On reading the description of this, I thought, how can anyone, even Robert Kirkman pull of an awesome company wide crossover event in just one issue?

Short answer = he can’t.

This would have made an amazing mini-series.  It’s a strong premise, it could have cool cameos from your favorite Image characters, and they could have developing relationships with Invincible.  Instead, you end up with a few pages of multiple panels, each one featuring one hero, or one group of heroes from the Image Universe fighting against the enemies (no spoilers in my reviews since ’08, son).

I’m disappointed that Kirkman felt the need to condense this into one issue.  I’d blame the editorial staff at Image, but I believe he is the editorial staff at Image right now, so the blame’s got to come down on him.  This is the first issue of Invincible that I didn’t enjoy.  It’s not awful, it’s not even really that bad; it’s just not up to par with any other issues of any comic I’ve read by him in the past three years.

I hope the next issue returns us to the awesome action, plot, and character development that Kirkman is usually so focused on.