Rather than simply have Cory Walker take over full art duties for a few issues, the current Invincible storyline has taken the interesting approach of dividing pages between Walker and Ryan Ottley. The two artists definitely work well together. Their styles are just similar enough to maintain consistency while also easily highlighting the differences between the Flaxan flashbacks and the present-day material. Ideally, this approach could be replicated in the future when Ottley needs a break and the story structure allows for it.
That being said, Robert Kirkman's decision to divide this arc along those two fronts has its drawbacks. The general pacing of the series seems to have slowed considerably in these most recent two issues. And particularly with the way the ending plays out in this issue (losing much of its impact because the reader isn't sure what exactly they're seeing or what it means), the book may have been better served by focusing solely on the Robot/Monster Girl flashbacks before diving into the new Flaxan conflict.
Still, there's plenty to enjoy in these pages. If Kirkman took his sweet time revealing what happened to Robot and Monster Girl in their time trapped in the Flaxan universe, the payoff is well worth it. That story is developing an unexpectedly tragic edge. It's also fun to watch mark deal with his newfound feelings of helplessness as the world falls into chaos once more. But perhaps the best aspect of this story is the way Kirkman is finally humanizing the new Invincible. Zandale's family woes nicely offset his tendency towards bravado and generally being a jerk.
Walking Dead may be hogging most of the spotlight when it comes to Robert Kirkman's work these days, but Invincible is still chugging along capably even with its lead hero out of action.
Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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