of Kirkman’s more dense issues, this book plants a number of very large seeds that impact the comic as a whole.  Mark hints at his more murderous Viltrumite side in a way that’ll have you wondering “what if” and the issue ends with a MASSIVE bombshell that’ll change the landscape of this series for the foreseeable future, if not forever.  Meanwhile, the plots with Conquest and those damned sequids also see substantial developments.

Ryan Ottley delivers the exact same quality we’ve come to expect out of Invincible.  That said, what takes this book over his average affair is the battle with Dinosaurus.  While Plascencia’s colors are clearly a boon, the giant red dino just looks absolutely awesome.  Having a fight with a giant dinosaur always rates high on the awesome scale, and Ottley makes the most of it.

What’s Not So Good: With so much stuff packed into 22 pages, the pacing of this issue was just all over the map.  The last portion of the issue was simply a string of unrelated major developments with absolutely no real attempt to segue between them.  It was more or less a series of completely isolated and detached two page scenes.

The mood of the book also suffers due to this hectic structuring.  With most of the issue being written in a light, comic tone, Kirkman’s failing to segue to his major developments makes the experience feel fairly jarring and off-putting.  For instance, the massive shocker at the end of the book is of a massively different tone from the pages before it, and it’s hard not to feel like you’ve been pitched a ball from left field.

Also, while I liked Oliver’s new costume this month, what the hell happened to him?  While it’s good to see Oliver finally grow older, I feel like we’ve experienced a sudden five-year leap between issues.  I’m sure Kirkman will use Oliver’s heritage as an out, but that doesn’t stop this from feeling lazy and off-putting.

Conclusion: The book’s pacing is a bit of a mess, but the strength of its characters and the sheer number of developments in its pages more than makes up for that.

Grade: B

-Alex Evans

 

Invincible #65 – Review

by Robert Kirkman (writer), Ryan Ottley (pencils), Cliff Rathburn (inks), FCO Plascencia (colors)

The Story: An epilogue to the Conquest arc sees relationships solidified and a preview of threats to come.

What’s Good: This issues serves as something of a breather after the back to back hell-rides that were the Invincible War and the Conquest arc.  Given the non-stop emotional and physical destruction that has been wreaking havoc both on our characters and their world, I suppose an issue like this really was a necessity, as things needed to be slowed down a bit.

As always, Kirkman shows that Invincible’s greatest strength has always been its infectious characters and their decidedly human relationships.  The increased tenderness, comfort, and intimacy between Mark and Eve is enjoyable, as is the heated revelation of the guilt Mark’s mother Debbie feels regarding his injuries.  Both dynamics feel very real.

Kirkman does a good job in this issue, sewing things up.  Rex’s funeral was oddly touching and humorous, with Robot both giving a eulogy and tearfully listening to his own speech from the audience.  It was nice to see Rex’s growth recognized; as Kirkman does a good job of demonstrating the value of the character.

On art, the all-star team of Ottley, Rathburn, and Plascencia continues to be one of the best in comics today, with each man shining in his own right as always.  Several frames are memorable here, particularly the interrupted kiss between Eve and Mark (flying spittle included) and the positively geriatric-looking Invincible at the funeral.

What’s Not So Good: Unfortunately, while this issue is necessary pace-wise, as a single-issue there’s only so high a grade that I can give a purely transitional issue.  In fact, while the little character moments are solid, a good chunk of this issue reads like a Geoff Johns-like preview of things to come over the next year.  All look interesting, particularly the idea that Eve may not have done a perfect reconstruction job, but that doesn’t change the fact that this book serves only as a preview.  Aside from reminding us of still-active elements or informing us of new issues now in play, there isn’t really any forward movement on any of these strands.

Indeed, there are so many future storylines being hinted at here that it would be impossible for any of us to see development this month, so as a result, you get an issue that at times feels scattered, or at least thinly-spread.  Two strands that will probably come to carry entire arcs are only given a single page each.  It seems that this month, Kirkman was more content to reassure that he has a lot left for the series than actually putting out a fully satisfying comic book.

Conclusion: Some solid character moments in what is otherwise a 22-page preview. Nevertheless, it still manages to tantalize.

Grade: B –

-Alex Evans