Mark Grayson is down for the count, while Zandale Randolph, formerly known as Bulletproof, has donned the role of Invincible. Invincible is being taken care of by the remaining Viltrumites, but do they have an ulterior motive in helping their one-time enemy? How will throwing Dinosaurus into the mix change the dynamic? Find out after the jump!
INVINCIBLE #90
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Penciler: Ryan Ottley
Inker: Cliff Rathburn
Colorist: John Rauch
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Editor: Sina Grace
Cover: Ryan Ottley and FCO Plascencia
Publisher: Image Comics (Skybound Imprint)
Cover Price: $2.99
Previously, in Invincible: Invincible is out of commission, but the Viltrumites have generously offered to take care of him in their state of the art facility on the moon. We saw the Viltrumite leader get some secret news, after which he killed the messenger. Meanwhile, Bulletproof has just taken on the title of Invincible and gone off to help Eve by working for the Invincible security firm.
CHOCK FULL OF STORY
The issue starts right where the last one left off; Bulletproof is off to protect a client of Mark and Eve’s security firm, a villain hilariously known as “The Walking Dread.” It’s a great quick one-liner and then we’re back to our main story on the Viltrumite’s moon-station for a great quick dialogue between the Viltrumite leader and Dinosaurus, and then to the old mainstay of the Pentagon with Allen and Oliver. The book packs a lot of development for the entire cast in, with the first third of the book never having the same characters for more than two pages in a row.
After Bulletproof saves the day (hinting that we’ll see The Walking Dread again in the future) he starts hitting on Eve again, and thankfully she does something unusual for a woman in comic books; she stands up for herself, calls him on his creepiness, then orders him to leave. The tendency of women in media to either give into, or at the very least not immediately stand up to unwanted advances is a strong pet peeve of mine, so seeing Eve put her foot down made me almost cheer out loud.
DINOSAURUS VERSUS ANOTHER VILTRUMITE
We’ve seen Dinosaurus fight Invincible, but now he catches Grand Regent Thragg as the leader of the Viltrumites tries to off Mark, who is apparently the lost son of Argall, heir to the throne of Viltrum and therefore could challenge Thragg’s right of rule. Ryan Ottley is doing the pencils for this issue, and the entire fight scene between Dinosaurus and Thragg is perfect, as the reptilian antihero’s claws and teeth shatter on the invulnerable Grand Regent—but Dinosaurus isn’t really known for his physical ferocity but his mental prowess, and sure enough he’s already out-thought Thragg.
OTTLEY IN TOP FORM
I have always enjoyed Ryan Ottley’s artwork, but this issue is probably the finest I’ve seen him draw. The colorist and inker also deserve credit of course, but it’s Ottley’s action sequences that provide the draw for a lot of fans. The moment where Dinosaurus tries to bite off Thragg’s head, and the gorey moment that follows really grabbed me emotionally.
THE VERDICT: STILL THE BEST SUPERHERO COMIC IN THE UNIVERSE!
Every contributor to this book is on top of their game right now; with the Scourge virus taking its toll on Mark we’re really getting to see the rest of the cast shine. Dinosaurus has been made into a compelling character who I hope we continue to see more of, and (Major Spoiler Alert) it looks like we’re going to get to see Invincible back in action next issue – if you’ve been a fan of the title in the past and dropped off, this is a great time to get back into the world of Invincible! I’m giving Invincible #90 a full 5 out of 5 stars for being a perfect synthesis of great writing and fantastic art.
[rating:5/5]