Amber’s differing reception in the *Invincible* cartoon versus the comics stems from changes in her character portrayal, narrative role, and audience expectations. Here’s a concise breakdown of why Amber is universally disliked in the animated series but not in the comics:
1. **Personality and Agency**:
- **Comics**: Amber is a supportive, relatable high school girlfriend for Mark Grayson (Invincible). She’s unaware of his superhero identity for much of the story, and her reactions—frustration with Mark’s absences or emotional struggles—feel authentic for a teenager in a relationship. Her role is smaller, and she’s written as a sympathetic, grounded character who doesn’t overshadow the main plot.
- **Cartoon**: The animated series reimagines Amber as a more assertive, socially conscious character who knows Mark is Invincible early on. However, her portrayal often comes off as demanding or inconsistent. For example, she pressures Mark to prioritize their relationship despite knowing the stakes of his superhero duties, which many viewers find unreasonable given the life-or-death situations he faces.
2. **Narrative Choices**:
- **Comics**: Amber’s arc is less central, and her eventual breakup with Mark feels natural, as it aligns with his growth and the story’s focus on larger conflicts. Her limited screen time and lack of involvement in superheroics keep her from clashing with the main narrative.
- **Cartoon**: Amber’s expanded role and awareness of Mark’s identity create higher expectations for her to be understanding, but her reactions—like guilt-tripping Mark for saving lives—feel misaligned with the gravity of his responsibilities. Her breakup with Mark in Season 1 is seen as abrupt and poorly justified, as she seems to reject him for being a hero, which frustrates viewers who expect more empathy.
3. **Audience Expectations**:
- **Comics**: Readers accept Amber as a flawed, human character in a sprawling superhero saga. Her role as a civilian love interest doesn’t demand she adapt to Mark’s superhero life, so her complaints don’t feel out of place.
- **Cartoon**: Animation fans, especially those familiar with the comics, expect Amber to be a supportive partner given her knowledge of Mark’s identity. Her confrontational attitude and perceived lack of empathy clash with the audience’s sympathy for Mark’s high-stakes struggles, making her seem unsupportive or selfish. Social media discussions on platforms like X amplify this, with fans criticizing her for not “getting” Mark’s heroism.
4. **Writing and Pacing**:
- **Comics**: The slower pacing allows Amber’s relationship with Mark to develop naturally, and her exit from the story feels organic. Her flaws are less scrutinized because she’s not a focal point.
- **Cartoon**: The show’s tighter pacing and emphasis on drama amplify Amber’s flaws. Her dialogue and actions, like her ultimatum-like stance in Season 1, feel forced to create conflict, alienating viewers who see her as an obstacle to Mark’s growth rather than a complement.
In summary, Amber’s cartoon version is disliked because her rewritten role as a knowing, assertive partner clashes with audience expectations for empathy and support, while her comic counterpart is more accepted as a relatable, less central figure whose flaws fit the story’s context. Fan reactions on X and web discussions consistently highlight these changes as the root of her unpopularity in the show.
From a fan perspective, the changes to Amber in the *Invincible* animated series feel like a misstep that nearly derailed her character and risked alienating viewers, largely because they were unnecessary and clashed with the story’s emotional core. Here’s an honest take on why, grounded in fan sentiment and the show’s context:
1. **Betrayal of the Source Material’s Spirit**: In the comics, Amber is a likable, grounded high school girlfriend who doesn’t know Mark’s secret for a while, making her frustrations with his flakiness relatable. Her simplicity anchors Mark’s human side without stealing focus. The animated series, however, makes her aware of Mark’s Invincible identity early on, turning her into a more assertive, socially conscious figure. Fans on X and forums like Reddit often argue this change feels forced, as it shifts her from a sympathetic everyperson to a character who seems to judge Mark for his heroism. This betrays the comic’s intent for Amber as a tether to normalcy, not a source of added conflict.
