Invincible in French

Invincible has had a long publication history in France, spread over nearly fifteen years, with a visible break in the middle and two numbering systems that now sit side by side on the shelves. It is better to know which one you are after before buying, especially if you are picking up a series midway.

As always in this guide, only verified information (creators, issue numbers, dates) is stated as fact; the analysis is our own, with no reproduction of protected artwork or dialogue.

The original US run in brief

Invincible is published by Image Comics starting in January 2003. Robert Kirkman writes, Cory Walker draws the first seven issues, then Ryan Ottley takes over from issue 8; Bill Crabtree handles the early colors. The series follows the coming of age of a young hero, Mark Grayson, the son of an extraordinary superhero. It ends with the "The End of All Things" arc, which fills issues 132 to 144 and leads to the final issue of February 2018.

For the American side of the title, the first printings and the market value of the key issues, our history of Invincible and our list of key issues go further. Here, we follow only the French path, publisher by publisher, volume by volume.

The French editions, in order of publication

2005 and 2006: the first three Delcourt albums

Delcourt launches the series in France with "Affaires de famille" (Family Matters), published on September 24, 2005: 144 pages, issues 1 to 6 according to the online encyclopedia we consulted. A municipal library catalog confirms the title, publisher and year. Next come "Au nom du père" (In the Name of the Father; March 15, 2006, issues 7 to 12) and then "La relève" (The Next Generation; November 8, 2006), which covers issues 13 to 17 and a short story from a special Image issue for Free Comic Book Day.

These three volumes are the oldest of the series. Each carries a title that has not changed since, which helps you spot them on a shelf or in a listing. One caveat: the issues covered by "La relève" are not confirmed by a second source, so treat that range as indicative.

2010 to 2014: the restart and a steady rhythm

After a pause of nearly three and a half years, the series resumes with "Super-Héros un jour..." (Superhero for a Day...; May 19, 2010, issues 18 to 25 according to the record we consulted), confirmed as a 2010 Delcourt title by a library catalog. The following volumes then appear at a more regular pace, generally with six American issues per album.

Volume 5, "Un autre monde" (Another World; January 5, 2011), is described as covering issues 25 to 30, an apparent overlap with issue 25 already listed in the previous volume. We report it as is: if you are filling a gap, check the contents page rather than relying on the announced range. Volume 6, "Ménage à trois" (December 7, 2011), covers issues 31 to 35 and adds an issue 0, first published in a volume of Chroniques de Spawn.

Volumes 7 to 11 then follow in sequence: "Mars Attaque !" (June 2012, issues 36 to 41), "Loin de ce monde" (December 2012, 42 to 47), "Changement de rythme !" (April 2013, 48 to 53), "Happy Days" (August 2013, 54 to 59) and "Toujours Invaincu" (December 2013, 60 to 66). Most listings mention a section of covers and sketches commented on by the creators.

2014 to 2019: from the Viltrumite war to the end

Volumes 12 and 13, "Le calme avant la tempête" (The Calm Before the Storm; April 2014) and "Prélude à la guerre" (Prelude to War; August 2014), mix Invincible stories with side stories on the origins of Atom Eve and Rex Splode. Volume 14, "La Guerre viltrumite" (The Viltrumite War; December 3, 2014), covers issues 73 to 78 in 224 pages, one of the thickest albums of the series.

Then come: volume 15, "Petit Malin" (May 2015, issues 79 to 84); volume 16, "Histoire de famille" (August 2015, 85 to 90); volume 17, "Nouvelle Donne" (February 2016, 91 to 96); volume 18, "Hécatombe" (April 2016, 97 to 102); volume 19, "État de siège" (September 2016, 103 to 108); volume 20, "Amis et alliés" (January 2017, 109 to 114); volume 21, "Une Famille Moderne" (April 2017, 115 to 120); volume 22, "Reboot ?" (January 2018, 121 to 126); volume 23, "Futur Composé" (September 2018, 127 to 132).

The conclusion takes two albums: "La Fin de tout" (The End of All Things) part one (volume 24, June 19, 2019, issues 133 to 138) and part two (volume 25, October 9, 2019, 139 to 144). A readers' list confirms both dates and the issue numbers of the last volume. The original series thus reaches 25 albums, in a little over fourteen years.

