When it comes to animated graphic novel adaptations, Invincible still stands out as one of the best. It doesn’t even matter that the series had more than a three-year break between the first two seasons. The second and third seasons have more than made up for it.
Now, you’re probably binge-watching the series all over again, especially knowing that there will be more to come as Invincible season 4 is happening. There are still only 24 episodes, though, and it doesn’t take long to work through them.
I would say The Boys is something to watch if you love the gore and the humor of Invincible, but that show isn’t making this list (sort of). There are other animated adaptations that will keep you entertained while waiting for Invincible season 4.
Batman: The Caped Crusader
When it comes to dark superheroes, you know that DC has a variety of them. One of the most beloved with a code of his own is Batman, and there is no way that you can overlook the animated series Batman: The Caped Crusader. It brings some of the tone of Batman: The Animated Series, but delves further into the noir elements of it.
Think you know all the villains of the DC comics? Not in this sense. Bringing a 1940s style, the animated series brings new takes on the most beloved villains from the Batman stories. On top of that, Bruce Wayne is more mature and darker, and while the animated series isn’t as graphic as Invincible, the storylines will make you stop and think.
Batman: The Caped Crusader is available to stream on Prime Video.
X-Men ‘97
There is just something about exploring superheroes of the past, and that’s something X-Men ’97 offers. We head back to the 1990s, a time when superheroes were superheroes, until you come across the X-Men. While a lot of superheroes would always sacrifice for the good of the world, the X-Men could make some darker choices at times, and they were more flawed overall.
We enter a world where Charles Xavier has died, and now Magneto is ruling the team. There are storylines that would never have happened with Xavier still alive, bringing more questions of morality and the goodness of people. Like with Invincible, the villains also have their layers that are explored, leading to some shocking moments and some powerful television.
X-Men ’97 is available to stream on Disney+
Harley Quinn
One of the best villains from the DC comics has to be Harley Quinn. This woman is completely insane, and you just never know what she’s going to do. And yet, there’s an element of heart to her character, bringing a lot of layers that Invincible has been able to offer various villains. Harley Quinn certainly offers that and more.
In the animated series, we meet Harley, who is now newly single and ready to cause some mayhem. After living in the shadows of Joker for so long, she is ready to prove that she is the criminal queenpin of Gotham City! At the same time, she’s trying to find her place in the world, which is a lot like Mark in Invincible.
The animation for this series is also going to connect well with Invincible fans. It’s bold and bright, bringing an element of the actual comics rather than TV animation.
Harley Quinn is available to stream on Max.
Creature Commandos
James Gunn isn’t just bringing live-action stories to the DC Universe. We get some animated stories as well, and the first introduction was Creature Commandos. As the title suggests, this is a look at some of the most well-known creature monsters, and like The Suicide Squad, the story starts with a bunch of supervillains being called together to save the world!
Having villains as the saviors brings a nuance to the story. Why would they want to protect people they were once willing to kill? There’s a chance to explore their backstories and the sadness that hides behind their darkness. After all, there is always a villain origin story, and some of them are heartbreaking.
Of course, this is a James Gunn series. You can expect some bloody action at the same time, giving you a feel of Invincible.
Creature Commandos is available to stream on Max.
The Boys Presents: Diabolical
I know I said The Boys wouldn’t make it to the list, but it’s not the actual live-action Prime Video series that I think you should watch. It’s all about the animated series The Boys Presents: Diabolical. If you thought The Boys was crazy and gruesome, wait until you see what they can do with the fun of animation!
There’s no doubt that The Boys and Invincible already appeal to a similar audience. They are both geared toward adult fans of graphic novels. With Diabolical, we get short bursts in anthology form. There’s an entertaining look into the world of questionable characters, where even the good guys do some bad things.
The best thing about Diabolical is that it offers short bursts of stories, as each episode is only 14 episodes long. Not all of the stories focus on the main show’s storylines, so you can enjoy it and see if The Boys and Gen V could then be for you.
The Boys Presents: Diabolical is available to stream on Prime Video.