BOLT! KID THOR! KNOCK OUT! CAPTAIN COSMIC! CLAIRE VOYANT! BIG BRAIN! COMMANDER CAPITALISM! Welcome to Capes Inc, employers of your favorite super heroes that protect—well, at least when they’re on the clock—New York City from threats like MACHINE HEAD, TITAN…and now are in the crosshairs of an enemy they never expected! The Invincible Universe‘s Capes #1 has the out-of-print series return to shelves with new art and new dialogue.

My knowledge of Invincible is rather limited. I read the first trade or two, some of the spin-off series’, and know the basics. Specific details are limited and Capes #1 is something that’s completely blank to me. So, I was interested in diving into the debut issue that brings back the series to print.

Written by Robert Kirkman, Capes #1 comes off as a love letter to superhero comics while also poking fun. It delivers laughs, some good jokes, and characters you’ll love or hate. And, thankfully, you don’t need to know much about the world of Invincible to enjoy it. There’s mentions of some other characters and teams, but overall, it’s a debut issue that stands on its own.

The art by Mark Englert is good. With lettering by Rus Wooton, Capes #1 has a visual style that feels like it fits the world of Invincible. Characters are unique but you can also see some winks and nods to classic characters at the same time. There’s good work of visually balancing the superhero aspects to the comic and also the comedic. It’s one that the “timing” of the characters and panels needs to really nail it down to land some of the jokes. Character reactions and delivery are key and the comic nails all of that.

Capes #1 is an interesting comic that at times feels like it could be a one-shot to pick up and enjoy. It has aspects that feel familiar and a riff on what has come before but also a story and world all its own. It’s definitely nice to be able to dive into it after being hard to get all these years. It’s a nice piece of the overall world of Invincible and for those that might have missed its original release, you now have a chance to pick up a copy.

Story: Robert Kirkman Art: Mark Englert Letterer: Rus Wooton
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Skybound provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle