Review: Invincible #81

Everybody does a little soul searching in this issue except for Mark – who does a lot of soul searching this issue.  In fact, he almost does too much soul searching as it looks like the dark places he's going in his soul searching are going to lead him down the wrong path.

It's rumored that Mark is going to stop being a superhero before issue #100 – and if that rumor is true then what we're seeing now is the start of it.  Mark is pretty low after his tacit defeat at the claws of Dinosaurus last issue resulted in the total destruction of Las Vegas.  Unfortunately there's plenty of others in his life willing to pile on while he's feeling low – including a guy by the name of Power-Plex who's taken on Invincible before and held his own. 

I'm a little frustrated that we're not learning a bit more about Atom Eve's struggle to cope with the termination of her pregnancy.  I'm a lot frustrated with her continued zoftig body style.  She could pull off the Pepto-Bismal colored costume when she had the hottie body.  Now that she's about 50 pounds overweight – let's just say she needs to hang up the tights and put on a Mu-Mu.  Seriously, I want to see incredibly hot bodies on superheroines.  If I wanted to see the body type Eve is sporting these days, I'd just drive down the street and walk through Wal-Mart.  But I digress.

As always, Kirkman weaves an entertaining tale and Ottley brings it home with some outstanding art while Plascencia jazzes it up with some amazing colors.  Invincible remains one book I eagerly anticipate each month as it just keeps getting better.  If you're not reading it, this is a great issue to jump aboard.