Fans have been introduced to the crossover they never thought they needed with the popular graphic animated television seriesInvincibleand animated children’s showSpongeBob SquarePants. Amazon’sInvincibleshow follows a young man named Mark as he finally discovers that he has superpowers and looks to become Earth’s guardian while also trying to balance his social life. The story brings many twists/turns and is packed with a lot of violence, so for those who haven’t yet, definitely check outInvincible.
The photo in question was posted on Reddit byJedi Temple Dropoutand it features both Mark (a.k.a. Invincible) and his father Omni-Man during one of their iconic conversations. Only this time, does the artist redesigned their costumes to look like the famous old-time heroes of Bikini Botto: Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. The redesign fits completely as both Mark and Omni-Man have a similar dynamic/physique that Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy did in their prime.
RELATED:Red Dead Online Player Creates Invincible’s Omni-Man In-Game
Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are two old retiredsuperheroes inSpongeBob SquarePants. They used to be the protectors of Bikini Bottom, fighting against nefarious villains including Man-Ray and the Dirty Bubble. They have their own television show, merchandise, and even fan base (including the titular character, who is one of their biggest fans). This redesign makes theInvinciblecharacters look like they came straight out of the long-running children’s Nickelodeon television show. Even the background has the iconicSpongeBob"clouds," those being ocean hues and bubbles that parade around behind the characters of Bikini Bottom.
This fan art goes to show that even after its debut on Amazon (and its earlier debut in the graphic novel world), fans can’t get enough ofInvincible. Many are eagerly awaitingthe second season ofInvincibleafter the climactic finale of the first. WhileInvinciblemay not be running as long asSpongeBob, it has the potential to be just as iconic.
Invincibleproved (along withThe Boys)that violence doesn’t detract from impact. While it may limit the audience to a degree, it doesn’t mean that fans don’t want to see it. DC Comics is more known for keeping violence but not tothe degree ofInvincibleorDeadpool. These gritty superhero projects are showing that not everything has to be bright and light, as many might believe.
This is also not to say that a lack of violence makes a superhero movie bad. As many have seen,Marvel does a great jobof keeping fans engaged despite the lack of blood and gore. It’s only to point out that there’s an audience for both sides, and there’s also a way to bridge that gap and meet in the middle.
