Invincible has returned for its much anticipated second season with much at stake for our hero Mark Grayson and it still packs a punch much like the first season. It’s been almost two years since Amazon Prime Video dropped the superhero series on the small screen, adapted from Robert Kirkman’s beloved comic book series. Audiences couldn’t get enough of the show since its debut, so the long wait for the new season was warranted but it is finally here. The second season is being split into two parts, with the first half coming this year while the rest will be released sometime in 2024. After getting to view the first four episodes of the season, we can gladly say that it still is one of the best-animated series out right now.
Picking up months after the devastating season finale that left Mark’s world in shambles after his father’s murderous rampage, we find Mark and his mother Deborah attempting to go back to some normalcy in their lives. The first two episodes play like an aftermath from the last season as we catch up with some of our main characters while introducing some new ones. Among the newest additions are Angstrom Levy, a mysterious figure from another parallel dimension, and Thaedus, one of the leaders of the Alien Coalition movement against the Viltrumites. There’s a lot to unpack in these first two episodes as it introduces some new storylines that will leave a major impact for the rest of the season. Even though Omni-Man isn’t present for most of the episodes, his presence is still looming among our heroes after his betrayal.
There are tons of surprises in store for those who aren’t familiar with the comics but even readers of the original material will be impressed by how much story the writers of the series have put into the second season so far. There are quite a lot of characters to play with in the season, but Invincible has never lost its footing when it comes to delivering performances and pulling off some big storylines that will pay off in the long run. We see Mark going through his journey as he battles with the fact that his father is a murderer and struggles to not end up like him by being the hero the world needs. Even Deborah is going through problems as she faces the fact that her husband had kept secrets from her and now is dealing with the aftermath of his betrayal.
One of the biggest improvements in the new season of Invincible is the animation. The production on this series has gone up and it’s highly noticeable with the stunning animation work shown here. Vibrant colors are popping out of the characters and the backgrounds that stick out on the screen. The coloring on most of the scenes brings freshness to an already amazing series, especially with action scenes that look very fluid and fast. The writing has also improved by providing the correct balance of drama and humor. Even when things get serious, these episodes find a way to input some funny dialogue to fit the mood of a scene.
With a new season comes some new plotlines that don’t quite fit together. Even though Invincible does get to expand on the world that it is building, it often loses focus when contending with the bigger picture as it deals with the effects that Omni-Man has left on Earth after his destructive battle with his son. With Angstrom being teased as this new villain that Mark and Earth’s heroes have to contend with, the show doesn’t dig deeper into the conflict as it tackles the multiverse. Perhaps that will be part of the second half of the season, but it would be more effective if audiences were given a clearer picture of what this all means in more than just one episode. Even characters like Atom Eve, Rex, or Robot don’t get much screen time as they are also facing dilemmas as superheroes in a world full of uncertainty thanks to the actions of Omni-Man.
Invincible manages to kick things into high gear with the start of the second season, and there’s still so much to explore as we finish through the first half. There’s plenty to love about this new season, including some of the new storylines that will have viewers curious to see where it goes once the rest of the season drops. The production remains top-notch for an animated series as it continues to break new ground in a highly populated genre full of superhero fare. Even though the new season isn’t quite structured or well-paced, it does offer plenty of promise of things to come as things start to fall into place. Invincible still gets to reinvent the wheel regarding superhero shows as fans await what comes next.
The first half of Invincible’s second season starts streaming on November 3rd, 2023 on Amazon Prime Video.
