Invincible Volume 14: The Viltrumite War (INVINCIBLE TP) Paperback – Illustrated, 10 May 2011

...and with it all the action we were expecting with it. It does not dissapoint. Are you ready for all the blood and guts "Invincible" as accustomed you to in this over the top violent mess?

Invincible is probably just about, in a close-run fight, my favourite solo superhero title. Gail Simone's Secret Six group book beats it overall.When it started, 15 year old Mark lived happily with his mom and Science Fiction writer dad. Except that Dad turned out to be Omniman, the world's strongest superhero and member of the Guardians of the Globe, and Mark is just beginning to develop super powers of his own. He's just getting warmed up when Omniman kills the Guardians and is revealed as an alien, a Viltrumite, who is preparing for the conquest of Earth. After beating his son to a pulp, he heads off into deep space.For the next few years (this is almost set in real time), Mark as Invincible learns his trade as a superhero, gets a girlfriend, loses his virginity, becomes established in Image Comics superhero universe, develops relationships, realises that his friend Atom Eve is the girl of his dreams, survives encounters with other Viltrumites and finally the stage is set for the Viltrumite War.Despite their near-Superman power levels, the Viltrumite population has declined rapidly and their interstellar empire is vulnerable to a coalition of their enemies. The coalition, however, needs Invincible (now nearly the equal of his father), a reformed Omniman, their friend the one-eyed Allen the Alien, and Mark's young half-brother by his father with an alien humanoid insectile princess (it's a long story, okay?).So basically what you've got is an epic interstellar superpower war which this series has been building up to for the preceding 70 issues of the comic (13 trade paperbacks).Did I mention that it's extremely violent at times? It certainly doesn't pull its punches as heads explode and limbs are ripped off. The series started out as what appeared to be a rather sweet son of Superman sort of thing but, despite the clear exaggerated style, it quickly became dark in tone while still managing an effective lightness of touch.Obviously this isn't the place to start, which is with Volume 1, but it's a terrific payoff for fans of Invincible who've following this series from the beginning. The twist at the end is also completely unexpected. I'm also really looking forward to the next one as when Invincible left Earth at the beginning, he didn't know his girlfriend was pregnant. Now it's ten months later. Great stuff.

since volume 1 this comic has had me interested but not gripped like other comics, this I am able to put down. im just reading one volume at a time but just as it feels its getting stale the action starts up again

It's been building up to this: the final confrontation between Invincible, his father, Allen and others against the Viltrumites out to destroy them. The book is basically one long battle with casualties on both sides, including some much-loved characters.It does not all end well but the book is engaging enough to see through to the end – a new chapter in all of their lives beckons. Now onto Volume 15.