An ‘Invincible’ Fan-Favorite Gets An Ongoing Series As Skybound Announces ‘Battle Beast’

The original Invincible series may be done and dusted but it doesn’t mean Robert Kirkman is done with the Invincible universe. Skybound/Image Comics have announced Battle Beast, by the Invincible creative team, Kirkman (Void Rivals, The Walking Dead) and artist Ryan Ottley (The Amazing Spider-Man), who first created Battle Beast together nearly two decades ago. A new ongoing series that promises to reveal Battle Beast’s secrets that long-time fans and new ones coming from the animated show can both enjoy.

Robert Kirkman explained the context of this new series and his delight in working with Ottley again:

“What can I say? I just can’t get enough of the Invincible Universe! Moving from the comic series directly to the animated series, I haven’t really had a break. That said, while adapting the series to animation, I’ve been itching to do something new! Longtime fans will know there’s a massive gap in Battle Beast’s appearances in the series between Invincible issue 19 and issue 55. There’s a lot of story to tell and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Battle Beast co-creator Ryan Ottley on board to tell it with me!”  

Ottley added:

“When Robert and I first created Battle Beast way back in Invincible issue #19 as a way to increase Invincible’s Rogues gallery, I wasn’t sure if he’d be a big character who’d come back throughout the series, or a character who’d die a terrible gory death right away. Robert always kept me and the readers on our toes, he could command a death at any moment, and you know I’d always jump at the chance to carry out the visual execution! Luckily, Battle Beast became a fan-favorite and lived to tell a larger tale! It’s amazing to be working with Robert again in the Invincible Universe. A while ago I was telling him I wasn’t sure what project to do next, and when he mentioned us doing a Battle Beast series together, I jumped at the idea of being back on a creator-owned book, enlarging the Invincible Universe even more! I’m really happy to be back at Image Comics and Skybound, and can’t wait for you to see the story we are fleshing out in this series! I haven’t had this much fun sinceInvincible!” 

Ben Abernathy, Executive Editor at Skybound added: “Fans have been literally begging for this series for years. This book is going to blow minds as Robert and Ryan are putting an insane amount of effort into making the most badass comic possible!” 

And there’s more. A synopsis and first look at the main cover and interiors:

“Cursed with an unquenchable thirst for violence that threatens those he loves, Battle Beast searches the universe for the one warrior mightier than him…so that he may die before harming anyone else. But even in a universe of mighty Viltrumites like Invincible and Omni-Man, it seems that no one may be able to stop the galaxy’s deadliest warrior…unless he does the unthinkable.” 

Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #1 also features a first-of-its-kind blind bag program that allows readers a chance to gain any of the solicited covers from A through I. There’s also rare surprise comic too “that may or may not be related to Battle Beast or the Invincible Universe” that can be found in these blind bags. Furthermore Skybound won’t be publicly announced anything about this freebie in advance of the issue’s release. Once again, Kirkman thinks up another novel idea to keep the excitement and anticipation of new comic book day alive and kicking.

Battle Beast #1 is out on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 from Skybound with the following covers:

• Battle Beast #1 Cover A by Ryan Ottley & Annalisa Leoni
• Battle Beast #1 Cover B by David Finch
• Battle Beast #1 Cover C Blind Bag: Various
• Battle Beast #1 Cover D (1:10 Incentive) by E.J. Su
• Battle Beast #1 Cover E (1:25 Incentive) by Kael Ngu
• Battle Beast #1 Cover F (1:50 Incentive) by Arthur Adams
• Battle Beast #1 Cover G (1:100 Incentive) (Foil) by Jonboy Meyers
• Battle Beast #1 Cover H (1:1000 CGC Signed/Graded) (Foil) by Ryan Ottley & Annalisa Leoni
• Battle Beast #1 Cover I Blank Sketch Cover
• Battle Beast #1 Cover J (Battle Beast Die Cut Mask Cover) (Foil) by Ryan Ottley & Annalisa Leoni
• Battle Beast #1 Cover K (1:2000 Ryan Ottley Original Art Sketch Cover by Ryan Ottley)