Invincible, Amazon's new animated series described by many as "if The Boys was a cartoon," has just gotten a bit closer to living up to its name, as the tech and media giant decided to renew it for 2 more seasons just one day before the first even finished airing. Not bad for a show almost nobody knew about just a few months ago.
Robert Kirkman, the creator of the original Invincible comic who also serves as executive producer for the series, appeared overjoyed at the news, saying, "The comic book is truly a love letter to a genre that [co-creator Cory Walker] and I grew up reading and loving, and it's been a gratifying journey to watch our characters come to life again through the animated series. We're beyond excited to continue this story for at least two more seasons." This news is also likely pleasing to the show's many fans, who have helped it gain a reputation as arguably the best superhero show of 2021.
Invincible stormed onto the scene with its edgy and brutal take on the superhero genre. Starring Walking Dead star Steven Yeun as the titular hero and J.K. Simmons as his superpowered alien father, the show follows Mark Grayson (Yeun) as he comes of age and finally begins to develop his own superpowers. Naturally, given the series' comparisons to The Boys, things don't quite go as smoothly as expected, with plenty of violent, visceral action to shock audiences as well as keep them coming back for more. With such a brutal, gory twist on the typical superhero formula, it's no wonder Kirkman himself seems eager to eventually turn Invincible into a video game.
At least part of Invincible's success can possibly be attributed to the rather lofty expectations set by those familiar with its creator. Kirkman was already well-known as the creator of The Walking Dead, which has become both famous and infamous in its many iterations over the years. Fans of his work had high hopes for Invincible, and it seems that their expectations, and Amazon's, have been met and possibly exceeded. But that's not to say it was an unexpected spur-of-the-moment surprise, either. Even since before its premiere, Kirkman has also been planning for a live-action Invincible movie to release somewhere down the line, though it will be separate from the animated series.
The original Invincible comic itself didn't just come out of nowhere either. Its original publication began in 2003 and kept steady all the way until 2018, giving it an impressive 15-year run. Even The Walking Dead, Kirkman's other massive moneymaker, just barely edged it out with a conclusion of its own in 2019. So while Invincible may not be quite the household name its big sibling has become, it may be only a matter of time.
It's good news for everyone who's into animated ultraviolence, and now with similar series The Boys working on its own 3rd season, fans will have their pick of cartoon gore or live-action. It's always nice to have variety.
Invincible is now available on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Amazon Studios