Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Following last April’s Season 3 finale of Robert Kirkman’s Prime Video adaptation of Invincible, the hit streaming series returns for a new major storyline. The Invincible War is likely on its way sooner than later, with the Conquest aftermath and the Viltrumite War probably coming in Season 4. This new season is a heavy transition between its titular character’s introduction to new archnemeses and the return of some. The three-episode premiere has much to unpack, although at the cost of sending some secondary characters to the background.
In this review, I will discuss Invincible Season 3 Episodes 1 through 3. As this article’s title suggests, there will be spoilers present here. Explicit references to previous series episodes and the graphic novel source material will be made!
Invincible Season 3 Premiere Loglines
According to Amazon Studios Press, here is the logline for Invincible Season 3 Episode 1—“You’re Not Laughing Now”, written by series executive producer Simon Racioppa and directed by storyboard artist Jason Zurek (Generator Rex, The Venture Bros., DuckTales, Star Trek: Lower Decks).
Mark Grayson is back and stronger than ever – with new enemies out for blood and old villains out for revenge.
Amazon Studios Press
Here is the logline for Invincible Season 3 Episode 2—“A Deal with the Devil”, written by co-executive producer Helen Leigh (Outcast, Archive 81, Severance, Invincible: Atom Eve) and directed by storyboard artist Haylee Herrick (Star Trek: Prodigy, Invincible: Atom Eve, Blue Eye Samurai).
Mark takes a stand, unaware of the ramifications for his family, the GDA, and even the Guardians. Cecil remembers his past and Eve makes an important decision.
Amazon Studios Press
Here is the logline for Invincible Season 3 Episode 3—“You Want a Real Costume, Right?”, written by Jay Faerber and directed by storyboard artist Sol Choi (Ultimate Spider-Man, The Legend of Korra, Batman: The Long Halloween, Star Trek: Lower Decks).
Mark struggles to teach Oliver what it means to be a superhero. Debbie explores a new relationship and a changed family dynamic.
Amazon Studios Press
Discussion
“[L]ife can change in an instant, so don’t wait.”
Rick Sheridan (voiced by Luke Macfarlane)
To be candid, the Season 3 premiere is overstimulating given its release as a three-parter. It’s a different release strategy than Season 2’s, which dropped the former half of its season weekly during November 2023 and the latter half weekly during the spring of 2024. Many consumers of comic book media would argue that Invincible isn’t as great a work of animation as its contemporaries in television. It’s easy for them to dismiss the wide array of brilliant narratives pulled from the Image Comics issues. Juxtaposed with the Season 2 premiere, the opening episode makes for a more determined shift in tone as Markus Sebastian “Mark” Grayson (voiced by Steven Yeun) continues training his speed and strength in preparation for the imminent Viltrumite takeover.
Ultimately, screenwriters Simon Racioppa, Helen Leigh, and Jay Faerber effortlessly adapt nearly a dozen issues of material. “You’re Not Laughing Now” covers material from Issues 42, 46, 48-49, and 55; “A Deal With The Devil” covers material from Issues 50-51; and “You Want A Real Costume, Right?” covers material from Issues 47, 51-53, 56. The episode titles come from lines spoken by side characters in the source material, simultaneously covering a few key narrative beats. Thematically, these three episodes maintain the idea that the world is controlled by money and power.
The page-to-screen adaptations benefit the Prime Video series a fine deal in expanding a limited number of panels. For example, the opening montage works well given that Grayson merely lifts extremely heavy machinery in the comics. In the first episode, he goes through various means of gaining speed and strength; it appears to pay off.
Adapting Adolescent Oliver & Expanding Original Subplots
Racioppa cleverly ties the crimes of Fightmaster and Dropkick (both voiced by Xolo Maridueña) to tutor Calista Flockhart’s (voiced by Calista Flockhart) educating of Oliver Grayson (voiced by Christian Convery). In the comics, the tutor suggests that Oliver’s capacity to learn could be sped up so that he could be a teacher to his family soon enough.
The two-page scene of Grayson at a bowling alley with friends, William Clockwell (voiced by Andrew Rannells) and Rick Sheridan (voiced by Luke Macfarlane), expands into a more nuanced, original development. However, this comes at the cost of Clockwell and Sheridan having scarce time under the spotlight. On the one hand, Clockwell’s tendency to provide advice is just as flawed as his comic book iteration. Yet, on the other hand, Rannells’s portrayal of the character is believably more human.
