Invincible Universe Compendium, Vol. 1

Invincible Universe Compendium

by Robert Kirkman, Benito Cereno, Phil Hester

THE BEST SUPERHERO UNIVERSE SERIES IN THE UNIVERSE!   By now, everyone in the world knows Invincible. But what about the rest of the Invincible Universe’s heroes and villains?   Atom Eve! Rex Splode! Brit! Best Tiger!   This collection reveals the secret history of Invincible's closest allies, as well as the formation of a brand-new Guardians of the Globe team to fight the largest gathering of supervillains The Order.   Collects INVINCIBLE ATOM EVE #1-2, INVINCIBLE ATOM EVE & REX SPLODE #1-3, GUARDING THE GLOBE (VOL. 1) #1-6, GUARDING THE GLOBE (VOL. 2) #1-6, and INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE #1-12.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Superheroes, Comic Book, Comics Manga, Graphic Novels Comics

672 pages, Paperback

First published June 13, 2023

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 4 out of 5]

The Invincible Universe comes to life.



I've read a few of these issues here and there but this is my first time reading the whole shebang. And I'm glad I finally got to know some of the side characters from the Invincible comics. The Guardians of the Globe kick ass as superheroes and then go home to deal with real-life issues in their off time. There's so much covered in the compendium that it would be useless to try and give you a "plot", so I'll just say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself.



I don't know whether or not this would be as much fun for someone who hadn't read Invincible, but I think it's a solid superhero comic that can stand on its own pretty well.



Highly Recommended for fans of Invincible.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading these Invincible-adjacent stories was both a blast and a balm after my recent disappointment over the decline in quality of the Amazon Prime adaptation. Definitely recommended for fans of this universe, but prior knowledge of the main story is pretty much assumed throughout.


Yeah, fair, just go read it, then.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

2025 reads: 175/300

we re-enter the world of invincible to follow other heroes and even some villains. we start off strong with comics focusing on atom eve and rex splode, but unfortunately, from there it went downhill for me. i realized pretty early on that i really didn’t care for the guardians. i also want to provide the warning that some issues were heavy on anti-autistic sentiments. this ended up being resolved, and i understand these issues were written over a decade ago, but this was still hard to get through, especially knowing many people still carry these feelings today. still, i’ll likely read the next compendium if they come out with one.

[Olivier Pols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zulke leuke en unieke verhaallijnen. Ik hoop dat ze veel van deze gaan gebruiken in de show.

[Aaron McKinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the main Invincible series, but it does add some interesting backstory and fleshes out the side characters as you’d hope. Quality varies pretty widely from specific issue to issue, but that’s true of the main series, too, and comics as a whole.

[Coen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tijd geleden al uit gelezen.. oeps

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 3 out of 5]

After another excellent season of Invincible i thought it was time for another great compendium set in this universe. Robert Kirkman and compendiums,  its a match made in heaven for me. All of Invincible,  The Walking Dead, i loved them all. Now i have read Invincible Universe, collecting mini series with Rex Plode, Atom Eve,  Guarding the Globe and Invincible Universe. The art is great, the action aswell. This never gets at the insane level of the Invincible main series, but i thoroughly enjoyed it ! Cool to see Mark Grayson and the Astounding Wolf-man aswell.

[Nikhil Math]

Having just wrapped up "Invincible Universe, Compendium 1," my post-Invincible Series journey feels both nostalgic and refreshed. The book gracefully extends the superhero saga, with compelling bookends that showcase the author's storytelling finesse. While the middle section, featuring Guarding The Globe, might lack the punch of its counterparts, the origin stories of characters like Rexplosion and Atom Eve inject a welcome dose of depth and intrigue.

Best enjoyed as a sequel to the Invincible series, this compendium maintains the high standards set by its predecessor. The digital format on the iPad enhances the visual experience, immersing readers in the superhero universe. If you've completed the Invincible books, this is a recommended next step. I eagerly await the release of the second book to continue this captivating journey.

[Matt Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was (accidentally) my first introduction to the comics after watching two seasons of Invincible, but much of what I like about the show is still present here, even though Invincible is barely in this, and I’m sure there are references to storylines I haven’t encountered yet. Still, there’s a vulnerability to the superheroes and a sense of humor that makes it all work, even while addressing grim realities of trying to do the right thing.

[Nicolas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Atom Eve/Rex stuff is really fun and worth a read.

The rest... not so much.

Also, weird that it doesn't include Science Dog.

Glad to have it all gathered in a compendium to match the rest of the set, so at least there's that.

[KAS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this really made me realize how important Mark is to this universe. Because it really was a little dry, going in. No one was all that compelling, really, aside from maybe Best Tiger. And why are all the women petite blonde women, two of which having identical hair cuts?

[Daniel Soto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t in love with the Guarding the Globe parts, but did really enjoy the Atom Eve and Rex Splode origin stories

[Preston Popoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice to see an expanded view of this universe (though I had hoped it wouldn't be limited just to stories on Earth), but definitely a bit more hit or miss than the main run.

[A.H. Lyons · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was incredibly disappointing, especially in comparison with the original Invincible series. I was dissatisfied with the writing, the art, the characters, and just about everything else in this book.

