Invincible Season 3 has skipped a shocking Amber story from the comics

Invincible Season 3 appears to be skipping a pivotal (and horrible) sub-plot from the comics involving Amber – and this is a good thing.

When Amber was introduced in the first season of Invincible, it was clear the series was taking a different approach than the comics, both in her appearance and personality.

In Robert Kirkman’s original story, she’s still Mark’s first major love interest – but Amber is almost a completely different character. There are similar beats (Mark hides his secret, she accepts it when she finds out, and they eventually break up because the strain of him being a superhero on their relationship is too much to take), but she isn’t as richly written and feels like more of an obstacle between Mark and Eve.

However, weeks after their break-up, Mark receives an alarming call from Amber. It doesn’t look like we’ll see this story unfold in the show, so strap in.

Amber has an abusive boyfriend in the Invincible comics

Image Comics

As Mark and Amber’s relationship falls apart in the Invincible comics, she befriends another man at college: Gary.

He seems completely innocent at first; friendly and supportive, and he doesn’t cancel their plans at the last minute because he needs to save the world. In Issue #41, he is a bit pushy when he calls her out for her loyalty to Mark (“Where exactly is this boyfriend of yours? And where am I?”) but it makes sense, given how flaky Mark can be.

This changes in Issue #56. Amber calls Mark and asks for his help – and when he arrives at her house, he quickly notices her swollen, bruised eye.

“My father died… [Gary] was so nice, but he’s got problems of his own,” she explains.

“Gary was very supportive, he’s such a great guy, he’s so understanding. It’s just that, and I’m sorry – I just didn’t know who else I could talk to about this. He gets angry sometimes. He.. he just… he didn’t mean it.”

Image Comics

Mark is furious and immediately flies off to confront him. When he finds him, he dangles him off the edge of a building and threatens to kill him if he hurts her again.

Later, Mark flies back to Amber’s house. “I just got off the phone with Gary. I don’t know if you found him but you don’t need to say anything to him now. Everything’s okay really,” she says.

“I know what he did – there’s no excuse – but I think it was just a one-time thing… I think I am going to give him another chance.”

Mark clearly doesn’t want her to keep seeing him, but Amber tells him not to worry. “I think everything’s going to be fine,” she says, and she gives him a hug before he leaves.

Gary appeared in Invincible Season 1

Prime Video

If you cast your mind back to Season 1, you may remember another character called Gary. Kirkman hasn’t confirmed if he’s meant to be the same person, but there is one notable parallel.

He appears in Episode 5, with Titan holding him by his leg from the ledge of a skyscraper. He owes a debt to Machine Head, so Titan gives him two days to pay. Unfortunately, he becomes one of the many victims of Invincible’s brawl against Omni-Man in Chicago, with his daughter finding his corpse in Episode 8.

If nothing else, it’s probably just a small nod to a character from the comics we may never see.

Invincible repurposed a Mark & Amber moment from the comics in Season 2

Prime Video

At the end of Invincible Season 2, Mark secretly checks on Amber from the sky above her university. He sees her living a peaceful life with her friends, and smiles, and while he’s tempted to say hello, he thinks better of it and flies away. She glances up, but he’s already gone.

There’s a similar moment much later in the comics; Issue #117, to be exact. I won’t go into the context of when and why this takes place (because there are big spoilers you don’t want to know yet), but we see Mark hovering above a street as Amber meets her boyfriend.

Thankfully, it isn’t Gary – it’s someone else entirely. We don’t find out his name, but they seem happy – and Mark flies away with a smile on his face; she’s finally safe.

Make sure you know exactly when each episode drops with our Invincible Season 3 release time & schedule guide and keep tabs on the show’s soundtrack. Until then, find out why Mark’s blue suit is so important and how Episode 5 set up one of the most shocking moments in the comics, and if you want to jump ahead, you can read the Invincible comics for free.