The expansion of Global Defense Agency director Cecil Stedman’s (voiced by Walton Goggins) backstory pays off well. Radcliffe (voiced by Bokeem Woodbine) delivers a great line from the comics to a certain effect. Next to that, the silent approach to supervillains Magmaniac and Tether Tyrant’s subplot from Issue 47 is smart, considering the extra layers—homoerotic, classist, etc.—inserted into it within the series. The adaptation of the Mauler twins’ (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson) eventual return is done excellently, from the dialogue to the action to the emotional stakes.
Subtle Timely Commentary on Contemporary Socio-Politics
Although handfuls can be said about the three-part premiere’s weight, all can be narrowed down to Western affairs and the series’ relation to real-life events in a coincidental appeal to kairos. The writers’ depiction of, say, supervillain Doc Seismic (voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos) isn’t as cartoony as it was in the comics. He views superheroes as “fascists” functioning as cogs in the “capitalistic slave-machine”, i.e. the government. Herein lies its logos, since fans understand that it costs an abundance of taxpayers’ dollars for Stedman to teleport from place to place. Constructing a mechanical prosthetic hand for Rex Splode (voiced by Jason Mantzoukas) is expensive, too.
Seismic’s political views do go down an odd route. He refers to Invincible as the “token diversity” and to Atom Eve (voiced by Gillian Jacobs) as a “gender stereotype”. Still, this perspective is revisited when the show’s superheroes reflect on their purpose under the G.D.A. The subplot involving Magmaniac and Tether Tyrant is merit-worthy in depicting imperfect human beings whose lives are worth saving from a dead end. Their Pixar-esque story is literally speechless in displaying hardships and struggles.
Lastly, the adaptation of Grayson and Oliver’s heated dispute between human life as precious and human life as inferior is extremely pertinent and relatable. In the world we live in today, different movements exist to express what it means to be deserving of salvation. So far, the big difference in adapting those comic book pages is Grayson’s final responses to his half-brother’s opinions.
Back in Action
Invincible Season 3’s animation possesses beauty to be admired here and there. The character designs of Seismic and his underearth creatures are fair adaptations of Issues 48 and 49. This includes the detailed aspects of the supervillain’s gauntlets for earthquake generation. In the comics, they appear more like red wristbands, which may not be as exciting to the eyes. Grayson wears intriguing battle scars, more or less, such as a stab wound that demonstrates his vulnerability—from his maternal human side. By contrast, the designs of Mr. Liu (voiced by Tzi Ma) and his bodyguard are feasibly simplistic and realistic.
The editing via match cuts and artwork is an interesting element of these first three episodes. The prop designers’ imagery of a stationary baseball to a motile one creatively transitions from one beat to the next. Oliver’s red PlayStation Vita-like gaming device is a unique prop. It also speaks for the fact that his adoptive mother needs him to have a childhood.
Magmaniac and Tether Tyrant’s pink flower is the better prop design, exhibiting the metaphor of beauty withering away. We also see a neat match cut from steaming burger patties on a grill to them being burnt black. This is, again, another metaphor for things in our lives that can lose their substance and nourishment. The match cut from Mark Grayson throwing a punch at a missile to Oliver throwing a punch of his own is perfection.
A Powerful Product for Prime Video
The background designers lend personality to the episodes. Earth’s core, adapted from Invincible Issues 48 and 49, is illustrated Hellishly well, and even the lava looks realistic. The mixture of character and background is astonishing, such as in the carnage upon the Guardians of the Globe headquarters flooring and the dusk sky and stars hovering above the Grayson rooftops.
Altogether, the action sequences are assembled beautifully, especially in the brisk pacing of Episode 302. The martial arts movements in Stedman’s flashbacks are drawn meticulously, even if they are made to amaze momentarily. The phenomenal blending of color and character designs in a certain scene is badass artistry. Moreover, the 6-7-minute opener in Episode 303 is nearly perfect in its absence of dialogue. This montage sequence is driven solely by the animation and music composer John Paesano’s soft, sorrowful scoring.
