PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (STARRED) — Jousselin takes full advantage of the comics format to introduce Mr. Invincible-"the one and only true comic book superhero!"-who utilizes "the incredible magic of comics" in his heroics. Jumping between panels to affect a story line's previous and future moments ("Time is space, and space is time"), the yellow-clad superhero considers no job too small, whether saving a cat (reaching down a panel to pluck it out of a treetop), confronting killer robots (bashing them with a mop through surrounding panels), or picking up a baguette for his grandmother (sending a note at the end of the strip to himself at the beginning). Single-page shorts, interspersed with longer tales, constitute most of this collection and serve to show all the ways Mr. Invincible creates an oft lighthearted meta narrative. Told in an art style reminiscent of Sunday comic strips and heavily rooted in visual gags, the vignettes aptly work outside the traditional box-er, panel-to explore a range of themes, including the value of hard work (Mr. Invincible learns early on in life not to use his powers to cheat), the dangers of corporate greed (a CEO embraces pollution to gain money and power), and the consequences of amassing military power (the U.S. attempts to weaponize a hero). Mr. Invincible, grounded and irreverent of his status as a major superhero, exudes infectious charm as he inspires those around him. Ages 9-12.
BOOKLIST (STARRED) — He may be "the only true comic book superhero," but the chubby, yellow-clad Mister Invincible has humble aspirations: rescuing a cat in a tree, bringing baguettes to his grandma, foiling the
occasional mad scientist. Similarly, a casual flip-through of this book, with its uneventfully standard panel grids, might suggest a run-of-the-mill tale. But it takes no longer than the second panel for the character and the book to astonish, as Mister Invincible looks down in his kitchen and spots a mugging in progress on the tier of panels right below him, then leaps down into the lower panel to intervene. This French import gives new meaning to thinking outside the box, as mainstays of comics structure become opportunities for breathtaking formalist experimentation-transposing space and time, abstracting the solid, solidifying the abstract-to
mind-bending effect. Alternating one-page vignettes and extended masterpieces, Jousselin breathes joyous life into the form for fans and scholars of every age, and just when you think the device has run its course, he deploys another stupendous surprise. Neither does he let it all rest on his acumen; a charmingly deadpan hero, a sly sense of humor, and a good-natured, community-minded spirit are all visualized with clean, clear, expert cartooning and welcomingly classical figures. A wonderfully generous work displaying an unbridled love of the form.
“It may be my favorite comic of 2020.” - Betsy Bird (A Fuse #8 Production, An SLJ Blog)
GOOD COMICS FOR KIDS BLOG (SLJ) — This wacky title puts a creative twist on conventional comic book reading that middle school readers will love.
NEW YORK TIMES - "Mister Invincible's team ultimately saves the day not with cosmic punches or fancy utility belts but by knowing just how fun it is to exist in panels on a printed page. Perhaps that is the lesson Mister Invincible teaches us longtime fans. The future of comic books lies not in ever flashier superpowers but in the wonders of the medium itself."
KIRKUS (STARRED) — Need ice? Cat up a tree? Giant robot on the attack? There's no job too large or too small for "the one and only true comic book superhero!"
Masked, caped, chubby, and imperturbable, Mister Invincible earns his moniker here in dozens of mind- and narrative-bending graphic mini-adventures thanks to his unique power to reach or chuck things into neighboring panels above or below. Catch a speedy thief? Mister Invincible nimbly drops into the next row! Foil a mad scientist's "mega-virus"? Just roll a lawn mower into the adjacent panel's microscopic world. Being clever as well as able to clobber unsuspecting villains from a later scene, Mister Invincible can even take on adversaries like Old Grandpa Jack, who can hurl words-or, more precisely, dialogue balloons-to damaging effect, and the Jester, a would-be supervillain capable of darting suddenly into view from the subsequent page and vanishing the same way. Jousselin too shows uncommon cleverness, as all these exploits and hijinks require exact, frequently ingenious placement of figures on both the same and neighboring pages to make them work. As Mister Invincible explains to one mystified witness, "It's just the incredible magic of comics, ma'am." The episodes in this French import, all drawn cartoon-style (with colors by Croix) in rows of squared-off panels, run one to 15 pages each. Mister Invincible presents White; there is a handful of secondary characters of color.
08/14/2020
Gr 3–5—Masked superhero Mister Invincible tries to live a mundane life but often gets drawn into crime-fighting escapades. Cleverly, and often paradoxically, Mister Invincible breaks the fourth wall to outmaneuver wrongdoers and solve problems—in one tale, he saves himself from being shot by crossing panels to future scenes, where he disarms the gunman. Jousselin's collection, translated from French, has an innocent, old-fashioned, episodic feel, despite featuring modern technologies. With 30-plus entries, it contains both single- and multipage stories that touch upon quotidian issues like running out of bread as well as more complex but age-appropriate story lines that explore the power of words, military weaponry, and empathy. The one-page stories are quick and can be read individually and easily paced through multiple sittings, while the longer tales—in which their shorter companions are nested—either build upon themselves or reference previous longer installments. Many contain cartoon violence, complete with emanata. With the exception of one story that features visually loud 1990s neon-colored pixelated backgrounds, the book is dominated by a subdued beige and soft, creamy orange color base, with a mossy green and cornflower blue used to depict the minimalist nature around Mister Invincible. Character features tend to be exaggerated. Though there is a diversity of body types, racial representation is lacking. Most characters, including Mister Invincible, are white, with the noticeable exception of the Black president of the United States. VERDICT This mind-bending and fun escape from the confines of reality will entice readers looking for a collection with a hint of newspaper comics nostalgia.—Alea Perez, Elmhurst P.L., IL
★ 2020-06-30
Need ice? Cat up a tree? Giant robot on the attack? There’s no job too large or too small for “the one and only true comic book superhero!”
Masked, caped, chubby, and imperturbable, Mister Invincible earns his moniker here in dozens of mind- and narrative-bending graphic mini-adventures thanks to his unique power to reach or chuck things into neighboring panels above or below. Catch a speedy thief? Mister Invincible nimbly drops into the next row! Foil a mad scientist’s “mega-virus”? Just roll a lawn mower into the adjacent panel’s microscopic world. Being clever as well as able to clobber unsuspecting villains from a later scene, Mister Invincible can even take on adversaries like Old Grandpa Jack, who can hurl words—or, more precisely, dialogue balloons—to damaging effect, and the Jester, a would-be supervillain capable of darting suddenly into view from the subsequent page and vanishing the same way. Jousselin too shows uncommon cleverness, as all these exploits and hijinks require exact, frequently ingenious placement of figures on both the same and neighboring pages to make them work. As Mister Invincible explains to one mystified witness, “It’s just the incredible magic of comics, ma’am.” The episodes in this French import, all drawn cartoon-style (with colors by Croix) in rows of squared-off panels, run one to 15 pages each. Mister Invincible presents White; there is a handful of secondary characters of color.
Chock full of inventive narrative tweaks. (Graphic adventure. 8-11)
