Invincible, Compendium Two

Invincible #10-17

by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley (Writer), Cliff Rathburn (Artist)

It's here: the second massive collection of the greatest superhero comic in the universe! Witness Invincible's transition from new kid on the block to established superhero!

Collects: Invincible #48-96, Invincible Returns #1, and Astounding Wolf-Man #11

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Superheroes, Comic Book, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

1184 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 2013

About the author

Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.

Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.

In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mark.



In fact, I love this whole universe.
Kirkman created something special here and I think most people who have read the series would agree with me. On the surface, it can seem like a silly comic with heroes in bright costumes fighting bank robbers, drug dealers, and the occasional alien. But underneath, it has substance and heart.
This was not my first time reading this but it was the first time I read it in Compendium form.
Excellent choice, if I do say so myself.



There is something about the way the characters age, and morph, and change.
It has a feeling of unreal realism with the kind of relationships that are possible but unlikely. Flawed but not irredeemable.
Highly Recommended.

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Kirkman's riff on superheros using Invincible and all his friends. This second volume follows the first - the originality starts to wear a bit and the stories tend to repeat themselves a bit, but the reunion of Invicible with his dad was pretty cool. I would definitely read Vol One first - and reinforce your bookshelf because these volumes are HEAVY!

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big and unwieldy as they can be, there's a certain satisfaction to reading these monstrous compendia that have been appearing in the Graphic Novels section recently. Yes, they're massive and expensive and the paper stock is heavy enough that the entire tome takes on sufficient density to warp gravity in its vicinity, but it's undeniably fun to be able to simply read and read and read without having to switch volumes or deal with tape and mylar snugs and backing boards on individual comics issues ...

This volume is definitely more violent and bloody than the first compendium. Not complaining; just observing. Kirkman is a savvy writer who knows what he's doing. It's fun to see how seemingly minor characters will be brought back, suddenly of major importance, and you realize how far in advance some stories were planned. This volume also sees Invincible becoming almost more of a supporting character as Kirkman shifts the focus to others, like Rex and Monster Girl, for instance. As always, everyone's motivations and emotions feel solid. Whether Robert Kirkman is one of the best writers in comics is arguable, but, with Invincible at least, he's one of the most consistently entertaining. Highly recommended, though obviously you're going to want to read Compendium One first ...

[ponderinglit · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s no way I could discuss all of the insane things that happen in this comic. The creators outdid themselves in the action scenes and they had me at the edge of my seat. Character development also improved greatly since Compendium One. Mark really started to face the struggles of being a superhero, and what that title truly means. I didn’t expect a comic to have so much development in its main character. Side characters also start developing more with in depth character arcs over multiple chapters. The world continues to expand and the art style has really found its pace.

I wasn’t sure what to expect after the insanity of Compendium One, but Compendium Two surpassed it in every way. Invincible has quickly become a top five superhero of mine after this comic book.

[Jesse A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really underestimated this series when I first started it. It can be a bit repetitive at times but all in all its an outstanding series.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great dive into the Invincible universe. I am rather impressed by the depth of the character work and the intriguing stories this series is providing. I also can't imagine how agonizing it must have been for folks who were following this comic from the beginning to wait for the next issue. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment (thank you local public library!) and see how the story of all this characters wrap up.

[Matt Quann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slam dunk of a comic. It takes all of what makes superheroes fun, adds in soap opera melodrama, and infuses it all with startlingly real characters. I mean, the guy who did The Walking Dead also wrote this and that series felt like it had a similar mission. There’s great genre stuff, but it’s mostly about character.

Also, the art team here? Phenomenal! Invincible has such a great visual language and consistency issue to issue. For me, it’s what makes reading creator-owned stuff so enticing: the vision of the creators is given room to breathe.

Now, the only question is: should I hold off before going into volume 3?

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I don't think this transcends the super hero genre like Watchmen and some other works do, it's the best straight up super hero book I've read in a long time.

[Pat the Book Goblin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel never fails to impress me. I love every volume. I don't know if it's the fact that Invincible isn't a DC or Marvel superhero but he's my favorite. The artwork in this compendium is phenomenal!

[Keaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

1184 pages of a comic book has to equal at least one novel !

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece of super-herodom.

