Invincible Episode 2: Here Goes Nothing - TV Guest Review

   Back with a follow-up review of the animated series Invincible is our man Billy Hogan:

   The episode begins where the first episode ended, at the headquarters of the Guardians Of The Globe. 

   

   Mysterious troops enter to carry away the heroes, and Mark and his mother Debbie are informed of Nolan's injuries. Mark discovers that his superhero father was not only a member of the Guardians, but they also worked for the secret Global Defense Agency (GDA), headquartered under the Pentagon. 

   As Nolan recuperates, Mark, as Invincible, meets the Teen Team (think DC Comics' Teen Titans) and begins working with them, and discovers one member actually attends his high school. They are tapped by the GDA to replace the Guardians.

   During the episode the Teen Team attempt to fill the gap left by the absence of the Guardians Of The Globe. They are severely tested by the inter-dimensional invaders called the Flaxans, who attempt three separate invasions of Earth. 

   During their first invasion, Invincible is almost overwhelmed by the chaos of the invasion, and slowly takes his first steps in building his confidence as a superhero. With each invasion, the Flaxans become a greater challenge until the Teen Team is almost defeated by the Flaxans during their third attempt, when they receive a helping hand in turning the tide.

   As this is going on, literal demonic detective Damian Darkblood, voiced by Clancy Brown (who voiced Lex Luthor in the Superman Animated Series), begins an independent investigation about what happened to the Guardians Of The Globe. (I'm trying to keep these reviews as spoiler free as possible.)

   Also, as Nolan recovers, the GDA discover an old threat that Omni-Man faced in the past has returned, and Mark has to face him alone. The encounter is one of the most original I've ever read in a superhero comic book.

   Just like in the first episode, events in this one are familiar to readers of the Invincible comic book series, but are tweaked so that it doesn't feel like an exact recreation of the story onto the screen. 

   Mark is thrown into the deep end of the pool as a superhero a lot quicker than in the comic book, making his learning curve a lot steeper in the animated series.

   We get to know the other members of the Teem Team very quickly, and they soon become very familiar. They are led by Robot, who is able to analyze any situation and formulate a strategy to overcome the challenge. Atom Eve is able to manipulate matter and energy. Dupli-Kate, as her name suggests, can make multiple copies of herself very quickly. Rex Splode, like the X-men's Gambit, is able to touch anything and make it into a bomb he can hurl at his opponent.

   Watching this animated series adaption of one of my favorite comic book superheroes is like the story was boiled down to its essence, into a more intense story. 

   Pieces of the plot are familiar, but are tweaked enough that it's like watching a brand new story. 

   Invincible co-creator and writer Robert Kirkman continues to adapt his comic book superhero to fit the strengths of the animation medium, and I give this episode a solid A.