The online encyclopedia we consulted names Ed Tourriol as the translator of the series; we could not find the name in a second source, and so we report it without insisting on it.

2020 to 2024: the large-format omnibus

In July 2020, Delcourt launches a new collection in Prestige format, announced as 12 volumes: "Invincible, intégrale". Volume 1 appears on July 1, 2020; one listing gives it 400 pages and 19.1 x 28.5 cm, and another specifies that it contains issues 1 to 13. The publisher presents each volume as the combination of two volumes of the regular series, with a new illustration gallery. Volumes 2 to 4 come out in 2021, volume 5 in early 2022.

The rest is precisely dated by the publisher: volume 6 on April 27, 2022, volume 7 on August 31, 2022, volume 8 on November 23, 2022, volume 9 on March 22, 2023, volume 10 on August 16, 2023, volume 11 on November 22, 2023 and volume 12 on May 29, 2024. For the last volumes, the contents are explicit: 85 to 96 for volume 8, 97 to 108 for volume 9, 121 to 132 for volume 11, 133 to 144 for volume 12, which closes the story of Mark Grayson and Atom Eve. These ranges line up exactly with those of albums 16 and 17, 18 and 19, 22 and 23, 24 and 25, which confirms that the omnibus takes two albums per volume.

2024 and 2026: an art book and the sequel within the universe

On November 20, 2024, Delcourt publishes "Art of Invincible", in the publisher's catalog. In 2026 a first volume of "Battle Beast" comes out, tied to the Invincible universe, by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley (French release of April 2, 2026, 149 pages). These two books replace no volume of the series; they serve as extensions for anyone who has finished reading.

US / French correspondence

Volumes 2 to 7 and 10 of the omnibus exist, but their exact ranges could not be found reliably; check the listing for each volume before ordering.

Which edition to choose for your profile

You are discovering the series and want to read everything. The 12-volume omnibus is the most shelf-efficient route: you read the same material in half as many books, in a large format that does justice to Ryan Ottley's artwork. Start with volume 1 and follow the numbering.

You like the original run. The 25 albums offer simple numbering, from 1 to 25. They suit staggered buying well, one album at a time.

You collect the first French edition. Volumes 1 to 3 from 2005 and 2006 are the oldest; the library catalog dates them and attributes them to Delcourt. These are the ones to aim for if you want to own the series in its original state, album by album.

You have seen the animated series. Our comparison of the animated series versus the comics shows where to start to find what you saw on screen.

Pitfalls and points to watch

• Two numbering systems. "Volume 8" refers to two different books depending on whether you mean the original run ("Loin de ce monde") or the omnibus. Always specify the edition in a listing.
• Apparent overlaps. Between volumes 4 and 5, issue 25 appears in both announced ranges. No listing explains it clearly.
• An issue 0 and side stories. Issue 0 is found in volume 6, and volumes 12 and 13 mix side stories with the main series; a buyer looking only for the main series can miss them.
• The first omnibus volume. Cross-checked listings give issues 1 to 13, whereas the following volumes each contain twelve issues; sources therefore differ on the split. The page of the volume you are being offered is the authority.
• Wrong years. One online list gives the year 2008 for omnibus volume 1 while the publisher gives July 2020. Trust the publisher rather than readers' lists.
• The last volumes of the original run. For the two volumes of "La Fin de tout", compare the volume number on the spine and the mention "première partie" (part one) or "deuxième partie" (part two).

If you also read the rest of Robert Kirkman's work in French, our guide to the Walking Dead volumes follows the same correspondence logic, and the Robert Kirkman reading path places each series.

What these editions are worth in a collection

For a Delcourt album still available from the publisher, the used value is based on condition and on the presence of the dust jacket or cover, not on scarcity. To judge an offer, compare three things: the stated condition, the freshness of the printing, and the asking price against that of a new copy still in the catalog. A notable gap between used and new should be explained by a visible flaw.

The oldest albums, those of 2005 and 2006, no longer have a comparable new copy; their value is judged on completed sales, distinguishing copies in good condition from the more numerous ones that show signs of reading. The complete series of 25 albums or the 12 omnibus volumes is worth more as a lot than the volumes sold individually, but beware of lots where one volume is from a different printing.

If your interest lies mainly in the American editions, our ranking of key issues gives the market reference points; French editions follow a reading logic more than a speculative one.

Frequently asked questions