Advance Review – ‘Invincible Universe: Battle Beast’ #3 Demonstrates The Need For A Worthy Antagonist

Only three issues into its run and Invincible Universe: Battle Beast has established itself as one of the best-looking comics of the year. That’s really no surprise given artist Ryan Ottley’s talent and years of industry experience.

From the first issue, Ottley has brought the nearly invincible anthropomorphic white lion to life – even as the cat snuffs out foe after foe. Ottley has a gift for taking even a humble panel and infusing it with life (or sometimes gruesome death). And give him a splash page, and he can work miracles.

If there is an issue with this series, it’s been Robert Kirkman’s largely uninspired writing. That may sound like sacrilege given his history and significant contributions to the industry (not the least of which is Invincible, from which Battle Beast originates). To date, the writing has been some fairly clumsy attempts to set up the story of a legendary warrior who seeks a worthy opponent.

And while the writing has improved in this third issue, the series is now facing a new but related challenge: how long will fans put up with reading about an irresistible force? Where is the immovable object in the form of an opponent that can actually challenge the Beast? Yes, we want to see our heroes – even anti-heroes – prevail. But if they don’t wander down the path of the hero’s journey, filled with defeats and doubts, the story feels repetitive and largely conflict free.

Kirkman clearly knows this and must be setting readers up for something big, likely a familiar face drawn from the pantheon of characters he and Ottley created during Invincible’s long run. One thing is clear: that challenge needs to come fast, because as great as Ottley’s artwork is, it will only keep readers engaged for so long.

Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #3 will be available at comic book shops and digital platforms on July 16th, 2025, from Image Comics.