Let’s start with Atom Eve and Atom Eve & Rex Splode. I love Eve and Rex. They’re two of my favorite characters in the series. Eve’s backstory is great. Some of the art does objectify her, but issues 1 and 2 show her as such a badass, even as a young teenager. Atom Eve & Rex Splode creates a crazy contrast to this. Eve does not appear by herself in any of these issues. She’s an accessory to Red as he explores his backstory. She has no independent plot line. She exists to be pretty, be Rex’s girlfriend, and have her underwear displayed any time the artist feels like the action just isn’t good enough. She’s flat and ditsy, and it’s disgusting because not only is she such an incredible character but she’s also a teenager. It’s ridiculous that her image is plastered all over this book and the writers couldn’t even show her any respect.

Now, Guarding the Globe. This is actually the worst comic series I’ve ever read. I’m shocked that Kirkman wrote volume one because it’s the flattest, most boring piece of garbage I’ve ever read from him. He introduces a boatload of new heroes to create the new Guardians of the Globe team. And none of these new heroes are interesting, well-developed, or possessing of personality in anyway (with the small exception of Best Tiger). Some of these hero’s real names are not revealed until later in the story, and many of them have no lives outside of the Guardians of the Globe. It’s fucking lazy, and in no way does it engage an audience. Additionally, these comics are filled with sexist imagery and plot lines that are just boring and uninspired. Hey, how was anyone supposed to know Outrun was possessed? Because she acts like a slut, of course! Maybe it would be easier to tell that a character possessed if she had a personality to begin with!!

Invincible Universe was marginally better. I enjoyed some of the characters and plot lines a little more than the rest of those present in this book. It wasn’t amazing, but it was better.

[Freddie Domaille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff! It was especially fun to see other writers and artists get to have a crack at the world of Invincible. I was particularly excited to read Benito Cereno's issues, since I've been a fan of his for a while, but had never actually read any of his comics work before.

Though all the titles (Guarding the Globe, Invincible Universe, Atom Eve & Rex-Splode etc) were very well done, I still doubt I'd recommend any of them to somebody who hasn't already read a good few volumes of Invincible.

Personally, I'd say that the mature themes that Invincible has become known for are actually handled with a lot more (for want of a better word) maturity in these spin-offs than in the main series!

A very dense book that expands upon the world and side-charactes established in the main series. I now feel like I've read enough Invincible content for multiple lifetimes...
I still want to see a Terra solo series though.

[Tiffany Seward · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐ Comic | Superhero | Sci-Fi

Invincible Universe Compendium Vol. 1 is a text-heavy comic that dives into the origins and backstories of key characters in the Invincible universe. It starts with Atom Eve (Samantha Eve Wilkins), showing her mother’s involvement in a fetal experiment and setting the stage for Eve’s extraordinary intelligence and abilities. Even as a child, she demonstrates a deep understanding of chemistry, hinting at her powers to manipulate and transform matter. Her early adventures include fighting crime as a kid, with humorous moments, such as a villain jokingly calling her a “Powerpuff Girl”.

The compendium also provides the origin story of Rex Splode, along with glimpses of Omni-Man and other heroes, giving readers a broader sense of the interconnected universe. The art is okay, though fans may find the animation-style visuals from the show more appealing.

[metimoteo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent volume of collected works from Robert Kirkman and his associates! I enjoyed the Atom Eve and Rex Splode features the most. The Guardians of the Globe were a bit too derivative for me, probably because of the vast number of characters. I was most glad to discover the Best Tiger stories, however, following a hero with clear parallels to more famous comic book characters, but different enough to be enjoyable on his own. His adventures and presence in the book was most refreshing.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty enjoyable collection of stories for the side characters in the Invincible world. Definitely would recommend trying to read this during the other compendiums as they add context to the rotation of Guardians.

Overall enjoyed these for that reason, I had already finished the Invincible books but it was nice to go back and get to learn more about characters like Brit and Best Tiger as well as more know characters like Atom Eve and Rexplode.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are excellent stories that fill out the Invincible Universe by taking a closer look at the characters who aren't Mark Grayson. You'll grow a deeper appreciation for Cecil, Brit, and all the Guardians of the Globe - making events in compendium 3 all the more impactful.

I can't say much without spoiling things except that Best Tiger is Best Tiger.

[Big Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think most of this compendium is great but there’s some mishandling of certain heavier topics that really can’t be ignored and bring it down a couple stars

Namely how it deals with Autism and SA.

The clear standouts in this are Rex and Eve’s origins and the Best Tiger spotlight issue

[Paul Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like Invincible then you’ll like these stories. Personally I don’t think most of these are much better then merely passable but it has a few gems and expands in the universe in a meaningful way.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad I read this, but most of this book, particularly the Invincible Universe run of issues, were totally unnecessary and boring. The Atom Eve issues were excellent though, much closer in quality to the actual Invincible series.

[Lordlight · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10 (Invincible universe review)

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

We get to see Atom Eve and Rex Splode's origin stories as well as what the Guardians of the Globe are up to while Invincible is in space.

[Josh Newhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good given the mixture of creators!

[PhilD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great stuff in general, solid writing and art. My only quibble is with the pacing of plot points. Love this universe.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories do a great job of fleshing out the Invincible universe and filling in some gaps in the main series. Excellent fast-paced superhero writing.

[KeYanla Cleckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Atom eve could body Omni Man any day

[Johnny Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

The guardians of the globe story is incredible… but the origins of Rex and Atom Eve are amazing! Don’t miss this one

[Alberto Gallegos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Para ser paralelo a la trama principal de Invincible está bien, pero no resulta tan cautivador. Sería como la versión de capítulos relleno para una serie de televisión pero en cómic.