Face the Music
A small highlight in this premiere is the audible appeal. Paesano’s soundtrack has its moments. For one thing, a soft, sort of exotic hippie score plays as characters are skinned alive by toxic gas. An alarming techno score maintains the pace of Grayson’s brief time in the Pentagon. The changing score during Magmaniac and Tether Tyrant’s subplot helps build up the pace for their episode, not to mention how it progresses as a whole.
Music supervisors Gabe Hilfer and Henry van Roden toss in a few fantastic song selections for the Prime Video series. “Go” by The Chemical Brothers makes for good workout routine music, especially in the first episode’s opening montage. “I Ain’t The One” by Spoon fits Stedman’s backstory in how it sounds and touches on his overall personality. “Blockbuster Night Pt. 1” by Run the Jewels is just flat-out fitting.
The work in the sound effects and the sound editing complement the action well. The sounds of Robot’s (voiced by Zachary Quinto) blasts, the colliding of fists to chests or fists and feet to metal, and the rapid gunshots and explosion during a prison scene contribute to the fine pacing.
The Crew Behind Invincible
Invincible is based on the comic book of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, & Ryan Ottley. Kirkman also serves as a co-showrunner alongside executive producer Simon Racioppa (Mr. Meaty). Walker serves as a co-executive producer.
Series supervising producers Dan Duncan and Shaun O’Neil also serve as the supervising directors. Ben Choi serves as the assistant director.
Luke Asa Guidici is the supervising editor. Lea Carosella and Liam Johnson are the assistant editors.
John Paesano scores the music. Gabe Hilfer (Venom, Birds of Prey, Halloween Ends, The White Lotus, White Men Can’t Jump, Carry-On, Wolf Man) and Henry van Roden (The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live) serve as the music supervisors.
Crystal Mangano serves as the music editor.
Brad Meyer is the supervising sound editor. Meyer, Katie Jackson, Noah Kowalski, and Mia Perfetti are the sound effects editors. Myung Soo “Peter” Kay and Jacob Cook are also the sound FX editors for Episode 303.
Meredith Layne (Castlevania, A Tale Dark & Grimm) is the voice director. Linda Lamontagne (BoJack Horseman, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, Close Enough) is the voice casting director.
Storyboard Artists
Sinae Ellyse Jung, Stephan Park (Castlevania, The Venture Bros., DuckTales), Wynton Redmond (Big Hero 6: The Series, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), and Jason Zurek serve as the storyboard artists.
In Episode 302, Paige “Newt” Caldwell, Ben Choi, Jalin Harden (X-Men ’97), Haylee Herrick, and Kelly Kao serve as the storyboard artists.
In Episode 303, Adrian Barrios (Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, Batman: The Long Halloween, Harley Quinn, Star Trek: Prodigy), Sol Choi, Karl Savage, and Christopher Staggs (Avengers Assemble) serve as the storyboard artists.
Vickie Chau (The Boys Presents: Diabolical, Invincible: Atom Eve), Yujin Lee (Young Justice, The Legend of Vox Machina), Daniel Quiles (Invincible: Atom Eve), and Chole W. are the storyboard revisionists.
In Episode 302, Chau, Karon Clerk, Lee, Chris Pimentel, Quiles, Kaitrin Snodgrass (Invincible: Atom Eve, Harley Quinn), and Suzi Whifler (Invincible: Atom Eve) serve as the storyboard revisionists. In Episode 303, Chau and Quiles serve as the storyboard revisionists.
Animation Team
In Episodes 302 and 303, Dou Hong (Ben 10: Omniverse, Young Justice, Batman: The Long Halloween, The Legend of Vox Machina, My Adventures with Superman) is credited as the art director.
Kofi Fiagome serves as the series’ animation/ storyboard supervisor. Invincible comic book artist Ryan Ottley serves as the creative consultant.
Luke Ashworth, Nick Lombardo, Tim Nicklas, Johnathan N. Reyes, Charles Tan, and Alex Wilson are the character designers. In Episodes 302 and 303, Ashworth, Chau, Lombardo, Nicklas, Reyes, Tan, and Wilson are credited as the character designers.
Damon Moran (Men in Black: The Series, Black Dynamite, Invincible: Atom Eve, Solar Opposites), Sinh Nguyen, and Yoshi Vu serve as the prop designers.
