Over the past 30 years, comic books have grown darker and more adult orientated. Be it the advent of darker, more violent superheroes such as Wolverine and the Punisher becoming fer more popular than traditional "wholesome" heros like Superman or Spider-Man, or the launch of Vertigo's adult titles such as Sandman, Hellblazer, Preacher and the Invisibles, good old fasion superheroes were considered lame and boring. The traditional ones maintained, but virtually all new characters and titles were edgy, violent and adult themed and have been so for decades.
Up untill recently.
More down there.....
Then came along writer Robert Kirkman. He first revived the decades dead horror comic books with the great series "The Walking Dead" currently appearing on AMC television.
But more shocking than that was the birth of an old school teenage superhero. How a title like this got published in the first place is shocking. What's even more amazing is just how good it is and it's popularity.
Mark Grayson is a normal teenager, who's father is Omni-Man: a Superman type who is the most powerfull super hero on earth. Omni-Man is a Vitrumite. A race of super beings who pose as heroes in order to colonize and enslave the populations of various planets to increase their empire. Mark doesn't know this however. He is just a normal kid who has a shitty after school job at a fast food joint. One day while taking out the trash, his toss of the trashbag goes flying into orbit (Eventually landing in England) and realises he has finally developed his super powers. He then decides to be a super hero, initially with his dad's help. Mark then befriends other teen superheroes. He battles an alien cyclops named Allen (Great unique character!!!!!) who ends up becoming a friend and mentor to him, and learns the truth about his father and fights him in order to save Earth from colinization. All the while, Mark keeps the faith that his father truely loves him and his human mother, and he is proved to be correct.
Add in the great cast of supporting characters, including a Justace League inspired group called the Global Gardians (Who now have a spin off title of there own) as well as powerless "normal" friends and the typical teenager romantic drama we all went through as kids and you get a truley great series that flys in the face of what is supposed to be popular these days.
I'm not the first person to be surprised by how much I love this character/series, and I don't expect to be the last. In this era wear dark brooding excessivly violent anti-heroes are all the rage., it's kind of nice to see a sweet nice innocent hero for a change.
Here is a youtube reprint of Invincible #2 for your reading pleasure.