The show Invincible tells the story of Mark Grayson, a teenage boy who develops superpowers like his famous – and actually evil – father, Omni-Man. But as much as the story focuses on Mark’s relationship with his dad, it’s also about his relationship with Atom Eve. Fans of the original comic book know this is a major part of the series.
Future seasons of the hit show may build on the budding romance between Mark and Samantha Eve Wilkins. Samantha has an organic and complex story in the comics just like Mark, one that is likely to factor into the animated series in some fashion as it continues into the future.
Atom Eve has one of the most unique power sets in the Invincible universe. She’s also one of the most powerful characters in the franchise. Samantha can literally manipulate atoms, allowing her a broad range of matter manipulation over virtually any substance.
She can transform and transmute air into concrete, for example. Mostly she uses this power to create energetic shields and blasts in battle. She can also make herself fly. Her power generally manifests in pink energy, which informs the color of her costume.
Comic book readers first meet Atom Eve when Mark does, when he encounters the Teen Team. This analog for the Teen Titans from DC Comics is made up of teenage superheroes and includes members Robot, Rex-Splode, Dupli-Kate, and eventually, Invincible as well.
The teen heroes come together to defeat the Mauler Twins, a pair of villains who are clones of a brilliant scientist. The next day, Samantha discovers that Mark is a student at her high school, beginning a friendship that will someday grow to be much more.
The relationship between Mark and Samantha in the comics is very platonic at first, though they do share a connection from the start. Their friendship is complicated by Mark’s feelings for her and her relationship with another member of the Teen Team, Rex-Splode.
The relationship between Mark and Samantha in the comics is very platonic at first, though they do share a connection from the start. Their friendship is complicated by Mark’s feelings for her and her relationship with another member of the Teen Team, Rex-Splode.
Atom Eve’s pain and shock over Rex-Splode’s behavior leads her to leave the Teen Team. She fights supervillains on her own, while sometimes teaming up with Invincible as well. The two grow closer but Mark is interested in another girl at his school, complicating things.
Atom Eve’s dissatisfaction with superheroes ultimately extends to herself. She begins to feel she can do better things than simply fight crime and she decides to put her powers to use in combating hunger and poverty.
Outside of her powers, Atom Eve seems like an ordinary girl. Eventually, it’s revealed that her origin is one of heartbreak and tragedy. Her powers were active from even before her birth, and in giving birth to Samantha, her mother passed away.
Samantha’s death was faked by her father, to prevent her from being taken and raised to become a superpowered government weapon. The government eventually catches up to her, when Samantha fights her first supervillain with her powers.
In the show, the Flaxan Invasion is the moment the Teen Team meets Invincible for the first time. In the comics, it happens a bit later but is still a significant part of Atom Eve’s story. After leaving the Teen Team, she returns to the fold briefly to help them repel the Flaxans, who hail from another dimension.
Atom Eve helps Invincible and the other heroes defeat the Flaxans, who are undone because they failed to realize they age differently on Earth than in their dimension. Afterward, she goes on a double date with Mark and his girlfriend, but it ends mostly in frustration for her.