How To Start Reading Invincible

Invincible isn’t like any teen superhero comic you’ve read before. It follows newbie hero, Mark Grayson, as he tries to follow in the footsteps of his father Omni-Man, the world’s greatest hero. Through this premise, the comic explores Mark’s daddy-issues and the toll of increasingly violent superhero battles.

With Amazon adapting Invincible as an animated series for Prime Video, it’s never been a better time to check out the comic. But where do you start?

This handy guide has all the answers! It will point you in the right direction to start reading the Invincible comics, where to continue, the spin-offs, the different formats available, and heaps more.

Who created Invincible?

Invincible is the creation of writer Robert Kirkman, best known for The Walking Dead, and artist Cory Walker. While Kirkman was consistent on the book for its 15-year run, Walker only drew issues #1-7 and #127-132. Ryan Ottley was the primary artist for the remaining issues.

The comic is published through Image Comics’ Skybound Entertainment imprint, which Robert Kirkman operates. As a result, you’ll see the Skybound and Image logos on most editions. Issues and editions of collections that predate 2010 (when Skybound was founded) were published solely through Image and will not have the Skybound logo.

Where to start reading Invincible

It might sound obvious, but the best place to start reading is at the beginning – Invincible #1.

By beginning with Invincible #1, you get a much more holistic view than if you start with later issues. You see Mark grow as a character, with him beginning as a newbie hero and slowly growing into an established hero as the series progresses. Jumping into the comic later means that you miss that growth and later events don’t have the same impact.

Not sure if Invincible is for you? You can read the first issue for free over at the Image Comics website.

If you prefer to read in print, Invincible #1 can be found in the first trade paperback collection. More details are available further down the page. You can also pick yourself up a facsimile edition of this issue in comic book shops on January 25th, 2023.

The spin-offs: Do you need to read them?

Throughout Invincible’s run, Image Comics published a range of spin-off comics. These feature many of the comic’s large cast of characters and expand the world that’s established in the main series.

Some of these series include:

• Tech Jacket
• Guarding the Globe
• Capes
• Science Dog
• Invincible Universe
• Invincible Presents
• Invincible Universe: Battle Beast

Are these essential to understand Invincible? No. These comics spin out of Invincible, telling their own stories, and don’t affect what’s going on in the main series. Although, they’re worth checking out if you want to see more of certain characters.

These series have been long out of print, but will be collected in the compendium format as Invincible Universe. So far, only one collection has been announced:

Invincible Universe Volume 1
Collects: Invincible Presents: Atom Eve #1-2, Invincible Presents: Atom Eve & Rex Splode #1-3, Guarding the Globe (first series) #1-6, Guarding the Globe (second series) #1-6, and Invincible Universe #1-12

Is Invincible complete?

Yes. Invincible ended with issue #144.

Where to buy Invincible comics

You can find Invincible comics and graphic novels at all good comic book shops, online stores, eBay, and Amazon/Kindle.

This extensive guide goes into more detail abut where you can find and buy comics and graphic novels.

Trade paperback collections

Trade paperbacks are the easiest way to read Invincible. They collect six issues each and are much easier to find than tracking down all 144 single issues.

Invincible Volume 1: Family Matters
Collects: Invincible #1-4

Invincible Volume 2: Eight Is Enough
Collects: Invincible #5-8

Invincible Volume 3: Perfect Strangers
Collects: Invincible #9-13

Invincible Volume 4: Head of the Class
Collects: Invincible #14-19 and Image Comics Summer Special

Invincible Volume 5: The Facts of Life
Collects: Invincible #0, #20-24, and back up stories for issue #25

Invincible Volume 6: A Different World
Collects: Invincible #25-30

Invincible Volume 7: Three’s Company
Collects: Invincible #31-35 and The Pact #4

Invincible Volume 8: My Favorite Martian
Collects: Invincible #36-41

Invincible Volume 9: Out of This World
Collects: Invincible #42-47

Invincible Volume 10: Who’s the Boss?
Collects: Invincible #48-53

Invincible Volume 11: Happy Days
Collects: Invincible #54-59 and Astonishing Wolf-Man #11

Invincible Volume 12: Still Standing
Collects: Invincible #60-65

Invincible Volume 13: Growing Pains
Collects: Invincible #66-70 and Invincible Returns #1

Invincible Volume 14: The Viltrumite War
Collects: Invincible #71-78

Invincible Volume 15: Get Smart
Collects: Invincible #79-84

Invincible Volume 16: Family Ties
Collects: Invincible #85-90

Invincible Volume 17: What’s Happening?
Collects: Invincible #91-96

Invincible Volume 18: The Death of Everyone
Collects: Invincible #97-102

Invincible Volume 19: The War at Home
Collects: Invincible #103-108

Invincible Volume 20: Friends
Collects: Invincible #109-114

Invincible Volume 21: Modern Family
Collects: Invincible #115-120

Invincible Volume 22: Reboot?
Collects: Invincible #121-126

Invincible Volume 23: Full House
Collects: Invincible #127-132

Invincible Volume 24: The End of All Things, Part 1
Collects: Invincible #133-138

Invincible Volume 25: The End of All Things, Part 2
Collects: Invincible #139-144

Buy Invincible on…

Expanded trade paperback collections

Image Comics/Skybound will release expanded editions of the Invincible trade paperback that are slightly thicker than the original releases. These will include new covers (like the one above) and feature more issues per volume.

See the available details below:

Invincible Volume 1
Collects: Invincible #1-7

Invincible Volume 2
Collects: Invincible #8-13

Invincible Volume 3
Collects: Invincible #14-19 and Image Summer Special #1

Invincible Volume 4
Collects: Invincible #20-24 and Invincible #0

Invincible Volume 5
Collects: Invincible #25-30

Invincible Volume 6
Collects: Invincible #30-34 and The Pact #4

Invincible Volume 7
Collects: Invincible #35-41

Invincible Volume 8
Collects: Invincible #42-47

Invincible Volume 9
Collects: Invincible #48-53

More of these expanded trade paperbacks will be printed later. There will be approximately 20 collections in this format based on my calculations.

Hardcover collections

The “Ultimate Collections” are hardcovers that are bigger than the trade paperbacks in page count and dimensions. Each edition is twice as long, containing twelve issues, and are larger in trim at 190.5 x 297.4 mm (7.5 x 11 inches). Take a look at the “Ultimate Collections” available below.

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 1
Collects: Invincible #1-13

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 2
Collects: Invincible #14-24, #0, Free Comic Book Day 2004 story, and and back up stories for issue #25

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 3
Collects: Invincible #25-35 and The Pact #4

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 4
Collects: Invincible #36-47

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 5
Collects: Invincible #48-59 and Astonishing Wolf-Man #11

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 6
Collects: Invincible #60-70 and Invincible Returns #1

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 7
Collects: Invincible #71-84

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 8
Collects: Invincible #85-96

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 9
Collects: Invincible #97-108

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 10
Collects: Invincible #109-120

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 11
Collects: Invincible #121-132

Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Volume 12
Collects: Invincible #133-144

The Complete Invincible Library hardcovers

The Complete Invincible Library hardcovers combine two Ultimate Collection editions into 600+ page editions. These are usually printed in limited quantities. The following have been released so far:

The Complete Invincible Library Volume 1
Collects: Invincible #1-24, #0, Free Comic Book Day 2004 story, and and back up stories for issue #25

The Complete Invincible Library Volume 2
Collects: Invincible #25-47 and The Pact #4

The Complete Invincible Library Volume 3
Collects: Invincible #48-70, Astonishing Wolf-Man #11, and Invincible Returns #1

The Complete Invincible Library Volume 4
Collects: Invincible #71-96

The Complete Invincible Library Volume 5
Collects: Invincible #97-120

The Complete Invincible Library Volume 6
Collects: Invincible #121-144

Compendiums

Another way to read Invincible is through the compendium collections. These are big paperback collections that contain a whopping 48 issues in one. Find out more about them below.

Invincible Compendium Volume 1
Collect: Invincible #1-47, #0, Invincible story from the Image Comics Summer Special, and The Pact #4

Note: The Invincible Compendium Volume 1 is also available in a hardcover edition.

Invincible Compendium Volume 2
Collect: Invincible #48-96, Invincible Returns #1, and Astounding Wolf-Man #11

Note: The Invincible Compendium Volume 2 is also available in a hardcover edition.

Invincible Compendium Volume 3
Collect: Invincible #97-144

Note: The Invincible Compendium Volume 3 is also available in a hardcover edition.

Buy Invincible Compendiums on…

Other editions

As part of the 20th anniversary of Invincible, Image Comics/Skybound will be publishing Invincible Undeluxe #1. This special edition will present the debut issue in black and white, commentary, the original handwritten plot and more.

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