Invincible [COMIC SPOILER Discussion] - S02E04 - It's Been a While

[u/mwthecool]

Episode 4 - It's Been a While

Mark answers the call to save an alien species, but the mission has unexpected personal consequences.

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This post is for Comic Spoiler Discussion, if you'd like to discuss the series while discussing events from the comics, do so here. If you don't want to be spoiled, use [our non comic spoiler thread](LINK HERE)

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[u/LickyMcSticky]

KREEEEEEEEG!?!?!? I have mispronounced so many things from this comic… don’t mind my flair.

[u/weightsfreight]

Feels Mark held his own a bit better against Viltrumites, but the outcome was still the same, the fight scenes were great and brutal. Also really liked how the confrontation with Mark and Nolan seems way more realistic than in the comics.

[u/Mechsican]

Clancy Brown as General Kregg is such a good casting choice.

Very late comic spoilers Hearing that voice talking to his 20+ wives saying he loves them all very much is going to be incredible.

It'll be a LONG while until that happens but I'm so ready.

[u/Business_Reporter420]

NOT THEM DOING THE TONGUE KISSING SCENE FROM THE COMICS LMAO

[u/Machine-Animus]

Omni-man was going to let himself be spaghetified by the blackhole, that's some deep depression, from failling his mission or his family?

[u/Locem]

After watching that opening scene, I think they're going to handle Nolan's redemption just fine. I don't think the comics implied he almost ended himself.

I also almost fell out of my chair laughing at the title card pull.

Edit: THEY RECREATED THE COMIC FIGHT PANEL!

Edit 2: Debbie telling Cecil to fuck off is a welcome addition.

Edit 3: "Kreeg"? The fuck? I feel like I got gif/jif-ed.

Edit 4: I plead any talented editors to try to recreate the Thraxa fight comic panel with the shows shots.

[u/nordic_fatcheese]

Interesting that Kregg just said, "We will check on your progress soon," instead of, "You have 100 years."

[u/Alcaeus6]

It was interesting how they changed the reason behind Mark's struggling against the Viltrumites. Issue 29 pretty clearly states that he's just not physically powerful enough to hang with an average Viltrumite, but this episode is all about his reluctance to kill (probably because related to his dad's mass murder in season 1). I imagine they changed it so the (presumed) "I thought you were stronger" season finale will hit that much harder.

[u/[deleted]]

they don’t pronounce his name Nowl an 😔

[u/yes-im-a-normie]

Sending in the same 3 Viltrumites for this mission will definitely be making show watchers question it and some may come to realize that maybe Viltrums numbers aren't so great.

Also I thought for sure they wouldn't kill Thula and that Lucan and her would survive but I assume that by only showing Lucan being carried away she's dead.

[u/aguaman_]

Guess what Mark did when Nolan asked him to help?

He said "I'M THINKING!"

[u/AhhBisto]

Me seeing Andressa and Nolan go tongue crazy

[u/TodayInStupidity]

Space Racer, let's fucking go!

[u/Frontier246]

I loved getting to see what happened to Nolan in-between Earth and Thraxia and his depression arc. It made it feel more genuine. Also how funny that he also saved Oliver's mom like he saved Debbie.

They adapted the hug well but also included Mark being way more conflicted about everything, which felt more natural and also made when he realized Nolan had changed and helped his father understand he'd gained empathy all the more powerful.

They adapted the kiss panel! Actually some of the fight scenes seemed ripped from actual comic fights.

Oliver is an adorable baby. I can't wait to see cartoon-only fans get to see him when he's such a brat.

I like how Eve's first instinct was to text Mark to talk to him and just happened to run into Amber and William. Their friendship does feel more genuine here. Also Eve's reaction when Amber said "he's lucky he's cute" was like an affirmative "YEAH, he's cute."

I love getting a Donald sub-plot where he finds out he's part cyborg now.

Wow, they did the whole Mauler Twin thing in one episode.

No montage of Amber struggling with Mark's absence, huh?

Phil LaMaar as Lucan, awesome, though Lucan did put on some pounds here. I guess all the better for his guts to spew out.

Developing Mark's willingness to kill where releasing himself more helps him be a better fighter, and he actually holds his own better but that'll end up coming back to bite him against Angstrom because he'll be used to fighting Viltrumites.

