Invincible’s Apocalyptic ‘THE INVINCIBLE WAR’ Is Impossible to Adapt Without Huge Changes

Summary

• “The Invincible War” brought Image Comics characters together in a massive battle, a true testament to the publisher’s history and Kirkman’s career.
• Despite challenges, the adaptation of “The Invincible War” to TV could bring iconic characters to life, creating an even more impressive crossover story.
• Fans may see “The Invincible War” on television, but changes are expected due to complicated rights issues and the nuances of adapting such an intricate comic story.

Invincible has successfully made the jump from comics to TV, but one story may prove impossible to adapt without making some significant changes. “The Invincible War” featured a staggering amount of Image Comics guest stars, making it one of the most exciting comic book crossovers of its kind – while at the same time, ensuring that it would also rank among the most difficult to adapt.

Invincible #60 – written by Robert Kirman, with art by Ryan Ottley – fits an entire crossover event into one single issue. The story is predicated Invincible’s enemy Angstrom Levy traveling the multiverse and gathering evil versions of Mark Grayson, in order to get revenge on Invincible for nearly killing him in their previous encounter.

When the evil Marks invade the main Invincible universe, the heroes of Image Comics rally together to face the threat, leading to a fight that is as chaotic and brutal as it is filled with cameo appearances by heroes from throughout Image’s decades-long history.

Among the most notable Image characters who appear in
Invincible
#60: Spawn, Savage Dragon, Youngblood, Madman, Firebreather, Witchblade, the Darkness, and Jack Staff, with many more joining the fight before the issue ends.

Spawn, Youngblood, Witchblade & More Appear In Robert Kirkman’s Epic Crossover

Fighting Alongside (And Against) Invincible

[Robert Kirkman] has spoken about
Savage Dragon
as a major inspiration, making his opportunity to use the character in “The Invincible War” hold a great deal of meaning, beyond just what happened on the page.

“The Invincible War” was a remarkable story in several ways. Approximately five years into Invincible’s run, Robert Kirkman and his collaborators delivered the ongoing series’ most brutal, intense action yet – surpassing an already high standard for superhero violence that it had established up to that point. Of course, this can be overshadowed by the truly exciting thing about the story: the full integration of Image Comics’ catalog of characters into the Invincible Universe. In addition to connecting the publisher’s past and present, it was also a culmination of Robert Kirkman’s career up to that point.

The early Image Comics era was highly formative for Kirkman, who has cited the influence of the company’s extreme ’90s aesthetic and innovative storytelling on his own work for the company a decade-plus later. In particular, the author has spoken about Savage Dragon as a major inspiration, making his opportunity to use the character in “The Invincible War” hold a great deal of meaning, beyond just what happened on the page. Also notable was Invincible #60’s single-panel cameo for Spawn, arguably Image’s most famous creation, at least prior to Kirkman’s era.

The story of “The Invincible War” is frenetic, and given how much plot it packs into a single issue, most of the Image characters who appear do so just as fleetingly as Spawn – some even more so, appearing only in the background, whereas Todd McFarlane’s hellspawn character at least was prominently featured, however briefly. Among the other most memorable appearances were Witchblade, and Darkwing, and the members of Youngblood, all of whom Kirkman and artist Ryan Ottley feature in critical, if limited, roles.

The Invincible War Would Unite Image’s Comics Heroes in Animation

Unlike Anything Ever Before

There is little doubt that Robert Kirkman could make a TV version of “The Invincible War” work, given the opportunity. In fact, in all likelihood, he would…craft an even superior version of the crossover story.

“The Invincible War” is an impressive narrative feat on the page – but adapting it for Amazon Prime’s Invincible animated series would be an even more significant achievement. The ambitious scope of the plot would certainly make it fitting for an adaptation; however, there are a number of obstacles in the way of Robert Kirkman’s “War” story to the screen. That said, Kirkman’s plans for the television version of Invincible are already ambitious, and many of the pieces are in place for an eventual animated take on “The Invincible War.”

There is little doubt that Robert Kirkman could make a TV version of “The Invincible War” work, given the opportunity. In fact, in all likelihood, he would approach the opportunity like a second draft, using the time that has past and what he has learned since to craft an even superior version of the crossover story. Were more Image Comics properties, such as Spawn, or Youngbloods, to receive new animated shows, “The Invincible War” could in fact be the perfect starting point. That said, the logistical hold-ups to an adaptation go beyond just the story.

Creator-Owned Characters & Comics Mean “Invincible War” Can’t Work

…Can It?

An adaptation of “The Invincible War” is a glass half-full/half-empty situation. The question isn’t whether it can be done, but whether the changes that it would require would be viewed as compromising its vision, or making it more effective for a different medium.

While Angstrom Levy and the concept of alternate universe versions of Invincible have already appeared in the TV series, it is highly unlikely that “The Invincible War” will be adapted – at least, not exactly like it is in the comics. Nearly all the characters appearing in Invincible #60 are owned by their respective creators; due to the complexities of negotiating film & television rights, this makes each individual characters’ appearance in the Invincible show more of an arduous task to pull together. Especially if their respective characters’ roles were intended to be as limited as in the comic.

.

Still, some version of “The Invincible War” could be brought to life in Amazon’s Invincible, integrating a smaller set of Image characters into the show’s storyline. Those who played more crucial roles in the comic – most notably Savage Dragon – would be effective additions to the show, capturing the intention of Kirkman’s original story, while also paying similar tribute by elevating some of the most classic Image characters to wider popular attention. In terms of its massive scope and shocking battle scenes, new background heroes could be introduced to replace those Image characters who didn’t make the cut.

In all, an adaptation of “The Invincible War” is a glass half-full/half-empty situation. The question isn’t whether it can be done, but whether the changes that it would require would be viewed as compromising its vision, or making it more effective for a different medium. In a sense, this is the question at the heart of all comic book adaptations. Given that “The Invincible War” was such a consummate comic book story, it makes sense that it would become a potent embodiment of this perennial battle of perspectives.

“Invincible War” Remains Among Comics Most Epic Crossovers

A Stunning Single Issue

Longtime fans would love to see characters from the well-known, like Spawn and Savage Dragon, to the more obscure, such as Madman or Pitt, finally appear on-screen in
Invincible
, but the important thing is that the TV series continues to tell the strongest version of the story possible.

Invincible #60 is packed with dramatic moments that could be perfectly realized on-screen, such as Mark having to rush Atom Eve off to the hospital during the battle, or the heroic sacrifice of longtime Invincible mainstay Rex Splode. The story ends in a dramatic moment, with Mark deciding to kill Angstrom Levy to prevent this from happening again, only for Levy to escape at the last minute. Though only a single issue, it feels expansive, and incredibly tense throughout. It is a story that could be told in a single episode, like the comic, or expanded to cover an entire season of television.

Longtime fans would love to see characters from the well-known, like Spawn and Savage Dragon, to the more obscure, such as Madman or Pitt, finally appear on-screen in Invincible, but the important thing is that the TV series continues to tell the strongest version of the story possible. Given that Invincible already has an entire universe of superheroes to draw from, including classic Image Comics characters would be a delight, though not a necessity.

The Invincible War may be coming to the small screen eventually, but the classic Invincible story will have to change to get there.

Invincible
#60 is available from Image Comics as a stand-alone issue. It is also collected as part of
Invincible Vol. 12: Still Standing,
the trade paperback containing issues #60-65, featuring “The Invincible War” as well as the issues depicting its aftermath.