Being a teenager is difficult enough. But imagine how much that difficulty is amplified when you’re the son of one of the world’s most powerful superheroes. Well, that is exactly what Mark Grayson (voiced by Steven Yeun) is attempting to navigate. The son of Debbie Grayson (voiced by Sandra Oh) and Nolan Grayson a.k.a. Omni-Man (voiced by J.K. Simmons), Mark wants nothing more than to please his parents, especially is super-powered father. Of course, there is another delicate layer added to the mix with Mark being extremely late in developing his powers – so late, in fact, that he began to believe that he would never get them and go on about his life as a regular teen.
Being in the shadow of Omni-Man is a daunting task and it’s quite apparent that Mark is burdened by this. Mainly when he and his father begin to train and Mark tries to gain a better grasp on his power. It is clear that Mark feels as though he has something to prove, not only to his famous father, but to himself. However, whether he’s right or wrong about this particular sentiment, well, you’ll just have to watch the series and find out for yourself.
Based on the comic book of the same name by Robert Kirkman, it’s safe to say that I am already hooked on Invincible. Even with solely seeing episodes one through three, the amount of story and character development that unfolds is something that is sure to have viewers invested. There is never a dull moment and there are a plethora of relatable themes to latch onto including battles with low self-esteem, making the right decisions in moments of danger or fear, and dealing with the unknown. All of this makes for thrilling television and due to the fact that the series is an animated one, there is much more that can be done with the characters and their powers that wouldn’t necessarily translate as well in live-action (and if an attempt was made, it would certainly cost a pretty penny for the visual effects).
In addition to the excitement of the story and the amazon characters, are the voices behind them. Yeun is exceptional as Mark. In just a short time, Yeun makes it easy to fall in love with the character and root for him from start to finish. This is part by Yeun’s voice work. He is pitch-perfect in the role delivering lines effortlessly which capture the wide-range of emotions and ups-and-downs that Mark experiences in the first three episodes. Equally great are Oh and Simmons as Debbie and Nolan, respectively. Together, the trio play host to the majority of dialogue in the first three episodes and they play off of one another perfectly. You very much believe them to be a tight-knit family whose lives are displayed on-screen.
Every now and then a series comes along that provides viewers with a range of elements to enjoy and Invincible is certainly one of them. The series has compelling characters, great dialogue, an exciting story and world-building, and a perfect cast to bring it all together. Thus far, Invincible is a great series that will likely be a hit with both fans of the comic book and casual watchers alike.
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