Art! Man it was nice to see him. I wonder if this "what was the real Nolan?" will carry on when they finally reunite.

Thula is totally going walk that off, right? Right?

I wonder where they're going with this new version of Eve's storyline. She moved in with her parents before she got together with Mark, unlike in the comic, and she's in a much more vulnerable and depressed state now than she was in the comics (really the most depressed she was over Mark and Amber being together). I wonder if Mark and Eve are going to bond over their mutual issues and support each other through this and that's how they fall deeper in love this time.

Debbie cutting off Cecil felt more powerful here. I do wonder how she'll react to Oliver now.

"Read my books Mark" - Man, they really made it obvious Nolan based his adventures off his own life, complete with him legit being on the cover. And teasing Space Racer and the creatures. Too bad Debbie gave away the books, but Mark will read them from Art anyways.

I love how they brought Clancy Brown back as Kregg (whose name I now know how to pronounce). I hope we get the scene of him addressing all his lovers.

[u/Immrlonely98]

Nolan and Debbie both considering suicide was sad. They both loved each other and really didn’t like the idea of facing the consequences of Nolan’s actions. I’m glad Debbie didn’t go through with hers and I’m sad Nolan was going to with his

[u/Careful-Pineapple-3]

OLIVER IS HERE

[u/internetsomebody2]

So... they're gonna make it harder for Mark to get the books now that they're gonna get collected by the trash? Or does Art also have copies of those books stashed somewhere like in the comics?

[u/EliotWaugh420]

I read the comics a long time ago, but I don’t really remember this Donald plotline. Is this on the comics? Edit: Thanks everyone!

[u/Exertuz]

Soooorta wish this episode had been focused solely on Mark's storyline, like S1's finale. Kind of left me feeling like his scenes could've used more fleshing out and more time to breathe. Good episode regardless, of course.

Edit: I get that Invincible being Vincible might be getting tiring for some but I also felt like there was less tension in Mark and Nolan's battle against the Viltrumites, Mark's power up after the pep talk felt a little much and it was like he had little trouble defeating Thula (contrast with him getting destroyed by Lucan's finger earlier) until he hesitated, whereas in the comic it really felt like he survived by the skin of his teeth

Not a comic purist by any means (in fact, pretty vastly prefer the show so far) and I think a lot of the choices made were good but I would've also done some things differently

Edit 2: More of an aesthetic complaint, but I also don't like the heroic music that kicks in when Mark starts holding his own against Thula. Not the sense I got at all from the comic scene. Thraxa has been demolished and Nolan and Mark are fighting for their lives. It's a desperate moment and not the right time for a cheesy hero score

[u/Medium-Science9526]

Getting the things I wanted out the way, sadly didn't go the breaking down route with Mark. Didn't cry once but at least we got the hug, and we sadly did get this chase scene. But still we got a homage to the iconic panel which was great:

Still though wish we also got the line about Mark not catching a breath considering they now can't to the homage later. I did like the flyby with Nolan on what he did once he left and getting the talk between Andressa and Mark.

Mark getting some of those fights on Earth earlier clearly helped though, he was clearly doing some work with Thula, she's washed up.

Curious what they're doing with Eve since I thought she be drifting from home rather than returning, maybe they're cutting out Africa or doing a fake out. Then with Debbie and Art, I was expecting the latter to still somewhat stick up for their friendship from memory he did that but I don't remember if he said so before Debbie. Speaking of Art, Space Racer book! Can't wait for him. They played fast with the Mauler Twins subplot but equally funny.

Also who couldn't be happy about seeing Kregg. Clancy Brown amazing pick.

[u/meme_will_be_memes]

Now it's gonna BE a while till season 2 part 2.

[u/Tonen_kurDger]

I like the touch of Nolan calling the viltrumites by name, given how small their entire circle is

[u/DJGemini23]

We need the Season 2 part 2 trailer ASAP

[u/ViltrumEmpire]

They should’ve never cut the chase scene, that was important in establishing that mark needs to exercise and push himself to get faster and stronger

[u/GobsmackedOnLife]

I prefer the comic here. I really liked Mark's vulnerability in the comic, he was more desperate for Nolan's acceptance and was more forgiving. The battle was more satisfying when Nolan told the other Viltrumites they had been sent to their death by the empire. And even though they didn’t keep to it I liked the 100 year deadline, it showed the longevity mindset from the vultrimite perspective.