BERKELEY, CA -- 24 May, 2006 -- In a crossover of unprecedented proportions, MARVEL TEAM-UP #14 featured the first meeting of Invincible and Marvel's Spider-Man as the unwitting Invincible was plunged through reality after reality with only a hint as to how or why. At the end of that issue, Invincible returned home in search of answers, and with INVINCIBLE #33, those answers are finally coming!
Since INVINCIBLE's 2003 debut, the world Robert Kirkman has shaped around the series' title character has become home to an ever-growing cast of colorful characters, but for all the foes Mark Grayson has faced, none have ever attained "arch-enemy" status. Only in the pages of MARVEL TEAM-UP #14 was an enemy beyond Invincible's control hinted at, which was exactly how Kirkman had planned it.
"When it came time to do the Invincible appearance in MARVEL TEAM-UP #14, I really wanted it to be something special," explained Kirkman. "In too many instances, a crossover doesn't mean a thing, and as long as I had a say, I wanted to make sure this story would affect INVINCIBLE for years to come.
"In TEAM-UP #14, Invincible mentions a guy named Angstrom Levy who's throwing him through a ton of dimensions in an effort to wear him down. Problem is, ol' Invincible isn't tiring in the slightest, so Angstrom turns his attention to the people Marks cares about most. And if you think my other book, THE WALKING DEAD, is brutal, you haven't seen anything yet! Angstrom is turning out to be one bad dude!"
Readers familiar with Angstrom Levy from earlier appearances may recall that he initially seemed more or less like a standard-issue human menace, but following events in INVINCIBLE #24, he's been given somewhat of an upgrade. And fittingly, Kirkman and regular series artist Ryan Ottley turned to an old friend when it came time to give Levy his new look.
"I remember Robert wanted a villain who looked as evil as he acted," recalled Ryan Ottley. "And while I dug the overall idea, I had a hard time conceiving him. Luckily, your friend and mine – INVINCIBLE co- creator Cory Walker –pitched in and showed us just how to do it."
"The moment Cory's sketches came in, I knew we had our new big bad, " added Kirkman. "He's going to be tearing our poor boy's world apart. In fact, Angstrom and Invincible's punch out takes violence in the book to new heights – and yes, I was there for the fight with this dad!"
Fans eager to catch up with Invincible's adventures can do so with the five trade paperbacks currently available and a sixth, entitled A DIFFERENT WORLD (NOV051715), due out shortly. And while Kirkman encourages readers to immerse themselves in the story, he's also quick to point that anything can happen to even the most beloved characters.
"I can't wait for the fans coming off MARVEL TEAM-UP #14 to read the book, but they're going to have another thing coming if they think this is just like any other superhero comic," he noted with a sinister chuckle. "With a bad guy this evil, someone's gotta die. And yes, that could mean YOU, Invincible!"
Invincible #33 (FEB061782) from Image Comics is available for order now with a cover price of $2.99 and an in-store date of June 28.