The 21st Century’s Best Animated Superhero Series Has Nothing To Do With Marvel Or DC

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While many people remember the 1990s as the peak of animated superhero shows with hits like Batman, X-Men, and Spider-Man, the 21st century has also delivered excellent series. Shows like X-Men ’97, Justice League Unlimited, and The Spectacular Spider-Man demonstrate that the superhero boom since 2000 isn’t just about live-action movies and TV shows.

Marvel and DC are still the biggest names in superheroes, but occasionally a new series comes along that truly stands out and even surpasses them. When looking at superhero animation over the last quarter-century, one release consistently rises above the rest.

Invincible Has Taken Animated Superheroes To A Whole New Level

As a critic, I’ve seen a lot of superhero cartoons, and Invincible definitely stands out. It’s based on Robert Kirkman’s comic, and it doesn’t shy away from being violent or tackling adult issues – which is a refreshing change of pace. But honestly, it’s not just the shocking visuals, like seeing our hero Mark Grayson get seriously injured, that makes this show so compelling. There’s something deeper at play here.

Because Invincible appeals to a wide audience, it can explore its characters in more complex and meaningful ways, and it does just that. The show is full of characters you genuinely care about – not just the main ones, but even those with smaller roles often get surprisingly well-developed storylines.

I’ve always been captivated by Atom Eve, and Invincible really let her shine. Even from the first season, she was interesting, but giving her that special episode truly developed her character in a way I wasn’t expecting. It’s amazing how a being with so much power can still feel so relatable – every time she goes home anticipating criticism, I just feel for her. That’s what I love about Invincible; it blends the fantastical with such genuine human emotion, and Eve perfectly embodies that delicate balance.

Even characters with smaller roles can have a big impact. Powerplex appears in only a few episodes, but his downfall is central to the emotional story of Invincible season 3. It’s telling that Aaron Paul, who voices Powerplex, will leave the role after season 3, explaining that the part was emotionally draining and difficult to play.

What makes Invincible truly exceptional isn’t just its intense and often heartbreaking moments. The show skillfully balances those heavy emotions with genuinely funny, lighthearted scenes. A perfect example is in season 2, when Mark jokingly explains animation shortcuts during a comic-con scene—while the show is actually using those same shortcuts in the background.

Thanks to its humor, including silly gags and characters like Shapesmith and Allen the Alien, Invincible can explore incredibly dark and tragic events that most other animated superhero shows avoid. This balance between lighthearted comedy and serious drama makes Invincible a truly satisfying and complete show.

Invincible Still Owes A Debt To Marvel & DC

Though not created by Marvel or DC, the comic Invincible clearly shows their influence. Several characters are obvious spoofs of well-known heroes – Darkwing is a parody of Batman, the first team of Guardians of the Globe is very similar to the Justice League, and Agent Spider is a take on Spider-Man. Interestingly, in the comics, Invincible even had a crossover where it featured the actual Spider-Man!

Even without considering specific similarities, Invincible still feels like a classic superhero story from Marvel or DC. The idea of a teen trying to juggle everyday life with secret crime-fighting was popularized by Stan Lee and Spider-Man. And the concept of a powerful hero becoming corrupted is something we’ve seen in stories like Superman, though Invincible‘s Viltrumites offer a more intense and sinister take on the idea of Krypton.

The conflicts between Mark and the Global Defense Agency echo the political themes of Marvel’s Civil War, and Angstrom Levy’s storyline shares similarities with Kang the Conqueror. While Invincible clearly draws inspiration from these iconic comic book stories, what truly sets it apart is its ability to take familiar ideas and create something fresh and original.

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2026-01-09 01:48