By Robert Kirkman (writer), Ryan Ottley (pencils, inks), Fco Plascencia (color) Rus Wooton (letters)
The Story: While Mark and Eve require some private time; Robert Kirkman allows an interlude to develop the space opera side of the Invincible Universe. We check-in on Allen the Alien and Mark’s father, Nolan, as they both await execution by their Viltrumite captors. Allen implements his escape plan and mayhem ensues as he and Nolan are joined by an unexpected, but welcomed character, who made his only and beastly (hint, hint) appearance all the way back in issue #19. After the escape succeeds, Nolan reveals shocking information about the very nature of the Viltrumite Empire that will drastically affect things to come.
The Good: Well, this is pretty much a Kirkman fan’s dream issue. You’ve got Nolan, Allen, and the surprise guest finally getting some revenge against the smug Viltrumites. The writing captures strong characterization and dialogue, while delivering both humor and gore right on cue. Although the art noticeably switches styles in the course of this issue from clean lines and thin ink over to feathered lines and thick ink, it still remains gorgeous and unique.
The-Not-So-Good: I can’t complain about the art, but my preference is for the clean, open style that Ryan Ottley revolutionized in the first 50 issues in this series. Additionally, the status of the guest star and his battle is left ambiguous. I would have liked to see how it concludes.
Conclusion: It’s great to get back to Nolan, who I find to be the most interesting character in Invincible. I hope to see him in more issues down the road and watch the role he plays, if any, in the plot line involving Oliver’s development. Simply, this is a classic Invincible issue which works on every level.
Grade: A+
- Rob Galinsky
Filed under: Image Comics, Reviews Tagged: | Fco Plascencia, Image, Image Comics, INVINCIBLE, Invincible #55, Invincible #55 Review, Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley
