Reviewer: Chris Delloiacono
Story Title: N/A
Written and Lettered by: Robert Kirkman
Art by: Ryan Ottley
Colored by: Bill Crabtree
Editor: N/A
Publisher: Image Comics
An ample amount of spoilers are sprinkled within
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Did anyone see last month’s amazing revelation coming? Come on! Did you really think that Invincible’s dad, the Superman-esque Omni-Man, was in fact a truly villainous force? Come on, did you? I didn’t think so!
Sure, Omni-Man killing the Guardians of the Globe (essentially the JLA) was clearly shown in issue #7, but with Omni-Man recently returning from an extended stay in another dimension, most guesses seemed to be on the side of this being an evil clone or some other oft-used comic cliché. Kirkman certainly didn’t wuss out with this book. By casting Omni-Man as a villainous threat of the highest order, and one doing so of his own volition, he’s come up with one of the coolest reveals in comic history. Further proof why Kirkman should and could well become comic’s next Geoff Johns or Brian Michael Bendis-type writer.
That was last month. Let’s move on.
This issue is nothing more than an extended fight sequence between Invincible and Omni-Man. It’s not just any altercation though. This is a battle that rages around the globe, and is exceptionally light on dialogue, or anything for that matter, other than fisticuffs. Yet, it works perfectly. If you were a superhero, and you found out your dad was a cosmic villain of the highest order, you’d be pretty pissed too. Yet, you probably couldn’t bring yourself to hit your, pop…could you? This guy, until now, had always been there for Mark (Invincible). He always pretended to be a great father, and a wonderful husband. I mean would you really fight your own father? I’d say that most of us would take a major whupping before contemplating such a thing. A sucker punch and a global ass-kicking might do the trick, no?
Kirkman makes this fight believable. I could never in a million years imagine duking it out with my dad, but the way events unfold and how things occur, it makes perfect sense. In the end it’s not much of a fight though, it’s more Omni-Man kicking the ever-loving crappola out of his son. He is completely remorseless, and believes fully in his task at hand. This is tough love from a cruel, alien papa. I can’t recall seeing a more emotionally charged confrontation between two superheroes ever before.
Omni-Man claims to have no connection with the Earthlings he’s lived among for years. He’s just here to prime the way for the Viltrumite takeover of Earth. Or is he? Kirkman certainly leaves us with some wonderful questions as this issue comes to a close. These questions close out the first year of what has become one of the best and purest superhero comics on the shelves. Adventure, humor, super-heroics, and stunning plot developments are commonplace in this book. Events such as these could never happen in a Big-Two book, or at least happen and remain in continuity. That’s why it’s so damn good.
Pulling everything together is the wonderful work of Ryan Ottley, which is highlighted by the immensely talented color-stylings of Bill Crabtree. Cory Walker defined the look of this title as the regular artist for the first seven issues, but Ottley has taken that style and jumped things up a notch. Mixed with Crabtree’s colors, Ottley is putting out some of the best superhero artwork on the stands today.
Together, we’re talking super-heroic perfection! And the best part is that we’re not looking at a cynical book—as bad as Mark’s life goes this book always manages to be fun. Much like Savage Dragon this comic continues to capture everything that used to be good with comics and makes it new!
