Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 8: Robert Kirkman

"Collects issues #85-96 of the greatest super hero comic in the universe! In the aftermath of the Viltrumite War, friends become enemies, enemies become allies, and Mark Grayson's future as Invincible ends here!"
















I love this book so much guys. Invincible is just such a solid concept, and now nearly 100 issues into these hardback collections it just shows every sign of running and running. What started off as just another super hero comic has grown into a Universe spanning meta-commentary on super heroics. This isn't Animal Man or anything. Don't get me wrong. It's not meta in the sense of self-awareness in universe, but simply in the construction of a superhero epic putting its own spin on everything from team-ups, sidekicks, legacy characters and summer events, all kept to the confines of a single book.

There's something beautiful about the seeming simplicity of Invincible. It's never a comic that feels like it overreaches itself. The character development and passage of time are given the weight required, meaning the characters change considerably from inception. Compare Mark and Eve to their first appearance, and their status is significantly altered, even as his morals, values and perceptions have changed. It's fantastic to see a character mature and grow in a way that rarely feels forced, and never excites fear of slide back. It's one of the best things about creator owned comics for a reader; there is real significance to events. Continuity won't be changed or abandoned, there is no danger of editorial redress to reset to the status quo. Every consequence is felt, dealt with and remembered.

At this point, with the Viltrumite War almost over and the threat of The previous 50 issues seemingly removed, or at least forestalled, this is a chance to change the focus a little. We see some of the fallout of the decisions made during the war, and especially the way it ended, that lead to major shake-ups for the heroes. It also allows for the development of some of the huge supporting cast, in particular an explanation for the breakdown of Monster Girl and Robot's relationship. Between this and the increased presence of Bulletproof as the new Invincible, it's great to see some of the smaller character given their day in the sun. Much like the issues featuring the Guardian reserves against the Lizard Legion these are often the emotional heart of the supporting cast, and the time spent focused on them leaves the impression of a fuller world. It has always been a strength of Kirkman's work on Invincible, and it's one of the reasons why these long run collections work so well - the brick jokes started issues before are given time to mature and flourish before they bear fruit.

As well as the usual great art from Ottley we get the return of Cory Walker, original series artist and co-creator of Invincible, to illustrate the alternate world issues. These are excellent, and it's one of the few times when sharing an artist makes sense. Unlike many anthologies or split art duties the two styles complement each other nicely, whilst still being noticeably different enough to suggest a different aesthetic in each reality. Considering how great Ottley has always been this is a laid back collection - nothing exceptional to talk about. Then again, the most mundane of pages are excellent, and Dinosaurus against Thragg is particularly incredible. Definitely pick this up.

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Kieron Gillen, Young Avengers

Morning Glories, vol 3, Nick Spencer

"The critically acclaimed, smash-hit series rolls on with this collection of the blockbuster third arc, "P.E.!" The first days were just the beginning - when the faculty cancels classes and sends the students on an outing in the nearby woods, all hell breaks loose, sending the Glories on a mysterious journey through time and space. Nothing is what it seems to be as Academy's hold on the kids collapses and new threats emerge!"











Morning Glories is an incredibly frustrating comic to read, one that I picked up the first few volumes of as individual comics before dropping a few years again. There were a couple of massive issues that I had with it - initially sketchy artwork was a problem, but the deft characterisation and fantastic myth-arc were enough to keep me hooked. The major fault, the thing that eventually killed it for me, was the fact that the plotting eventually ran away with itself, ending up as less a Kudzu plotline and more an utter mess.

This volume then picks up where I left off, and more than anything I was hoping that some of the thirty or so big questions that were brought up would get answered. Sadly, this goes totally the other way. Much like Lost, something cited as an influence, this is a series that asks more questions than it answers, and it rarely seems as though Nick Spencer quite knows what should be happening next. Revelation follows revelation, but little of it adds any extra depth to a series that's swimming in extraneous details. It all adds up to a book that 20 issues in seems to be treading water.

