Pick of the Week

June 15, 2011 – Invincible #80

What did the
iFanboy
community think?

416
Pulls
Avg Rating: 4.6
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 7.7%
 
Users who pulled this comic:
story ROBERT KIRKMAN
art & cover RYAN OTTLEY & FCO PLASCENCIA

Size: 32 pages
Price: 2.99

The banner across the top of Invincible boldly states, “The Best Superhero Comic Book in the Universe!” and I know that’s a bit tongue in cheek hyperbole, but you know, I think they may be some truth to that statement, as I was reminded after reading Invincible #80.

We’ve been huge fans of Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley’s work on Invincible dating back to when the series first began. Kirkman and Ottley somehow are able to tap into the essence of what makes a great superhero comic and deliver a fun read issue and issue out. Admittedly, the past year’s big storyline with the Viltrumite War was good, but I felt drifted a bit from what I loved about Invincible. It’s the classic combination of Invincible’s personal life and struggles combined with big action packed super hero fights and explosions. Now that Invincible is back on Earth and the status quo has been set, somewhat, back to normal, I’ve been excited for a return to that classic Invincible comic that I know and love, and with Invincible #80, I got that in spades.

This issue isn’t a chapter of an ongoing storyline, nor is is a “one and done,” rather it’s just another issue in the long running tale of Invincible, much like the classic comics of yesteryear used to tell their stories in. This issue isn’t a jumping on point for new readers either and you know what, that’s okay sometimes. At 80 issues in, there’s a bit of a commitment to longtime readers such as myself. Instead what we have here is an issue that is essentially a collection of scenes, a day in the life almost for Invincible.

The first half of the books squarely focuses as Invincible’s personal life, as he continues to get back to normal after returning to earth. In the opening, one page scene, we see what’s to come for Invincible’s parents who are now back together. This then mirrors and transitions into several pages of Invincible and Atom Eve’s relationship together, dealing with the bombshell dropped in the last issue. We then get a two page scene with Invincible and his best friend William, who reveals a very personal secret to Invincible. All of these scenes seem desperate as I describe them, but Kirkman and Ottley elegantly pieced them together in a flow that makes sense and moves each character forward in the story. There’s a lot going on here, and Ottley is able to break down the storytelling in a series pages that are essentially based off a 16 panel grid. Now that may sound like a lot, but he uses his space and composition to not only get the dialogue flowing but to deliver the key emotional beats where needed. We rave about Ottley’s action sequences, but it’s the quiet, personal moments that I feel shine the most with him and often go undervalued.

The next scene is a perfect example of the unique point of view Robert Kirkman brings to the table. It’s a simple 3.5 page scene where Invincible catches a second grade villain who just robbed a bank. Instead of fighting or quickly turning him in, Invincible has a conversation with the lame, wanna-be villain. The villain quickly recognizes Invincible and gives up, and Invincible gets curious and asks what the guy was doing, and why. I think i laughed out loud at least twice during this sequence, as Kirkman weaves in humor so effortlessly, you don’t even have time ot marvel at the comedic timing and genius. I won’t even do it justice by repeating some of the dialogue, it’s just one of those scenes that I wish everyone can read. If you don’t read Invincible, go to your comic book store and open up to this scene and just read it. You don’t need to know anything about anyone, but this scene exemplifies that certain something that Kirkman brings to the table and makes us rave about Invincible.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Kirkman & Ottley use up the remaining half page to give us one of the funniest and satirical scenes I’ve ever read in Invincible. Clearly poking fun at the comic book industry as a whole, including themselves, we watch as Invincible (as Mark, not in costume obviously), goes to pick up his year’s worth of comics that have been on hold at his local comic book store. This scene, along with the main punchline, must have been written month’s ago, but with it’s pointed joke about comic publishers starting series over with #1 issues seems precognitive in its nature. No way Kirkman could have known what DC announced last week months ago, but it makes his joke drive that much deeper and deliver a well deserved laugh.

Finally, the issue climaxes with an action sequence as Invincible is called to Las Vegas to stop a rampaging Dinosaurus (basically a big red dinosaur villain, Kirkman seems to have a thing for dInosaurs). During this fight we get a little bit of action and a lot of dialogue as Dinosaurus explains his motivations, playing the conflicted villain who’s destroying for the greater good. He reveals that he’s planted a bomb in Las Vegas, and in a very typical Superman or The Flash style, Invincible wooshes off and returns with the bomb, and you think the problem is solved. But again, this is where Kirkman shines, he goes left when you think he’s going to go right. Dinosaurus reveals that the bomb Invinicble found was meant to be found, it was redundant to the 50 other bombs he’s planted. Furthermore, Dinosaurus says he doesn’t even think he’ll be able to survive the blast!  And then, BOOM — Las Vegas gets destroyed! (Turned to glass to be specific.) It’s this lack of fear to do the most insane thing you can think of that makes Invincible so much fun to read. It’s a wildcard and you can never guess where the story is going to go.

