An “Invincible” spinoff written by Phil Hester with art from Todd Nauck? Haven’t we done this song and dance before? Well, the answer is “yes”, but that doesn’t mean that “Invincible Universe” #1 isn’t a darn good comic book. It’s also an even better symbol of the potential of Robert Kirkman’s creations to go out into the comic book world and multiply.
Written by Phil Hester
Illustrated by Todd NauckIn the aftermath of INVINCIBLE 100 and “The Death of Everyone,” Dinosaurus has left his mark on the world. Can heroes from across the universe – Invincible, the Guardians of the Globe, Tech Jacket, the Astounding Wolf-Man and more – contain the damage done? Or are the end times of the Invincible Universe ahead?
Despite the pedigree behind it, Kirkman’s “Invincible” has always seemed like an underdog in the comic book world. Since they started showing up concurrently, Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead” has outshined “Invincible” in popularity. On its surface, “Invincible” looks like yet another wannabe Spider-Man trying to make his name on the comic shelves. Not quite a “parody” book, but definitely an homage to the muscle-bound sci-fi soap opera that is the superhero comic book. You can try to put whatever label you want on “Invincible”, but enduring the publication of over 100 issues in his solo title, the guy has become a bonafide benchmark in comic book history that stands alongside Spidey and Green Lantern, rather than sips off of their milkshakes. “Invincible Universe” is additional proof of that fact.
Hester begins the issue directly spinning out of the aftermath of “The Death of Everyone”, one of the most recent arcs in “Invincible” which is not a required read to understand what’s going on, but it would help. Invincible himself appears on the first few pages, quickly peeling out and leaving us with the plethora of supporting cast members that will make up this book. It’s a deliberate choice by the writers that says, “Invincible is going back to his own book – you can catch up with him if you want, but we’re gonna stay here with these characters.” And what follows is the re-introduction of a diverse cast of superhero pastiches of popular character, each with their own distinct voice captured by Hester and his wit.
Hester seems like the perfect creator to pair with Kirkman’s sensibilities. He isn’t just writing characters that sound like “Invincible” characters – he understands the core of the book itself. He “gets” what makes “Invincible” tick and has proven that he can regurgitate it quite well in a book of his own. “Invincible” is a love-letter to the young adult superhero, but Hester nails some of the core ideas that other, less subtle writers might let fall by the wayside. “Invincible” has always been akin to a Marvel “What If?” book. The “what if” is what if a superhero comic showed you the things that Marvel and DC Comics usually gloss over?
When someone in this universe throws a punch, it hurts and it draws blood. When someone gets physically harmed, they get scars. Here, a character is withering from the abuse they’ve allowed themselves to take in the name of science (which allows for a gross-out scene of epic proportions). “Invincible” is a rare case of comic book “realism”, wherein the fantastical and the sci-fi a reveled in – it’s just that the consequences are more severe for playing around in such a world. Hester nails this idea, when he shows how the pressure of people like Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., for example, would absolutely tear their life apart eventually. This idea also extends to the realism of the mundane. How much paperwork and high-level bureaucracy would organizations like this involve in a world with superheroes and villains? It’s played for laughs, but Hester does spend a little too much time on this aspect. As assured as his character work is, Hester takes a little long in getting everyone together. Once he does, the book shows its true potential.
So too goes the art from Todd Nauck. If the interiors looked like the cover, “Invicible Universe” #1 would have taken less time to find its footing. The opening scenes do not contain enough grandeur to marry up with the narration or to properly put the fallout of “The Death of Everyone” into proper context. As Steadman and “Edelman” walk through the halls, they view holographic images of global defense superteams around the world. These scenes, too, are a little under-detailed and oddly rendered to be very interesting or effective. However, he’s a good pairing for Ryan Ottley’s “Invincible” work, because he has a similar sense of grandeur and dynamism. That said, it’s not an Ottley impersonation and it’s odd, on some level, to see anyone else drawing these characters. Once we get past the bureaucracy and into the belly of the beast, the art becomes more eye-catching, the design-work becomes more dynamic, and the book becomes more fun to look at. And that gross-out moment I alluded to earlier? The expressive art totally seals the deal.
“Invincible Universe” is a fine effort from Hester and Nauck. Not only are they solid craftsmen in writing and penciling respectively, but they are terrific fits for the universe that Robert Kirkman is letting them play in. They understand “Invincible” the way that Kirkman envisioned it. Even more exciting is the realization that “Invincible Universe” could be an analog to “Marvel Universe” or “DC Universe.” Kirkman’s property has gone past the point of homage to a having a scope as wide as he wants it to be. Kid Thor could have his own book. There’s a whole big world coming out of the imaginations of Kirkman and Hester. And in a world of cape comics that get bogged down by events and cyclical plots, this is a refreshing world worth exploring.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – Buy
