Robert Kirkman has given readers a peek under the hood of Mark Grayson’s mind when it comes to killing his enemy. It’s an interesting idea that would make the hero’s job a bit easier, but Mark wouldn’t actually kill someone would he?
INVINCIBLE #68
story ROBERT KIRKMAN
art & cover RYAN OTTLEY & FCO PLASCENCIA
For a guy who just took down a major foe, one would think Mark Grayson deserves a little time off. The hero’s job is never done, and Mark is more than willing to help rebuilt the cities he and his clones destroyed during the epic Invincible War from a few issues ago. It’s too bad not everyone feels the same way, as the issue opens with a dinosaur monster attacking Mark. The monster makes many interesting arguments against superheroes rebuilding the cities, and each of those could be the basis for a future Major Spoilers Podcast discussion. The debate doesn’t get resolved, as the dino-man reverts to a simple man, at which point Mark begins to wonder if killing the guy wouldn’t just make his life that much easier.
For the reader, this is a pretty tense moment as we ponder if Mark will finally snap and revert to his Viltrumite ways, or if his human half will take over and realize that killing the villain would make him no better than they are. It’s well written, and I love the deep thought moments tossed in the middle of a major battle.
If Mark’s life seems complex, it gets even more strange when he arrives at Atom Eve’s house for a dinner with the family. If you thought Mark’s life was strange, imagine living with the Robert Anderson and his family, but instead of a sweet pleasant all American familial unit, you end up with an over the top opposites – about the same level as the Bunkers, but without the racism. Those that have experienced these awkward moments first hand, can sympathize with Mark and Eve, but even then, I couldn’t help but cringe at some of comments made by Mr. Wilkins.
If Mark wasn’t a super powered half alien, he’d probably have died from a stress related stroke as one thing after another continues to build in this issue. If it isn’t Conquest escaping his holding cell, it’s the cephalopod army readying their attack, or Eve discovering the test results are positive. It’s a huge bombshell that will change their lives, and I applaud Kirkman for bringing the topic to comics, but at the same time, I want to smack Mark upside the head and ask him why the hell he didn’t use protection.
This issue is a huge face issue for Ryan Ottley, as there are many talking moments that require reactions and close ups to fill the panel. His art work is great, and I really got a kick out of his interpretation of Eve’s family and the blubbering loudmouth that is her father.
There’s really no satisfying this reader when it comes to Invincible. During the Invincible War, and the subsequent Conquest arc, I complained that things were moving too fast. With the Sequids, I wish Kirkman would finally get the action started, as this is a plot thread that has been burning since the early days of the series. For this particular issue, the story moves at a great pace, and the comedic moments perfectly off-set those moments that are jaw dropping in their implications. I still feel that Invincible is one of those titles that is still very much ignored and under rated, which is really sad as readers are missing a fantastic story and this issue in particular is deserving of 4.5 out of 5 Stars.
7 Comments
Man of Steel. Woman of Kleenex?
And who says its his?
Wow, man. I mean, I don’t read the comic regularly but I don’t recall a whole lot of times where Eve’s been out sleeping around. Did I just miss that part somewhere?
Yeah, if it is someone else, that will be an even bigger bombshell… of course it now makes more sense that Image released that Atom Eve/Rex Splode series, and why she was soooo upset when he died.
Conquest’s fist is made from 100% pure MAN!
Did he punch her in the uterus?
“I want to smack Mark upside the head and ask him why the hell he didn’t use protection”
Does it say that he didn’t? Condoms have a failure rate of up to 18% (if not used properly) and might be much less effective when they have to cope with super powers.