Invincible creator says the superhero show’s level of violence was made possible by The Boys doing it first: "We get to hide behind the trailblazing of The Boys as they keep pushing the envelope"

It looks like Invincible fans have Prime Video’s The Boys to thank for the animated show’s level of violence and gore, as creator Robert Kirkman says the superhero spoof allowed him to go even further with Invincible.

"We get to hide behind the trailblazing of The Boys as they keep pushing the envelope every season. And so, I get to watch that show and go, 'We can do anything,'" said Invincible comic book creator Kirkman to Deadline, when asked if he worries about how much violence he is allowed to put into a streaming series. "I feel fairly confident that we’re OK on Prime."

It is no secret that both superhero shows have their fair share of bloody and downright disturbing scenes. In the very first episode of The Boys season 1, we saw A-Train run through Hughie’s girlfriend in a shocking slow-mo shot, showing her organs and spinal cord floating in the air. This kind of content seemingly paved the way for Invincible.

But Kirkman says the violence is there for a reason. "For Invincible, as long as there’s an emotional punch and a narrative reason for it to exist, I think anything goes," said the writer. "For me, it’s always about trying to push that envelope so that the violence takes you by surprise and that you never get numb to it. Always making sure there’s an emotional reason for it to exist."

Prime Video’s Invincible is based on Kirkman’s 2003-2018 comic series of the same name, following 17-year-old Mark Grayson who sets out to become the world’s best superhero after inheriting his powers from his father, Omni-Man. But his journey is not without challenges. Kirkman, the same author behind The Walking Dead comic book series, serves as an executive producer on the show

Invincible seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Prime Video, and Invincible season 4 is expected to release in 2026. For more, check out our picks for the best anime and best Prime Video shows to watch in 2025.