Invincible Volume 9: Out Of This World (Invincible) | Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley

Invincible Volume 9: Out Of This World (Invincible) | Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley | Heavy-handed recaps ruin this arc

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Invincible Volume ...

	Invincible Volume 9: Out Of This World (Invincible) Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley Image Comics, 2008 - 144 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
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Allen the Alien returns to Earth as directed by the Coalition of Planets - he's come to gather information from Mark about his father - the Viltrumite Traitor. Meanwhile, the Viltrumites have come to Earth to check up on Mark's progress as the reluctant Viltrumite Agent of Earth.

This series has slowly become one of the best superhero runs on the market!

If you're not reading Invincible yet, shame on you! Stop reading this review, go pick up the first trade paperbacks, and get back with me when you're finished. Invincible is probably the best superhero franchise on the market that doesn't have a big ol' DC or Marvel logo printed on its cover. While some series quickly fizzle out, something about this series just keeps getting better. Maybe it's because Kirkman never thought it would last this long, but whatever the case, you're missing out if you're not reading Invincible, Dynamo 5 and some of the other Image superhero titles.

There are several story arcs in this TPB. One great thing about the Invincible franchise is that new characters continually appear, and sub-plots are always abound. Probably the biggest theme is the impending invasion of the Viltrum Empire. Invincible knows his time is short and this message is spelled out even clearer when an agent visits him to check on his progress. After a short battle, we're once again reminded how weak Invincible is compared to his father and the average Viltrumite warrior. Speaking of Invincible's father, this TPB also pushes along a possible redemption story for Omni-Man. For once, he admits he misses his wife, and the inevitable execution of Invincible's father -- safely locked away in a Viltrumite prison -- looks to have a blurry angle as Allen the Alien allows himself to be captured and locked away in the same prison complex with plans of rescuing the once respected Omni-Man.

Some of the other stories covered in this TPB include the rapid growth of Invincible's half-brother Oliver, the relationship between Invincible and Atom Eve, Invincible's gradual flunking out of college, the effects on Immortal after Dupli-Kate's tragic death, and a startling conclusion that reveals the Global Defense Agency might be more than meets the eye. Issue #50 promises to conclude some of the revelations about Cecil Stedman and his Global Defense Agency, and if you're like me, you might not be able to wait for the next TPB to read that story.

As usual, the art by Ryan Ottley is top notch and Kirkman's tongue-in-cheek style is perfect for Invincible and the colorful characters that surround him. If you're not familiar with Invincible, maybe the best way to describe the book's attitude is if a young Peter Parker was given Superman's powers instead of being bitten by a radioactive spider. The stress he faces as only an 18-year-old is unbearable, but he manages to endure it all with his usual sarcastic yet optimistic approach.

Volume 9 establishes that this series is not in danger of running out of steam, which is something that is even more admirable when you consider how many titles Kirkman writes these days. Like other Image TPBs, it has a low cover price, and is well worth the purchase. If you'd like to sit down to a fun book and let your imagination flow for just a while, this TPB is the book for you, and another quality addition to your Image superhero library.

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Heavy-handed recaps ruin this arc

This is a strong series, but these issues are filled with hardly any momentum or purpose and packed with recaps and reintroductions. That's not to say nothing important happens, but it all happens without excitement and with no driving plot. Little changes, nothing resolves and all the characters feel like they're forcing lines because they have to remind readers who they are.

Much of Kirkman's work during the time these issues were being released suffered similarly (Ultimate X-Men specifically, but the Walking Dead has been in a slump also). I can't wait for him to work through this funk he's in so Invincible can really shine. It's one of the best comic books I've read, and it's sad to see a trade with as little substance as this. It also seems unbelievable that something like this would suffer months and months of delays.

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