After getting thoroughly hooked by Invincible #42 (the “new reader-friendly” issue), I began hunting for back issues. #35’s cover showed a guy with a righteous ‘stache punching an angry space monster. Add to that the fact that the cover design looked like an old Erik Larsen-era Spidey cover, and I couldn’t resist.

In Invincible #35, Debbie Grayson gets a visit from her alien son’s tutor-to-be, Rex (the creator of the superhero Robot) introduces himself to the Global Guardians, and protagonist Mark Grayson makes a startling discovery about the old science-fiction pulp novels his father wrote.

Kirkman’s use of bad pulp novels is sheer genius. Upon reading the failed books, Mark believes they’re his father’s way of detailing covert strategies to defeat the seemingly impervious Viltrumites. The notion that mass market paperbacks contain military strategy is the best example of nerd-redemption since The Last Starfighter showed us that Galaga is the intergalactic equivalent of West Point.

Issue #35 is almost pure dialogue, which is a challenge to any comic artist. Penciler/inker Ryan Ottley does enough interesting things with the layout to make an issue full of chatter unexpectedly entertaining. Even the inking is subtle and appropriate, and the recognition on Mark’s face on the final page is fully convincing.

Worth the money? Definitely, so long as you know the story. If you’re caught up, you’ll see how this issue is a creative team at the top of their game.