Polite Dissent

Family Matters collects issues #1-4 of Invincible, published by Image Comics. Invincible is an unapologetic super-hero tale. It doesn’t aim to take the genre in a new direction. It makes no pretenses of deeper meaning. It simply aims to tell an exciting and compelling super-hero tale, and in that it succeeds brilliantly.

Invincible takes place in an already populated super-hero universe. The world is protected by several groups of heroes such as the multi-national Guardians of the Globe. The most powerful single superhero is Omni-Man, who just happens to be the father of Mark Grayson, the protagonist of Invincible. Mark is a high school senior; he does well academically and flips burgers after school because his father tells him that it builds character. Then one afternoon his super-powers kick in unexpectedly while taking out the trash at work. This is no real surprise to him as his father talked with him years before about this (in a hilarious scene where his father explains not only super-powers but also puberty to a young Mark).

Mark takes to the streets and breaks up a robbery. Chuckling at his son’s costume, his father takes him to a special tailor to get a better costume made (a costume that he wants to be “iconic”). Soon after, he encounters the Teen Team and helps them break-up a robbery (in another good scene where he’s wearing only his pajamas).

Teaming up with his father, he defeats an alien invasion. Later, working with Teen Team members Atom Eve and Robot, he succeeds in discovering who has kidnapped students from his high school and turned then into living bombs.

Writer Robert Kirkman understands the conventions of the genre and uses them to his advantage. While his story will appeal to all readers, it is tailored to the experienced super-hero readers as they will get the most from the unspoken aspects of the story.

There are no unnecessary long explanations or expositions. When Mark’s father realizes he has to write a book for his publisher during the weekend, he tells his wife to pick up some extra keyboards. The reason is never explicitly stated; it is left up for the reader to understand why. (Imagine if Claremont had written that bit of dialogue: “Given that my typing my best-selling novels at super-speeds wears out and breaks ordinary computer keyboards, I will need you to journey to Best Buy and purchase a dozen keyboards that can withstand the blazing speeds of my powerful fingers!”)

Kirkman writes excellent dialogue. Each character speaks in a unique voice. He captures the voice of teen-agers without coming off as an adult trying to sound hip. Mark’s parents speak like parents when talking to each other as well as when speaking to Mark. My favorite is the high school principle at the student assembly who sounds just like my high school principle as he explicitly enumerates where everyone is to go after the assembly.

The art is simple, clean and bright and complements the story perfectly. Cory Walker’s pencils are accented by the bright colors of Bill Crabtree. Watch for character cameos in the background, including Charlie Brown and Bill (from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure).

The extras included in the trade paperback are nice. There are pages and pages of preliminary sketches, all nicely annotated by Kirkman.

Eight is Enough, the second volume of Invincible, continues with some story threads started in the first volume (and has another title based on an old TV show). In the first story, Mark heads to space to defeat a menacing alien as his father is tied up with another mission. In succeeding, Mark shows that his brains are at least as good as his brawn.

Next, after a round-the-world game of catch with his father, Mark and his friend William visit a nearby college they are considering attending. At the Teen Team headquarters, Robot has been invited to try out for a bigger team, and Atom Eve makes an uncomfortable discovery about her boyfriend, Rex Splode. We are introduced briefly to the Guardians of the Globe, a transparent copy of the Justice League. My favorite is Aquarus, the fish-headed hero of Atlantis.

The art changes in the third issue of the collection. It is noticeable, but fits in well as a different artist draws the pages for each member of the Guardians of the Globe. A new penciler takes over in the final issue, but the transition is smooth.

Like the previous volume, Kirkman’s strengths as a writer of dialogue and master of understated action are apparent here. The only major weakness of this collection is that it is “all middle.” There is no underlying storyline connecting these issues, in fact most of them are clearly setting up events to come later. Even with that flaw (readily acknowledged by the writer), this is remains good book to read. I look forward to Book 3: Perfect Strangers.

And remember, everyone tell Robert Kirkman: Brother Voodoo in Marvel Team-Up!