Invincible Review Issue 130

by Andrew Hopkinson

Invincible #130

A Brief Introduction to Invincible

I thought it might be worth a little time to introduce what Invincible is and why it’s the best comic in the universe (Hell, that exact tagline is literally on every cover of more recent issues). Created by Robert Kirkman (of The Walking Dead fame) in 2002 and then given his own regular series in 2003, Invincible is both a parody and love letter to modern superhero comics. The series pokes fun at the terrible tropes of recent comics while also making those same cliches work in an elaborate, yet easy to follow epic action book.

I plan on eventually going back and writing reviews of every Invincible book, but for now, I’m starting at the most recent release with issue #130. I would highly recommend getting ahold of the first 15 issues or so and reading those ASAP. You’ll thank me later and you’ll get to see one of the best origin stories ever combined with a twist that would make M. Night Shyamalan crap his pants.

For my reviews, I will keep them short, sweet and right to the point. They may contain spoilers.

Plot Summary

Mark has returned to Earth after 5 years to visit with Eve and their Daughter Terra. Earth is now a paradise and everything runs without a hitch thanks to Rex. Rex now has the ear of Nolan and the new Viltrumite Empire thanks to his charisma and diplomacy skills. Mark remains extremely untrusting of Rex due to all the bloodshed during his rise to power. Oliver continues to contact Thragg in the shadows and appears to be a double agent against the Coalition. Thragg trains his children to be ruthless warriors. It comes to Thragg’s attention that Mark and his family are in a vulnerable state and orders his children to kill them.

Art

Cory Walker is an awesome artist. He is the original artist for the book, but you wouldn’t know if you looked at his work on the book back in 2003. He has come a long way since the early days of drawing Invincible. The panel composition and flow for the Invincible books have always been top notch and this issue is no exception. Panel design makes this read really easy. There was one disappointing shortcut with a simple headshot of a character that took up 2 pages, but other than that, everything looked awesome.

Thoughts

With the recent announcement that Invincible will end at issue #144, this book leaves me hoping they have enough time to resolve some plots set up in this book. Will 14 issues be enough time to resolve Rex, Thragg + kin? It’s really hard to say, but plots tended to move quickly in past books. Personally, the children of Thragg seem like they could be a really awesome new addition to the Invincible universe and I’m a little worried we won’t have enough time to see them shine.

Is It Worth My Money?

In a time where your average Marvel or DC comic books goes for $3.99 (or even $4.99+ in some cases), being $2.99 is a value you can’t ignore. Skip the burger and pick up this book at lunch instead.

Is It Worth my Time?

Invincible has always been a worthy time investment. I’ve introduced the series to new fans who have caught up on the entire series in a short weekend. These books have always respected the reader’s time by being very efficient with its storytelling. You can finish this (and any other) issue in about 10 minutes, but you will not feel cheated for value. A lot happens in these short 21 pages. Take some time out of your day and enjoy this book.

 Writer:

Robert Kirkman

Penciler & Inker:

Cory Walker

Colorist:

Nathan Fairbairn

Letterer:

Rus Wooton

Editor:

Sean Mackiewicz

Cover By:

Ryan Ottley & Jean-Francois Beaulieu

Created By:

Robert Kirkman & Cory Walker

Published By:

Image Comics