Some of the blame for this has to lie on Joe Eisma, an artist who has little credit to his name other than Morning Glories, and who struggles to differentiate his cast from one another. Whilst the six main characters are obviously distinguishable, any time a new character is introduced they roll too much into the rest of the cast. With the rolling focus from Spencer on each of the characters there's little time to invest in new characters, especially when they don't show up for a while.

Every good thing about this book, and there are many, is undermined by the fact that the plot twists make so little sense - an engaging series about pupils at a mysterious school has turned into a plot ball about time travel and magic.+

Those things are great - I'd just rather not be confused every time I read a comic that I like.

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Jonathan Hickman, Manhattan Projects
Bryan Lee O'Malley, Scott Pilgrim

Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 5: Robert Kirkman

"Witness Invincible's transition from new hero just starting out to an established superhero! This volume collects Invincible's confrontation with Cecil Steadman, the return of the Reanimen, and the beginning of a bold, new era for Invincible!"















Read back to back with Volume 4 (the way all long running comic series should be), Volume 5 of the Invincible Ultimate Collection rewrites the tone of the series (again) to place Invincible as the enemy of the Government sponsored Global Defence Agency.

Whilst it still feels like it's setting up events for later volumes (the Invincible Wars, Conquest and the Viltrumite War all take place in the next two books, alongside another Sequid invasion) this definitely contains some great issues - the Reanimen versus the Guardians of the Globe, and Invincible against Powerplex in particular are two very different stories with very different emotional outcomes.

Whilst Ottley isn't given anything on the scale of the Martian warship or aerial cityscape from Volume 4 to draw his pencilling continues to evolve. An especial highlight of the Ultimate Collections is the wealth of extra's included at the end, from scripts, cover breakdowns and pre-inked panels to convention requests and character designs. These serve to demonstrate just how much work is put into the simplest of panels and give the reader some idea of how the book is constructed.

Having read both of these volumes as individual comics years ago it was a pleasant surprise to realise I remembered almost nothing of the story contained in this volume and was able to get as caught up in the plot twists as if I were a new reader. Invincible remains one of my favourite comics, and with Volume 8 out later this year one that still has a lot to offer those interested in reading one of the most interesting and original superhero comics around!

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Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung, Young Avengers
Peter David, Young Justice

Invincible Ultimate Collection Volume 4: Robert Kirkman

"Witness Invincible's transition from new hero just starting out to an established superhero! This volume collects Invincible's violent battle with the villainous Reanimen, the invasion attempt by the Sequids from Mars, and the introduction of the Viltrumite agent, Anissa."

Invincible, Robert Kirkman's long running cape comic, has established itself as one of the best superhero comics around, and it's easy to see why in this book.

The joy of Invincible is how vast the universe feels. The action moves from the Ocean floor to the furthest reaches of Space, and it's as diverse a world as any in comics. From Atom Eve in Africa to Mark's life on campus at university each character has a distinct identity and presence in the book which sets it apart from other Image titles, even those in the same shared universe.

Kirkman distils the very essence of cape comics into a single epic story. By this point many of the threats and adversaries that Mark faces have been established - the Mauler Twins, Lizard League, Sequids and Viltrumites all show up. From the start of the series Invincible felt like a comic with a wider reach, with pre-existing villains and a very different status quo.

By this point the set up from previous arcs has begun to pay-off and storylines like Allen seeking out Omniman, or Oliver's burgeoning powers become big moments. In a book where every issue feels like an event, where there are consequences and repercussions for every action, this is a final calm before the storm of the next 30-40 issues.

If you've never read Invincible this isn't a great place to start - the downside of the grand scale worldbuilding is that it presupposes that you know who's who. It won't be incomprehensible to new readers, but you're better off starting at the beginning. It's a journey that's worth it, and it'll make the heroics, the sacrifices and the pay-offs all the sweeter.

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Robert Kirkman, Tech Jacket

Brian K. Vaughan, Runaways