Amazon Studios has greenlit an adaptation of the comic book series Invincible. Acclaimed writer Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) will adapt his own work alongside co-creator Cory Walker and artist Ryan Ottley.
However, unlike most comic book adaptations nowadays, Invincible will be an animated series. Not only that, but an R-rated, adult-oriented animated series that’s set to run eight episodes.
The comic itself is very bloody and gory, with the plot revolving around Mark Grayson, a normal teenager barring the fact that his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet. Shortly after his seventeenth birthday, Mark begins to develop powers of his own and his father starts teaching him the rules of the game.
Despite the ultra-violence, the series is also known for often having poignant and heartfelt moments as well, making it an eclectic mix. The gore is mostly a side dish to an otherwise powerful story. Sharon Yguado, Head of Scripted Genre Programming at Amazon Studios, said in a statement:
“Robert has an uncanny talent to predict the zeitgeist, and we are incredibly excited to see him break boundaries in an animated one-hour format. In a world saturated with superhero fare, we trust Robert to subvert expectations while encapsulating a story filled with heart and adrenaline. We love his ambitious plan for the show and believe it will look like nothing else on television”.
Kirkman himself added: “I couldn’t be more proud of the series Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley and I did together for over 15 years. To know our characters will live on in multiple iterations in other media is almost too exciting to bear! What Amazon is allowing us to do in animated form is nothing short of ground-breaking, and I can’t wait for our rabid fan base to experience it!”
This news is somewhat surprising considering Amazon’s recent TV decisions have focused on crafting huge shows, such as the Lord Of The Rings prequel series, that they intend to reach a massive audience with.
Invincible doesn’t seem to have that kind of appeal, but if it is as subversive and interesting as they promise, perhaps it will find a big audience looking for something different in the superhero genre.
#Peace.Love.Invincible