Whenever I read a comic book that gives me numerous laugh out loud moments, as well as some totally out there action, mixed in with some personal character moments, all within the confines of 22 pages, then you’ve got something special. Sure, most of the attention towards Robert Kirkman these days is zombie related, thanks to that other book. But let’s not forget where it all started and the comic book that stays true to the superhero roots, quite often more so than the other comic book companies out there. Invincible #80 shows us, yet again, that super hero comics can be fun and consistently great.

Ron Richards
“These companies have no integrity”
ron@ifanboy.com

Comments

  1. Yes! Thank you Ron for picking Invincible! This is my favorite series of all time, and I can’t wait to read this issue tomorrow! 🙂

  2. In my entire time of being on the site, this is the quickest pick I ever saw Ron make.

    I just want to buy the book on that cover. 

  3. This is the only book I’ve read so far today, but it is going to be hard to beat.  That DC dig was either impressively prescient, evidence that he knew something, or a total fluke.

  4. Great review.  Just reading some of your synopsis brings back good memories and feelings of reading the first Invincible stories.  And why did I stop buying this in issues…worst trade-waiting decision ever.  I haven’t even gotten the latest trade yet.

  5. I’ve tried. Ooooh how I’ve tried to like Invincible. But it’s never held my attention for long. It’s been one big “meh”. But maybe I’ll pick it up this afternoon and give it another try. Would Ron steer me wrong? Course not…

  6. Saw the #1 dig on a blog this morning. HILARIOUS.

    If this isn’t panel of the week, I don’t know what is!

    http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/1267/invb.jpg

  7. @j206: Wow. That’s really petty.

  8. I like how the Omnibus- in that pict is an actual bus.

    More than oe dig going on there. 

  9. What!? I thought it was conors week?

  10. @rottenjorge  Nope. I was two weeks ago. I’m next week.

  11. @Ron- Couldn’t agree more about the pick or your review! The panel in the comic shop is a brilliant commentary on the insdustry.
     

  12. I love this book.  Glad to see it garner POTW honors from the iFanboys.

  13. I greatly enjoyed this issue.  Just really, really well done.  Destroying all of Vegas??  At first I thought it wouldn’t happen, then I remembered that it was Invincible, so maybe it would. 

    I am glad that others enjoyed the comic shop scene, but I absolutely hated it.  They are businesses, and publicly traded businesses exist to make money.  ‘Integrity’ and ‘history’ are (and should be) worth less than poop from a poodle when comparing them to profit.  As Ron said just this week ‘grow up’

  14. I don’t get the stick some people have up their butts about Kirkman’s comic shop joke. Who gives a crap. It doesn’t hurt DC or Marvel any. @MisterJ, You’re right. They are big giant businesses. So that also means that they’re big enough that they can take a harmless little joke. Not sure why we as comic fans need to stand up for their poor feelings.

    I’m curious as to if Kirkman knew something back when he wrote this book. Because surely he had to have written it before the DC announcement. Either he knew something or he was referring to the FF renumbering. If it was a coincidence and he didn’t know about DC’s plans, that makes it even funnier.

  15. @j206  Did I say anything about anyone’s feelings being hurt?  Did I list that as a problem I had?

    No.  My issue is with the mentality it takes to write that joke.  I do not like that mentality, as I feel it is short-sighted, egocentric, and immature.  That is my issue.

  16. Just read the book. Great pick, Ron! Gotta love how Kirkman isn’t afraid to do something as crazy as blow up Las Vegas. Just a really fun book from start to finish.

    @MisterJ – And those reasons I still find as silly and inconsequential to take umbrage over. Especially in a book as light-hearted and fun as this one. People on the internet really need to lighten up. Not everything needs to be taken so seriously. ESPECIALLY COMIC BOOKS.

  17. @j206  Maybe you missed my first paragraph where I said that I enjoyed the book very much overall.  I guess that I forgot that I was on the internet and people don’t actually read any more than the sentence that they have a problem with….

    I said I hated a scene.  I thought it was a bad joke and a cheap shot, because I have grown tired of hearing it for the last month or so.  But still, it was one scene, just one.  Apologies for actually being able to discern my feelings over one piece of art to be able to say ‘I like this part, but not that part.’ 

    Also, coming from somebody who said that I have ‘a stick up my butt’ for hating a joke that feeds off of fanboy, whining mentality, I do not know how often I would throw around the phrase ‘lighten up’ at others.

