Summary
Invinciblehas become one of the most exciting shows on TV after an incredible first two seasons, but its third installment has some real competition thanks to another animated superhero show.Its wonderful debut in 2021 helpedInvinciblebecome one of Prime Video’s flagship showsand this was followed up with an equally impressive second season. The series focuses on Mark Grayson’s journey to becoming a hero which sees him face plenty of hardships as he tries to balance college and relationships with heroism. This has created a compelling story full of emotional and shocking moments, allowingInvincibleto stand out.
Despite the animated format,Invinciblehasn’t shied away from displaying some extremely graphic and violent scenes, giving the show a distinct personality. As a result, the series has gained a huge reputation and there are already plenty of excitingcomic storylines thatInvincibleseason 3can adapt to create a successful third installment. However, despite its excellent momentum and quality traits,Invinciblenow has some serious competition to contend with. One animated superhero show made a fantastic first impression during its recent release, putting a lot of pressure onInvincible’s third season in the process.
X-Men 97’s Huge Success Gives Invincible Some Real Competition
Invincible Has Another Animated Superhero Show To Compete With
AlthoughInvinciblehas been a massive hit so far, it has never faced any real competition, butX-Men 97now changes that.X-Men 97debuted in March 2024, and its ten episodes were met with strong reviews, making it one of the best shows of the year so far. The superhero series utilized its huge roster of characters perfectly, withX-Men 97season 1 featuring plenty of Marvel cameos. Given how popular Marvel is, including characters like Spider-Man and Captain America interested a more casual audience, while the more niche X-Men characters will have appealed to hardcore comic fans.
While these cameos helped gain a large audience, the show’s quality shined through, resulting in it receiving positive reviews that rivaledInvincible’s. The well-crafted story satisfied viewers, yetX-Men 97left some burning questionsthat made season 2 a necessity. This high-quality debut has plenty of similarities toInvincible’s first season, and with the Marvel brand to go with it,X-Men 97’s popularity puts plenty of pressure on Amazon’s hit show. With the series not being as gory or violent,X-Men 97offers a less intense alternative toInvinciblewhich could have an impact on season 3.
X-Men 97 Season 2 Could Come Sooner Than Invincible Season 3
X-Men 97 Season 2 Was Given The Green Light Before Season 1’s Finale
X-Men 97also looks to be avoidingInvincible’s biggest problem as the Marvel show could return to screens first. DespiteX-Men 97concluding over a month afterInvincibleseason 2’s ending,X-Men 97looks like it could be back before Prime Video’s hit series.Invincibleseason 2’s long midseason breakadded to the show’s release problems, as there was a two-and-a-half-year gap between the first and second installments. Although Prime Video did release an Atom Eve special episode between seasons, the huge wait forInvincible’s return has been the show’s biggest criticism so far.
Invinciblehas been renewed for season 3 andX-Men 97has been renewed for season 2.
Adding the midseason break to season 2 meant the series only had 4 weeks’ worth of content before going on hiatus for several months, adding to the frustration ofInvincible’s release schedule.X-Men 97is perfectly poised to avoid this, as season 2 was given the green light before season 1 concluded, meaning it is likely already in the works. Although Robert Kirkman claimed the wait between seasons would be far shorter this time around forInvincible, Marvel’s size and scale give it a much better chance at turning over new content even quicker, putting more pressure onInvincible.
Even ifInvincibledoes significantly shorten its production schedule,X-Men 97returning first would be damaging as it would prove to be a more reliable competitor. It is hard to compete against Marvel and Disney in terms of fast production, but withX-Men 97having a similar amount of success asInvincible, it highlights that quality animated shows can be turned over much quicker than Prime Video is capable of, making it all the more important that season 3 delivers.
Invincible’s Animation Looks Less Impressive Compared To X-Men 97
X-Men 97 Contains Some Gorgeous Animation
One ofX-Men 97’s greatest strengths is its stunning animation, which makesInvinciblelook less impressive in comparison.Invincible’s animation is still incredibly high quality, but it does have some shortcomings whichX-Men 97’s gorgeous visuals somewhat expose.Invincibleseason 2 even joked about its animation, pointing out some of the shortcuts that animated shows take to try and make production easier.WhileInvincibleisn’t guilty of trying to cut corners, it does fail to push the boundaries in the same way thatX-Men 97does, which once again puts the spotlight on Amazon’s series.
With the release schedule already a huge factor,Invinciblenow has the added weight of making sure its animation can compete withX-Men 97’s.
Invinciblemay have a more modern art style butX-Men 97has cleaner and more polished animation, making it slightly more appealing. Given how much timeInvinciblespent on getting its animation right, the fact that some ofX-Men 97’s scenes blow it away is slightly concerning. It shows that there are alternatives out there in the same genre that are capable of exceeding whatInvinciblecan do visually, upping the pressure on season 3. With the release schedule already a huge factor,Invinciblenow has the added weight of making sure its animation can compete withX-Men 97’s.
Invincible Season 3 Should Still Succeed If It Can Resolve Its Own Issues
Invincible Still Has A Lot Of Qualities To Make Season 3 A Success
Regardless of the pressure thatX-Men 97’s success provides,Invincibleseason 3 should still be successful so long as it can solve its own issues.Despite some slight criticisms,Invincibleis still one of the most talked about shows on TV and has incredible reviews as well as fantastic viewing figures. Its animation may not compare to the likes ofX-Men 97or other top animated shows likeArcane; however, it is still of an incredibly high standard. The show’s only real problem is its troubled release schedule, which Kirkman seems more than aware of and looks set to tackle.
Invincible Season 3’s Latest Update Proves The Show Is Learning From Its Biggest Mistake
Despite being one of the most popular shows on TV, Invincible has faced one huge bit of criticism, but season 3 looks to be addressing this mistake.
Considering how greatInvincible’s story is and how many compelling characters the show has, there is no doubt it will continue to find success if it addresses this release problem and continues to develop its strengths.X-Men 97adds some healthy competition, but this could help elevateInvinciblefurther and ensure that season 3 is of the best standard possible. Ironing out its small issues and maintaining the overall positive momentum will guaranteeInvincibleseason 3 matches the quality of the previous two seasons and with the story heating up, it could be the show’s best installment yet.
Invincible
Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father’s legacy isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as he’s been led to believe.