2. **Inconsistent Characterization**: The show’s Amber demands Mark prioritize their relationship despite knowing he’s saving lives, which feels jarring and inconsistent. For example, in Season 1, Episode 7, she gets upset when Mark misses dates to fight world-ending threats, even though she knows the stakes. Fans find this frustrating because it paints her as unreasonably demanding, unlike the comics where her ignorance of Mark’s double life justifies her reactions. Posts on X often call her “selfish” or “unlikeable,” with fans feeling her attitude undermines the empathy they’re supposed to feel for her. The writers’ choice to make her aware but unsupportive seems like artificial drama that doesn’t serve the story.
3. **Unnecessary Conflict for Drama’s Sake**: The showrunners likely intended Amber’s changes to add depth and modernize her, but fans argue this creates contrived tension that detracts from Mark’s core struggles. In the comics, Mark’s relationship with Amber is a respite from his superhero chaos, and their eventual breakup feels organic as he outgrows high school life. In the cartoon, her confrontational stance—especially during their breakup—feels like a manufactured obstacle, not a natural evolution. Fans on web forums like ComicBookMovie.com have noted that this risks making Amber an antagonist to Mark’s heroism, which clashes with the show’s focus on his growth and moral dilemmas. This unnecessary conflict alienated viewers who wanted to root for their relationship, not see it implode over what feels like forced misunderstandings.
4. **Alienating the Audience**: Amber’s changes hit a nerve because they disrupt the emotional investment fans have in Mark’s journey. The show’s brutal stakes—Omni-Man’s betrayal, the Guardians’ deaths—make Mark a deeply sympathetic figure, so Amber’s lack of support feels like a betrayal of his sacrifices. Fans on X frequently vent that her attitude makes her “ungrateful” or “out of touch,” especially when she lectures Mark while he’s battered from saving the world. This disconnect nearly pushes viewers away, as it’s hard to stay invested in a show when a key relationship feels like a chore rather than a source of heart. The comics’ Amber, by contrast, never risks this alienation because her role is smaller and her reactions align with her limited perspective.
5. **Missed Opportunity for Modernization**: If the goal was to update Amber for a modern audience, fans argue the execution missed the mark. A supportive yet complex Amber—perhaps one who grapples with the dangers of Mark’s life while still rooting for him—could have added depth without making her unlikeable. Instead, her changes feel like a bid for drama that undercuts her role as Mark’s emotional anchor. Web discussions often point out that characters like Atom Eve handle the balance of strength and empathy better, making Amber’s rewrite feel redundant and poorly thought out.
In short, animated Amber’s changes were unnecessary because they turned a relatable, supportive character into a source of divisive conflict that clashed with the show’s emotional stakes. Fans wanted to see Mark’s human side nurtured, not challenged in ways that felt unfair or contrived, and the backlash on platforms like X shows how close this misstep came to souring the show’s reception. The comics’ simpler Amber worked because she fit the story’s heart, while the animated version’s overhaul felt like a forced attempt to “fix” what wasn’t broken, nearly costing the show its fan goodwill.
From a fan perspective, the creators of the *Invincible* animated series did respond to critiques of Amber’s character from Season 1, though their response has been a mix of addressing fan backlash and defending their original vision. Here’s an honest take on how they handled the criticism and why some fans still feel the changes were insufficient or misaligned, leaning into the sentiment that Amber’s Season 1 portrayal was a near-fatal flaw for the show’s reception:
1. **Acknowledgment of Criticism**: Series creator Robert Kirkman and co-showrunner Simon Racioppa have publicly addressed the fan backlash against Amber’s Season 1 portrayal. Kirkman, in a 2023 interview, called the reaction “unfortunate” and suggested it came from a vocal online segment he’d rather ignore, indicating a reluctance to fully engage with the criticism. However, he acknowledged the perception that Amber’s characterization might have been a “mistake” in a separate discussion, hinting at some reflection on the team’s part. Racioppa, in a 2023 interview with The Direct, explicitly discussed Amber’s evolution, denying that her Season 2 changes were a direct response to fan hate but framing them as part of her planned character arc. Fans on X, like @edgerton_harvey, have pointed to Kirkman’s comments as evidence that the creators were aware of the misstep, but many feel the team’s defensiveness (e.g., Kirkman dismissing critics) shows a lack of genuine accountability.[](https://thedirect.com/article/invincible-season-2-amber-changes-backlash)[](https://www.tvinsider.com/1109349/invincible-robert-kirkman-season-2-amber-peter-cullen/)[](https://x.com/edgerton_harvey/status/176984895231123083