  18. @MisterJ Plus it’s coming from a guy who deleted all of his tweeta regarding the reboot because it made him look childish. This just keeps adding more to my feelings that Kirkman is really a childish, petty man outside that hilarious man he plays for interviews.

  19. @TheNextChampion  you really shouldn’t make character judgments on people based on either their comic work or things like that – until you meet someone and interact with them, there’s no way to determine if they’re childish or petty.  Not to make it personal but over the years we’ve gotten to know Robert pretty well and childish and petty and not words I would ever concieve to describe him with.  

  20. IT’S COMIC BOOKS. Come on guys. Life is short.

  21. @Ron Well that’s your opinion on the man and I’m not going to question your personal life. But from what I’ve read from him and in other interviews he really makes himself look childish.

  22. @Ron plus I’m sorry to be like this, but you (and anyone else running the site) telling us not to judge someone before knowing them is real hypocritical considering the jokes/accusations you’ve made over the years on here.

  23. What would we do if we didn’t have TheNextChampion . . .

    Can’t wait to read this in the hardcover (just wish they were a bit more like Marvel with the hardcovers).

  24. I’m gonna try and get back on topic:

    Look at that cover! I so want that as a poster. 

  25. Picked this up even though I haven’t read Invincible much beyond the first few issues, but still thought it was a lot of fun. Such a great job shifting tones throughout, with the relationship stuff reminding me of a quiet indie book, a funny Spidey-esque conversation with a villain, and finally a fight with a dinosaur man and pulling a Coast City on Las Vegas. Bravo!

  26. I don’t read this title in issues or trades (although I’m looking to get that compendium in August).  Glad to see some folks liked it.

    My POW is definitely Batgirl.  That book just continues to be one of DC’s strongest titles.

  27. This was a great issue, i’m glad the whole viltrumite war is over

    but call me shallow, i want skinny hot atom eve back lol 

  28. The “funniest” sequence would probably be a lot funnier if I didn’t follow Kirkman and Ottley on Twitter where they take constant shots at Marvel & DC.  I’d probably see it as a goofy send-up of the industry, but instead I can’t help but read it as another outlet for them to bitch and whine about things they don’t like.  It ended up just annoying me in the end.

  29. Anybody catch the Orc Stain joke in the corner of the panel? Really a T-Shirt? Or another Kirkman comment on the Big 2?

  30. Invincible is awesome and a great run, intelligent,violent and surprising. My only question to this review would be about the “comic book that stays true to its superhero roots, quite more often so than the other comic book companies out there” quote. Lets not forget Invincible is only on issue #80, lets see if its as rooted when its been around for 50 years or 500-900 issues, just saying. I think a lot of these classics have done a necessary and great job reinventing themselves while staying true to the core essence of the books. Plenty of great stories from our classics over the years and recently too. Some changes to continuity have made no sense while others seemed overdue but in the end what character doesn’t see multiple incarnations and as long as the stories are good I’ll roll with it. Invincible wouldn’t exist without our classics making it this far but I do think somethings in continuity are sacred like Gwen Stacy being thrown off a bridge by Green Goblin or Elektra staying dead. I just bought Invincible Vol.1 The Ultimate Collection after reading a few single issues I really enjoyed and need to read it all so consider this a rant, not a complaint.

  31. @JSAkid  I think part of what would keep Invincible a “comic book that stays true to its superhero roots, quite more often so than the other comic book companies out there”, is that I seriously doubt that it would continue with a writer other than Kirkman, where comics that have the multi-hundred issue runs usually have writer changes somewhere in there.  New writers sometimes want to change the tone of the comic to fit what they think it should be, if it isn’t already.

  32. *Spoiler

    OMG! So much fun! Laughed alot then a giant thud in the end which made me think for a second that this could have been some weird event that can be turned… but alas Robert Kirkman is a baby killer (jk). This is the only thing I bought in singles and I loved it.

  33. Awesome issue! The best Super-Hero comicbook in the Universe.

  34. Good pick this week.  I was absolutely stunned by the ending.

    And I love you, Ron, but really, spellcheck is your friend – don’t forget to use it.

  35. I agree with this pick hell yeah baby! Invincible is one of my top favs.

  36. @j206  i love the issue of Dead Stuff in that panel.  

  37. Agree. Exemplary work. Packed issue. Really great value.

  38. Another gay character in comics. Ho hum. This seems to be the thing to do in comics nowadays.

  39. Glad you picked this book. Was a small week of books, all were at least good… this was the best of them.

  40. I went to the comic shop yesterday, this is one of the books I was gonna pick up and give a shot since this was a light week for me, danm thing was sold out… *sadface*

  41. I haven’t read any Invincible past the third trade, and I picked this issue up, and besides the thing with his dad, I was able to follow it nicely. Even though my POTW was Alpha Flight, this was a close second.

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