Invincible Highlights the New 52’s Biggest Superman Mistake

Major spoilers ahead for Invincible and Doomsday Clock!

Even though Image Comics’ Invincible is known for its unhinged violence, it unintentionally criticizes one of the darkest things about DC Comics’ New 52 take on Superman. Even though Clark Kent gets various happy moments during the New 52, like his romance with Wonder Woman, his contemporary recreation mostly turns him into an estranged, young orphan. Invincible may put a dark spin on borrowed DC elements, but it simultaneously highlights how two specific Superman characters should never die.

Like Clark Kent, Mark Grayson grows up as a human, comparatively humble to growing up as a super-powered being from another planet. Once Mark discovers his powers, thanks to his father Omni-Man, he becomes a superhero, upholding the morals his parents taught him. While Omni-Man eventually reveals he is an agent of the Viltrum Empire, an intergalactic group of tyrants, Debbie Grayson never changes. She goes through a difficult mourning period after the disappearance of Omni-Man, but she remains the only consistent ally for Mark throughout the entire series; she is always there for him.

Surprisingly, Debbie Grayson never dies at the hands of Omni-Man, or any other villain, as fans may have expected from earlier comics. She gets to experience Mark grow once he has a child with Atom-Eve and even supports him as a grandmother. It makes for some great moments in the final arc of Invincible. When DC Comics’ New 52 era began in 2011, creatives promised new versions of every character, bringing contemporary themes to superhero comics. Unfortunately for Superman, Jonathan and Martha Kent die in a car accident during Clark’s childhood. Not only is this a gritty take for a supposed uplifting hero, but it also removes some of Superman’s best supporting characters from his story. This change is the exact opposite of what Invincible—a story that brings mature and realistic elements to superhero comics—does, leaving fewer opportunities for Clark to unfold into a more interesting character. Many long-time Superman fans agree that Jonathan and Martha Kent should stay alive to give Clark a distinctive superhero life. When Clark deals with a more human problem, he goes to the Kent farm and talks to his parents.

Fans can watch a perfect example of Martha and Jonathan’s importance as supporting characters in Superman: The Animated Series‘ 35th episode: “The Late Mr. Kent.” One day, Clark Kent’s car explodes and sinks into the Metropolis river with him inside. Being Superman, Clark obviously survives the explosion and must figure out how to return to his human life. He immediately heads to an intimate location for refuge—the Kents’ house in Smallville. Here, Clark discovers important things about himself. When Jonathan suggests he can stop being Clark, his son responds, “but I am Clark. I need to be Clark! I’d go crazy if I had to be Superman all the time!” While he disagrees with his father here, it only proves conversations with the Kents can be essential to Superman’s stories and character growth. Jonathan and Martha, like Debbie Grayson, are valuable characters even beyond Superman and Invincible’s childhoods.

While DC finally addressed the importance of Jonathan and Martha Kent’s lives, bringing them back in Doomsday Clock, Clark’s parents missed crucial moments in the childhood of their grandson, Jon. While the New 52 introduced some memorable characters to DC Comics, like the Court of Owls, it also took some vital ones away. Invincible comics, and Debbie Grayson, prove Superman is better off with his parents around, especially when Batman, the “dark” character in the World’s Finest duo, has almost 30 members in his Bat-Family.

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