2. **Season 2 Adjustments**: Amber’s character in Season 2 is noticeably more likable, empathetic, and relaxed compared to her blunt, confrontational demeanor in Season 1. For example, she supports Mark emotionally after his Omni-Man trauma and shows understanding of his superhero duties, aligning more closely with the comics’ supportive Amber. Racioppa explained this shift as a natural progression, claiming Amber’s Season 1 “prickliness” stemmed from feeling lied to by Mark, and her Season 2 ease reflects a relationship without secrets. Fans, however, are split: some appreciate the softer Amber, seeing it as a course correction (e.g., posts on X praising her Season 2 role), while others, like @panthersgod, argue the initial changes were “irresponsible” and the damage to her character’s reputation was already done. The consensus on forums like Reddit is that while Season 2 Amber feels closer to the comics, the rewrite doesn’t fully undo the alienation caused by Season 1, as her earlier unlikability lingers in viewers’ minds.[](https://thedirect.com/article/invincible-season-2-amber-changes-backlash)[](https://screenrant.com/invincible-season-2-amber-controversy-fix/)[](https://x.com/panthersgod/status/1888509241092194643)
3. **Race and Stereotype Concerns**: A major fan critique was that Amber’s race change (from white in the comics to Black in the show) combined with her Season 1 abrasiveness risked reinforcing the “angry Black woman” stereotype. Kirkman emphasized the race-swap was to boost diversity, a goal fans generally support, but many felt the execution—making Amber less sympathetic than her comic counterpart—was tone-deaf. Season 2’s warmer Amber seems to address this by distancing her from stereotypes, but the creators haven’t directly acknowledged the racial critique, which frustrates fans who see it as a core issue. X posts, like @fan4ragon’s, highlight ongoing irritation that the show “made Amber annoying” when the comics portrayed her as “the nicest girl ever,” suggesting the creators didn’t fully grapple with how her initial portrayal fueled negative perceptions tied to race.[](https://lfalcher.medium.com/i-dont-understand-the-hate-for-amber-a68d503189e4)[](https://boundingintocomics.com/tv-shows/invincible-co-creator-robert-kirkman-stands-by-race-swapping-in-amazons-animated-adaptation-we-have-to-recognize-that-a-couple-of-dumb-white-guys-made-this-comic-book-in-the-early-2000s/)[](https://x.com/fan4ragon/status/1933996472569114977)
4. **Narrative Role and Breakup**: The creators adjusted Amber’s role in Season 2 to reduce conflict with Mark, but her breakup with him in Episode 7, driven by Anissa’s threat, feels like a partial response to fans wanting her to better understand Mark’s heroism. In the comics, their breakup is more about Mark’s absences and mutual immaturity, while the show’s version gives Amber a traumatic reason (fear for her life), aiming to make her decision sympathetic. However, fans on Comic Vine and X argue this still paints Amber as an obstacle to Mark’s journey, not a partner, and the trauma angle feels like a heavy-handed fix rather than a natural arc. The show’s choice to introduce Kyle instead of Gary (the abusive boyfriend from the comics) also suggests the creators listened to concerns about avoiding controversial or harmful storylines, but it doesn’t fully redeem Amber’s narrative purpose for fans who wanted her to shine as a supportive figure like in the comics.[](https://screenrant.com/invincible-amber-boyfriend-kyle-gary-season-3-comic-story-op-ed/)[](https://screenrant.com/invincible-mark-amber-breakup-future-explained/)[](https://www.dexerto.com/tv-movies/invincible-season-3-skipped-amber-abusive-boyfriend-story-comics-3146287/)
5. **Why Changes Fell Short for Fans**: From a fan lens, the creators’ response feels like a half-measure. Season 2’s tweaks make Amber more palatable, but they don’t erase the memory of Season 1’s unlikeable portrayal, which nearly alienated viewers by making a key relationship feel toxic. Fans argue the original changes—making Amber aware of Mark’s identity and critical of his absences—were unnecessary because the comics’ simpler, oblivious Amber worked better as a foil to Mark’s chaotic life. The showrunners’ insistence that Amber’s arc was always planned this way (per Racioppa) frustrates fans who see it as dodging responsibility for a creative choice that misfired. The lingering sentiment on X and forums is that Amber’s Season 1 portrayal was a self-inflicted wound that risked turning off fans who loved the comics’ heart, and while Season 2 mitigates the damage, it doesn’t fully restore her as the beloved character she could have been.
