Invincible may not stick closely to its comic book roots moving forward, according to creator Robert Kirkman. In a recent interview, the showrunner revealed that future seasons, including a potential Season 5, could introduce more original storylines and “side quests,” expanding beyond the source material in meaningful ways.
The comments came during an interview with The Direct, where Kirkman discussed the creative direction of the series while promoting Season 4. As Invincible continues to grow into one of Prime Video’s biggest animated hits, this shift suggests that the show is evolving into its own version of the story rather than strictly adapting the comics.
Invincible May Introduce More Original Storylines
Speaking to The Direct, Kirkman made it clear that the writing team is not short on ideas when it comes to expanding the Invincible universe. He emphasized that the show’s future will likely include new material that wasn’t part of the original comic run.
Kirkman explained,
“Any lack of new storylines in the television show is not due to a dearth of ideas from the writers. The writers on the show have tons of ideas, and so, yeah, you can expect more side quests and things that will be working their way into the overall narrative of the show as we go on.”
This approach mirrors what many major comic-based adaptations have done in recent years, where deviations from the source material allow for fresh storytelling while keeping core themes intact. For Invincible, this could mean exploring entirely new arcs, characters, and conflicts that still tie into Mark Grayson’s journey.
Why Changes From the Comics Could Work
Co-showrunner Simon Racioppa also weighed in on how these new ideas are selected and integrated into the show. According to him, not every idea makes the cut unless it serves the larger narrative.
Racioppa said,
“It just needs to feel organic to the show… every episode has to move Mark’s story forward… you shouldn’t be able to remove anything.”
This highlights a key creative rule behind Invincible’s adaptation strategy. Even when the series explores new directions, those changes must contribute to character development and overall story progression.
This focus on narrative cohesion is particularly important given the show’s shorter seasonal format. With only eight episodes per season, every moment needs to matter. As a result, any deviation from the comics is likely to be carefully planned rather than random experimentation.
Scrapped Comic Ideas Are Finally Being Used
One of the most interesting revelations from the interview is that Invincible is now incorporating ideas that were originally scrapped from the comics. A notable example is the Damien Darkblood storyline featured in Season 4, which was not fully explored in the original source material.
Kirkman revealed that he had long considered a storyline involving superheroes going to hell but never fully developed it during the comic’s run. He explained,
“It was the vague notion of… wouldn’t it be cool if Invincible went to hell? I hadn’t worked out what that story was.”
He added that revisiting these ideas for the show allowed him to explore new creative directions, saying the process felt like returning to the early days of writing the comic. This approach opens the door for more unused concepts to be reimagined and brought into the series in future seasons
