As Prime Video’sInvinciblereturns for itsthird seasonon Feb. 6, the superhero genre finds itself in a weird place. What was once the dominating force in theaters has since become a shadow of its former self, with lackluster recent entries from the MCU and DCEU, which has since been taken over by James Gunn and Peter Safran.But shows likeThe BoysandInvinciblehave sat beyond the so-called “superhero fatigue” that has infested the box office, as audiences become tired of under-cooked superhero stories.
During a recent interview withVariety,Invincible’s creator,Robert Kirkman(The Walking Dead), gave his two cents on the issue of “superhero fatigue,” and he believes it’s not as simple as audiences becoming sick of superpowers and spandex.
“I don’t think superhero fatigue is a real thing. But, I do think that the genre of superhero storytelling has become so ubiquitous thatit’s gotten to a point where it’s not fresh, and it’s not new.”
Over the past 15 years, Marvel Studios has released 33 movies, plus various Disney+ spinoff shows. Meanwhile, the DCEU was composed of fifteen films. As a result, audiences have become used to the conventions and trappings of the genre. Kirkman continued:
“You can’t just be a superhero show and not have anything special about you anymore, becauseI think the novelty has worn off.”
However, Kirkman believes that the superhero genre becoming mainstream and easily understoodopens the door for storytellers to innovate and subvert the genre’s typical tropes. Just like filmmakers did with the western – giving usneo-westerns likeNo Country for Old Menand post-modern westerns likeUnforgiven– creatives are now re-imagining the superhero genre. As Kirkman explained:
“But that’s really exciting to me, because now it means that everyone is so familiar with superheroes thatyou can push things in interesting directions.”
Why ‘Invincible’ is Such a Fan Favorite
Despite some backlash to the show’s second season(mainly due to its split-release schedule),Invinciblehas been considered peak superhero storytelling since the show’s debut in 2021. And it has a stacked cast that includes Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, Gillian Jacobs, Lauren Cohan, Seth Rogen, Mark Hamill, Walton Goggins, Zachary Quinto, and so many others. The excellent source material by Kirkman and his co-creators, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley,Invinciblehas been praised for its character-focused storytelling.
‘Invincible’ Season 3 Debuts With Superpowered Score on Rotten Tomatoes
‘Invincible’ returns for a “bigger, better, faster, stronger” third season, according to critics.
It may sound simple to state that a good show needs to put its characters first, but,unfortunately, many superhero series have forgotten that in recent years. “I think it’s become so popular so quickly because of the ability to connect with the characters,” said Jay Pharoah, who voices Zandale Randolph, a.k.a. Bulletproof, inInvincible.“In the superhero realm, it’s easy to forget characters. Like who cares when he’s gonna blow up?”
Invinciblereturns to Prime Video on Feb. 6, withthe first three episodes of the new season dropping on the premiere date, and subsequent episodes being released weekly.
Invincible
