How Invincible Season 2 Sets Itself Apart from the MCU & DCEU, According to Robert Kirkman

Summary

Invincible creator Robert Kirkman explains how season 2 stands out from the MCU and DCEU by fully embracing the weird and endearing aspects of superhero comics.

In contrast to the MCU and DCEU, Invincible utilizes the multiverse to explore the protagonist's identity and present new perspectives, rather than leaning on nostalgia.

Through its embrace of the unconventional and its focus on character development, Invincible effectively avoids superhero fatigue and provides a rejuvenating perspective on the genre.

Invincible creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman discusses the distinctions between season 2 of Invincible and the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe. The first season of Invincible received critical acclaim for its animation, action, voice cast, and fresh take on the well-known narrative of a teenager discovering his superpowers and becoming a superhero. The highly anticipated season 2 has been met with positivity and enthusiasm, even as discussions surrounding superhero fatigue arise due to recent MCU and DCEU projects.

In a conversation with Variety, Kirkman highlights the unique aspects of Invincible season 2 and how it sets itself apart from the MCU and DCEU. His remarks delve into how Invincible captures the essence of superhero comics and how the treatment of the multiverse differs from that of the movies and television series within the MCU and DCEU. Read Kirkman's comments below:

One of the secrets behind the success of "Invincible" is our complete embrace of superhero comics. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which tends to make everything more grounded in reality, we fully embrace the fantastical elements. For example, you won't see Robert Downey Jr. having a conversation with a fish person in the MCU. But in the tradition of comic books, there was even an issue of "Superman" where he had to marry a mermaid. I personally love the weird and unconventional aspects, and it seems that our audience does too.

The allure of the multiverse lies in the ability to explore different facets of familiar concepts. It's like pushing an easy button: "Okay, let's bring in these beloved Fox characters that everyone remembers. Let's include a digital cameo of Christopher Reeve. We'll take something popular for its nostalgia and intensify that nostalgia even more." As a fan myself, I understand why this approach is so appealing. However, what we're doing with "Invincible" is a little different. We're using the multiverse to delve into Mark's character and explore facets of him that may not have been revealed yet. It's a story that is deeply rooted in character development. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of including the Invincible from the popular 1990s cartoon, but if we could, we definitely would.

Why Invincible Is Safe From Superhero Fatigue

Superhero fatigue has been a topic of discussion mainly focused on the MCU and DCEU, whose upcoming projects are lacking the excitement they once had. Invincible, on the other hand, has managed to avoid the criticism of feeling generic by fully embracing the weird and endearing aspects of superhero comics, as pointed out by Kirkman. This is evident in the first season of the television series, and the recently released trailer for Invincible season 2 indicates that it will continue this approach.

While some projects in the MCU and DCEU, particularly those helmed by James Gunn, have embraced this level of weirdness, many other stories tend to shy away from it. Kirkman's comments about the multiverse in season 2 refer to the main villain, Angstrom Levy, who has the ability to access different universes. This presents a threat unlike anything Mark encountered in the previous season. The use of the multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Flash, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is employed to resurrect beloved characters from earlier superhero movies by Fox in the early 2000s.

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The Invincible comics delved into the concept of the multiverse long before the emergence of these movies. Rather than relying on nostalgia, both the comics and the television series utilize the multiverse to challenge Mark with aspects of his identity that have not yet been explored. This character-driven approach to the multiverse sets it apart from simply bringing back beloved versions of certain characters for the sake of nostalgia. By embracing the peculiarities of superhero comics and adopting a character-focused perspective on the multiverse, Invincible is able to avoid succumbing to superhero fatigue and remain fresh.

Source: Variety