[Lukasz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing stuff. It's one of the best superhero stories ever told.

[Jake Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

My arm hurt carrying this back to the library

[Hunter Gatchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve been this excited to see a “book” adaptation before. The first season did everything so well from the comics and this compendium only improved upon everything from before. I would not doubt it if we see the greatest fight in tv history be portrayed on that show.

[Judah Gentino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, I’ve done it! I’ve read all 144 issues of Robert Kirkman’s Invincible!

This collection might be my favorite of the three. It’s very deep and moving, with a lot of tangled emotional layers beneath the action. I love how driven the writer and artists were to add so much character depth into the story, and making the universe feel all the more real for it.

A few notes:

-the fight between Mark and Conquest did not disappoint. It’s just as intense and crazy and eye-popping as it is in the show.
-I feel like Eve really developed in this story here than anywhere else. She makes a lot of really hard decisions, but her loyalty and nerve definitely sticks out.
-I also love the buddy cop relationship between Allen and Nolan. They are the last two characters I would’ve expected to team up, but they’re really funny together.
-Finally, Rex and Amanda’s story (or basically saga) at the end was a really interesting touch. It was really cool and deep how their relationship stood the test of time during the 700 years they spent in that other dimension, and how exactly it cracked towards the end.

All in all, this was an incredible comic book series, and one that I’ll definitely be returning to again.

[Gregisdead121 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A major improvement on the first. With higher stakes and more context of the Invincible Universe, the characters are given more room to grow.

A volume that transverses disparate time lines and apocalyptic universes, this second compendium bursts with a creativity that reaches new heights for Kirkman.

Even though the viltrumites are worthy threats they are still poorly fleshed out:their motivations and machinations thinly developed. Making them nonsensical antagonists rather than compelling adversaries.

Appreciated how it towed with the morally grey and the desecration of morals in the face of power. Monster Girls & Rex's storyline were an unexpected treat that perhaps forshadows a more ominous future. But even with that said the speed with which it occured left a lot to be desired.

Overall, though not perfect, the charm of this Kirkman series seems to have returned, hinting to a brighter horizon

[Skyler Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger

[Carlos Villarreal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over a thousand pages later and I’m now more of a fan than ever. Great twists and amazing art work.

[Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me forever and I’m not ashamed of it

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 reads: 114/300

in the second compendium of invincible, we follow mark as his powers grow and he faces both internal and external struggles that make him start to question what he knows. i really enjoyed this compendium, especially once i got to the parts that haven’t been adapted just yet. the viltrumites were a lot more present in this compendium, and it was pretty interesting seeing more of them. this definitely put some things into perspective. i can’t wait to read the next compendium!

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

This comic is a shitstorm. Action packed, funny, cruel. Great reading.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one is so dense that it could easily be 3 seasons. the art, the plot, the characters, all so fuckin gooooooood.

[Harrison D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm shaken to my core, what a triumph!! This reading experience left me floored. The weaving interconnected plots, excellent characterisation, beautiful art and a vibe that is so immaculate - it distills all the positive traits of the comic book genre while staying consistently compelling.

My eyes bulged out of my head and steam flew out of my ears it's that good. Invincible forever. I can't wait to see how this saga wraps up next volume.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor boy is going THROUGH it. Really good story and progression of characters. We love character growth into morally grey areas. There are times I audibly gasped.
Will read the next compendium once I finish the show's newest season.

[J]

Really good aside from the unreadable filler and side stories idgaf about

[Soteralzobooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.1 biblio

[Matthew Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely keeps the same tempo and rhythm that the first compendium contains! The introduction to more characters and expanding deeper into Mark’s turmoil and struggle to maintain his humanity, but also embrace his Viltrumite heritage. Also expands into other characters created by image comics!

[Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great continuation of the story and world and looking forward to the last third of Invincible and seeing where this story ends.

[Collin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enorme verbetering ten opzichte van de eerste compendium. Vooral in de artstyle die echt veel mooier is

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This compendium wasn’t nearly as solid as the first, but was still enjoyable for most of its collected issues. I really enjoyed the Conquest and Flaxan storylines but the first third of this collection felt overshadowed by issue 60 (The Invincible War), which left a sour taste in my mouth with how rushed and inconsequential it felt.