Tsu-Wei Chen, Jon Finch, Kelly Mai, James T. Robb, and Pace Wilder are the background designers. In Episode 302, Chen, Finch, Mai, Robb, Vu, and Wilder are credited as the background designers. In Episode 303, Finch, Mai, Robb, and Wilder are credited as the background designers.
Guidici serves as the animatic editor for Episode 301; Lindsey Myers (Avengers Assemble, The VeggieTales Show) is the animatic editor for Episode 302; and Matt Michael is the animatic editor for Episode 303. Samantha Schnauder is the visual effects editor.
The Voice Cast Behind Invincible
Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead, Sorry to Bother You, Minari, Nope) voices the series’ protagonist and titular character, Markus Sebastian “Mark” Grayson, also known as Invincible.
Sandra Oh (Big Fat Liar, The Chair, Umma, Quiz Lady) voices Deborah “Debbie” Grayson, Mark’s mother.
J.K. Simmons (the Spider-Man film franchise, Whiplash, Palm Springs, Zack Snyder’s Justice League) voices Nolan Grayson—Mark’s father and Debbie’s husband—, also known as Omni-Man.
Supporting Voice Actors
Christian Convery (FX’s Legion, Cocaine Bear, Jim Mickle’s Sweet Tooth) voices adolescent Oliver Grayson.
Gillian Jacobs (Community, Minx, The Bear) voices Samantha Eve Wilkins, also known as Atom Eve.
Jason Mantzoukas (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Big Mouth, Close Enough) voices Rex Splode.
Melise (Unfabulous) voices Dupli-Kate and GDA agents. In Episode 302, Melise also voices GDA Agent #1.
Ross Marquand (Avengers: Infinity War, Robot Chicken, The Walking Dead) voices The Immortal and Rudolph “Rudy” Connors. In Episode 302, Marquand also voices “Three-Eyes”. In Episode 303, Marquand also voies Kursk, a member of The Order.
Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, Made for Love Season 2) voices Donald Ferguson and Doc Seismic. In Episode 302, Diamantopoulos also voices Force Fist, an architecture professor, and “Muscles”. In Episode 303, Diamantopoulos also voices Isotope, Titan’s right-hand man.
Walton Goggins (The Shield, Predators, Justified, The Hateful Eight, I’m a Virgo, Fallout, The White Lotus Season 3) voices Cecil Stedman.
Recurring Voice Roles
Calista Flockhart (Supergirl) voices April Howsam, Oliver’s at-home tutor.
Grey DeLisle (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai) voices Amanda/ Monster Girl and Shrinking Rae. In Episode 302, DeLisle also voices a “shriveled woman”. In Episode 303, DeLisle also voices Betsy Wilkins, Eve’s adoptive mother.
Andrew Rannells (Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake) voices William Clockwell, Mark’s best friend; and GDA agents. Zazie Beetz (Deadpool 2, Atlanta) appears as the voice of Amber Justine Bennett, Mark’s ex-girlfriend.
Khary Payton (Teen Titans, Young Justice, The Walking Dead) voices Black Samson.
Jay Pharoah voices Bulletproof and GDA agents. In Episode 302, Pharoah also voices Komodo Dragon and a soldier.
Zachary Quinto (Heroes, Big Mouth, American Horror Story) voices Robot.
Ben Schwartz (BoJack Horseman, DuckTales, Hulu’s M.O.D.O.K., the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise, The Boys Presents: Diabolical) voices Shapesmith.
Kevin Michael Richardson (Family Guy, Young Justice, M.O.D.O.K.) voices Monster and GDA agents. In Episode 303, Richardson voices the Mauler twins.
Seth Rogen (Sausage Party) voices Allen the Alien, a champion evaluation officer for the Coalition of Planets.
Mark Hamill voices Arthur “Art” Rosenbaum, a costumer and tailor for superheroes.
Sterling K. Brown (Black Panther, Frozen II, Big Mouth, Solar Opposites, American Fiction) appears as the voice of Angstrom Levy, Invincible’s human archnemesis.
Gary Anthony Williams (The Boondocks, Star Wars Resistance, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur) voices a newscaster.
In Episode 302, Nyima Funk voices GDA Agent #2; Robert Kesselman voices Fishmonger; Dan Navarro (The Cleveland Show, The Boys Presents: Diabolical) voices a hazmat responder; and Ami Shukla voices a guard.
