Through three seasons, Invincible has been one of the most faithful and entertaining comic adaptations to date. Created by Robert Kirkman (from his comic with Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley), Invincible has been a resounding success on Prime Video, boasting a near flawless 99% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and already renewed through a fifth season of new episodes. Part of what makes the series so great is that Kirkman managed to elevate an already stellar comic story to new heights in the animated series.
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Just as he did with The Walking Dead, Kirkman made a few tweaks to his characters’ comic-to-television transition, with certain characters being much more fleshed out and relatable in the animated series. While the story of Mark Grayson/Invincible and Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man are explored deeply in the Prime Video series, there are a few other Invincible characters that were improved by the animated series.
1) The Mauler Twins
Though their hulking frames suggest that they are more brawn than brains, the Mauler Twins are geniuses capable of rivaling the galaxy’s mightiest heroes with sheer intellect. The original (whichever one that was) was a brilliant scientist that created a cloning machine and tested it on himself. This produced his clone that thought he himself was the original, thus forming a terrorizing duo of rebellious inventors.
In the comics, the Mauler Twins suffer losses to Omni-Man, Invincible and even the Teen Team. In the animated series, however, the clever clones are constantly one step ahead of their opposition and routinely wreak havoc in Chicago and abroad. Plus, the constant bickering between the two scientists over who is the original and who is the clone leads to some the series’ most humorous moments.
2) Rex Splode
Rex is not your typical superhero. He’s an arrogant, selfish and immature womanizer who rather spend his time flirting than using his abilities to fight crime. His unwillingness to take accountability in the comics made him downright bothersome at times and he hardly Showcased any redeemable traits until sacrificing his life to protect the Earth from a Viltrumite invasion.
In the animated series, though he is still childish and unloyal to his now ex-girlfriend Atom Eve, Rex more frequently exudes charm and kindness. He is still far from the ideal role model, but when duty calls, he never backs down from a challenge and proved himself as a selfless hero with his explosive self-sacrifice in Season 3.
3) Cecil Stedman
Although his tale in the animated series doesn’t differ much from his comic origins, Cecil Steadman is such an integral part of the Invincible universe that it’s impossible to leave him off the list.
Willing to maintain global security by any means – and I do mean any means – Cecil has earned the reputation as a cold, yet calculated leader and operative. After quickly learning from Director Raddfcliffe that he could either be the good guy or the guy who saved the world, but not always both at the same time, Cecil adopted that mantra and led the Global Defense Agency with an iron fist.
He isn’t heartless, but he isn’t shy about making the necessary sacrifices and tough decisions to keep Earth safe, either. His constant pursuit of global security and its accompanying tactics are one of the most compelling stories in Invincible and Kirkman did an excellent job transitioning his character from the comics.
4) Atom Eve
In the comics, Atom Eve became a sex symbol among lewd readers. Capable of changing her bodily anatomy, she would often enlarge her breasts or take on a more curvy form, much to the delight of her love interest Invincible (and perhaps fans reading at home).
In the animated series, however, Atom Eve hardly uses her abilities for physical appeal and her story is largely predicated on her humanitarian work. Able to create objects at will, Atom Eve has built parks for children and restored deforested woodlands for animals to inhabit. Furthermore, as a heroine, Atom Eve has proven that she can hang with the best. She fought Viltrumites, helped prevent a Martian invasion and frequently partners with Invincible to thwart injustice.
5) Donald Fergurson
Donald Fergurson is a high-ranking assistant to Cecil Stedman, and together they protect the world as the most important figures in the Global Defense Agency. Donald always has Cecil’s back, and in the comic, that’s really the full extent of his character. Without hesitation, Donald will die and be rebuilt time and again to protect his country, with little room for his own personal growth.
In the animated series, Donald is jarred by the discovery of his repeated deaths and almost completely robotic anatomy. He wrestles with the cruel reality that he resembles a weapon more than a human, but eventually finds comfort in the fact that he does what he always intended, which is to protect his allies.
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