The 10 Biggest Differences Between "Invincible" Season 1 And The Comics

Robert Kirkman made some alterations for his adaptation.

When characters and plots make the jump from the page to the screen, there are usually some key changes that are made. Some things just don't play out onscreen in the same way they do in a book, and pacing is hard to adapt.

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However, Robert Kirkman appears to have made adjustments to Invincible that will make the show more immersive than the comics. I think Kirkman is a genius. The esteemed author helped create The Walking Dead and Invincible. The former is at the end of a decadelong run, while the latter is gearing up for the same kind of journey. 

Of course, there are some big differences between Invincible the show and the comic that it is based on. Kirkman claimed that he can see this show going for a long time...something that is completely possible with 144 issues of material available to use.

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Some of the changes have made the cast more inclusive, while others have sped up the timeline of events that are soon to come. Yet and still, Kirkman expanded the roles of other characters to give them deeper motivations. All in all, the show is following in the steps of the comic pretty closely. But much like The Walking Dead did, we're bound to see more changes as things progress.

Though there have been smaller moments that are different between the comic and the show, these are the big ones that shake up the universe a bit. Lo and behold the biggest difference between the Invincible show and comic.

1. A more diverse cast.

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The most obvious difference between the show and the comic is the diversity. Most notably, Mark is biracial, and his mother is Korean American. Also, Amber is Black, Green Ghost and Shrinking Ray have been gender-swapped, and William is a proud gay man. Of course that last one happens in the comics, but more on that later.

When speaking on added diversity, Kirkman stated, "I think representation matters — not to get on a soapbox or anything — especially in the world of superheroes. You don't start getting non-white superheroes regularly until the '70s, and, even then, through the '80s, '90s, and 2000s, they're still somewhat rare. There's not a lot of these characters, to this day, that are different races. Anytime something can be changed to bring more representation into it, I think it's very important because there's a tremendous amount of people out there who don't see themselves in what they consume. But it's also very important because there's an audience hungry for this stuff; it actually benefits projects. So aside from being the right thing to do, it actually helps projects these days, which is a really great thing."

2. William is out much earlier.

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Back to William. In the comics, William does come out, but much later in the storyline. This time around, the show acknowledges William's sexuality without including a big coming-out scene. Instead, everyone already knows and is completely comfortable with it. In this manner, Kirkman made William's love life more "normal" to the viewer, since there is never any pushback or questioning when it comes to the topic.

3. The Flaxan invasion.

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In the show, we kind of get a faster and more direct version of the Flaxan storyline. In the comics, Nolan and Invincible battle these pesky aliens before the former is taken by the alien race. Nolan ends up leading a takeover before coming home. They reappear much later with their time devices to stop aging, although they are foiled again.

In the show, Nolan is still in the super hospital recovering when the Flaxans first attack Earth. This sets Mark up to battle them with the Teen Team, not his father. The Flaxans were a reoccurring villain in the comics, although it seems like Nolan destroying their civilization in the show may put a damper on their comeback season. Maybe.

4. How Mark gets his superhero name.

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In the comics, Mark gets into a fight with a bully, which lands him in the principal's office. Being scolded, Mark is told he is not "invincible." And that is where his name is born. 

However, in the show, Nolan gives Mark the idea for his superhero name. We will see the limits of that name get tested as the show progresses.

5. The death of the Guardians.

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One of the most shocking moments in the comic gets a boost in the show. On paper, Nolan's murder of the Guardians is more clean and doesn't leave him depleted. However, Amazon gives us a full-on one-on-one blood fest with each Guardian that has to fight Nolan. Not to mention, Nolan gets pretty wrecked himself during the battle.

6. The timing and pace.

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The pace of television versus comics is soooo different. You can draw a colorful battle in two to three pages in a comics, while the same battle will take several minutes from an episode. Because of the many storylines that take place over the course of Invincible, Kirkman has decided to fast-track many key moments.

For example, Robot's cloning of Rex is a storyline that was fast-tracked in the series. The Rus Livingston/Sequid storyline also got a placement earlier on in the narrative, and we see Nolan murder the Guardians in the show's premiere. While the pace has thrown off some fans of the comic, it has given a new audience lots of tantalizing universe-building seeds to look forward to in the future.

7. Donald Ferguson's death.

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In the show, we see Donald Ferguson die while heroically trying to stop Nolan. 

However, in the comics, Donald is revealed to be an android. It is still possible that Kirkman revives Donald as a robot somehow. However, I think they're going to let his sacrifice remain written in stone.

8. Debbie's suspicion of Nolan.

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Debbie really steps it up on the show. In the comics, Debbie is pretty much clueless about Nolan until the moment her son finds out as well. 

However, in the show, Debbie finds Nolan's incriminating uniform after Damien Darkblood comes snooping around. This discovery really amplifies the emotional impact of the big twist and makes this family drama even more emotional.

9. Cecil's involvement.

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Dear Cecil gets a more expanded role in the show, off rip. His invisible officers and teleporting device are introduced early on, and his involvement in Mark's life is also fast-tracked. Cecil also gets more "chummy" with Mark, Debbie, and Nolan than in the comics, giving him a little more humanity. He even gets a little badass by confronting Nolan himself in an effort to slow him down, something that doesn't play out in the comics.

10. Mark, Amber, and Eve's love for one another.

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The show is building up Mark and Eve's future relationship in a much more concrete manner. The duo even get some time to fight Doc Seismic together as a team, leading to deep conversations and obvious low-level flirtation. The comic doesn't do as good of a job really fleshing out their budding love and admiration as well as the show is doing it now.

Amber also is getting some expanded screentime and more self-worth. The Amber from the comics is less of a strong personality, and she is actually happy when Mark tells her he is Invincible. However, in the show, we see Amber figure out Mark's secret on her own while holding him accountable for lying to her. It gives her more of a defined and strong role, like Debbie is for Nolan. Somebody has to remind these heroes of their humanity.

This love triangle is bound to play out a little differently in the show than in the comics.

What have you noticed about Invincible that's different than in the comics? Let us know in the comments below.