Additional voice performances come from Funk, Kesselman, Navarro, and Shukla.
Guest Voice Actors
Luke Macfarlane voices Rick Sheridan, an upperclassman at Upstate University.
Cleveland Berto voices Darkwing and GDA agents.
Simu Liu voices Paul Cha, also known as Multi-Paul, Dupli-Kate’s twin brother. Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, Blue Beetle) voices Fightmaster and Dropkick, a time-traveling duo of thieves.
Fred Tatasciore voices The Giant, GDA agent #1, and a superhero. In Episode 303, Tatasciore also voices Eve’s adoptive father Adam Wilkins and a military base soldier named Nate.
Cliff Curtis (Training Day, Fear the Walking Dead, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, James Cameron’s Avatar film franchise, Charlie Covell’s Kaos) voices Paul, Debbie’s colleague in the real estate business.
In Episode 302, Kari Wahlgren (Rick and Morty) voices Knuckle Buster. In Episode 303, Wahlgren also voices Helen and Tania.
Bokeem Woodbine (Devil, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Overlord, FX’s Fargo, Halo) voices Radcliffe, Stedman’s predecessor at the GDA.
In Episode 303, Todd Williams (The Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf, Spider-Man: Miles Morales) voices Titan, a crime lord and a newer member of The Order. Williams replaces Mahershala Ali, who voiced the character in Season 1.
Tzi Ma voices Mr. Liu, a crime lord and member of The Order.
Voice Performances and Character Developments
Mark Grayson’s development in the season’s initial few episodes showcases tremendous promise. He deals with his temper a bit differently than in the comics. Yet, in the Prime Video series, he doesn’t seem to have a press conference where he promises to the public that he hasn’t inherited the sins of his father. While the show does avoid this trope to a degree, Grayson finds himself at points where he is contradicted by his personal ambitions to stay innocuous. This paves for an unusual imbalance between lying to himself and speaking the truth to those he loves. Yeun’s experience in voice acting is all the more evident, namely in defining the protagonist’s pain and frustration.
Debbie Grayson continues her position as a family-oriented mother figure in this season. This path benefits her better in the series than it did in the comics. As a single parent, Debbie must remind her children of their humanity while also facing companionship with Paul (voiced by Cliff Curtis), paralleling an early moment from Season 2. Her relationship with her colleague is fleshed out better in the Invincible series than in the Invincible comics. Here, the writers offer a level of depth that many will come to appreciate, considering her role as a mother, a woman, a person of color, and a human in general.
The Supporting Characters
Oliver’s views on human life are adapted from the source material properly. He has specific needs that are addressed okay. Although, the writers never get too dark with this aspect as it was in the comics. Convery’s voice acting is special, contributing to the depth and the oscillation between what is grounded and what feels reckless. The character’s relationship with Grayson is adapted perfectly to the dialogue exchanged between Convery and Yeun. It’s almost as if they truly are brothers.
Of the side characters, Mantzoukas continues to own his voice role as Rex Splode. If anything, this supporting character is the series’ comedic relief, even if the serious atmosphere so far is not as grave as last season’s. He copes with his physical bodily enhancements hilariously and wounds up in ironic predicaments. The character has laughable one-liners, and Mantzoukas delivers perfectly this time around.
Eve takes on a new role in this season, as she is confronted with Mark’s rescue in an alternate dimension. Jacobs has one decent line delivery in scenes shared with Yeun’s Grayson. She shows huge promise from being a live-action performer to being a voice actor. Looking at what follows for her character—professionally, financially, and emotionally—, I am curious to know how Eve’s dynamic with Grayson continues to be executed.
Final Thoughts on Invincible Season 3 Episodes 1-3
Next to The Boys and Gen V, Robert Kirkman’s Invincible is one of the best television programs streaming on Prime Video. Season 3 already shows promise. It has gone from an exploration of power to coping with tragedy to an exercise for the future. The juice is worth the squeeze with this three-part premiere. Peeking into what lies ahead for the next three episodes, I can honestly say that fans are in for another tremendous ride.
Invincible Season 3 is now streaming via Prime Video!
Have you seen the Prime Video series yet? If so, then what are your thoughts on it so far? Let us know! For more action, adaptation, adventure, animation, comic book, drama, fantasy, science-fiction, and thriller-related news and reviews, do not forget to follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