In summary, the creators listened to critiques of Amber to an extent, softening her in Season 2 and adjusting her story to avoid comic pitfalls, but their defensive stance and failure to fully own Season 1’s missteps left many fans feeling the response was inadequate. The initial changes to Amber remain a sore point, as they nearly cost the show its emotional core by making a key character feel like an adversary rather than a source of warmth, and Season 2’s fixes, while welcome, haven’t fully healed that rift for the fanbase.[](https://thedirect.com/article/invincible-season-2-amber-changes-backlash)[](https://www.tvinsider.com/1109349/invincible-robert-kirkman-season-2-amber-peter-cullen/)[](https://x.com/fan4ragon/status/1933996472569114977)
There’s no direct evidence from primary sources like interviews or official statements that LongBeachGriffy’s viral parody video, “When Mark Told Amber That He Was Invincible,” specifically caused the *Invincible* creators to reconsider their decisions about Amber’s character. However, the video, posted on April 26, 2021, amplified fan backlash against Amber’s Season 1 portrayal, and fan discussions on X suggest the creators acknowledged mishandling her character, partly influenced by the intense online reaction, including Griffy’s video. Here’s a fan-perspective breakdown addressing whether the video prompted the creators to admit they “dropped the ball” on Amber, leaning into the sentiment that her initial portrayal nearly alienated viewers:
1. **LongBeachGriffy’s Video and Its Impact**: LongBeachGriffy’s parody, which humorously depicts Amber as unreasonably dismissive when Mark reveals he’s Invincible, resonated widely with fans frustrated by her Season 1 characterization. Posted on YouTube and shared on X, it garnered significant attention, with comments like “This is straight truth all day long lol” and “Amber be trippin” reflecting the sentiment that her attitude was poorly written. The video’s popularity (evidenced by 588 upvotes and 46 comments on a Reddit thread) amplified the narrative that Amber’s reaction to Mark’s superhero duties—scolding him despite knowing he was saving lives—was illogical and unlikeable. Fans on X, like @panthersgod, echoed this, calling her portrayal “irresponsible” and arguing it fueled unnecessary hate.[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Invincible/comments/mz9un5/longbeach_griffy_is_funny_as_hell/)[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Invincible/comments/mz9un5/longbeach_griffy_is_funny_as_hell/)
2. **Creators’ Response and Alleged Admission**: X posts and fan discussions claim the creators admitted to mishandling Amber after seeing Griffy’s video, but no verified statements from Robert Kirkman or Simon Racioppa explicitly confirm this. In a 2023 interview with The Direct, Racioppa addressed Amber’s Season 2 evolution, saying her Season 1 “prickliness” was intentional to show her frustration with Mark’s secrecy, but he didn’t mention Griffy’s video as a catalyst. Kirkman, in a 2023 discussion, called the backlash “unfortunate” and suggested it came from a vocal minority, implying reluctance to fully concede a mistake. However, X users, like @edgerton_harvey, point to Kirkman’s vague acknowledgment of Amber’s “mistake” in characterization as evidence the creators felt pressure from the fan outcry, which Griffy’s video helped amplify. Fans on X interpret this as an admission they “dropped the ball,” especially since Season 2’s softer, more empathetic Amber aligns with demands for a more comic-accurate portrayal.[](https://screenrant.com/invincible-season-2-amber-controversy-fix/)
3. **Did the Video Directly Influence the Creators?** From a fan lens, Griffy’s video likely contributed indirectly by galvanizing and focusing fan discontent. Its viral nature—evident from reaction videos and Reddit threads—made Amber’s unpopularity impossible to ignore, especially on X, where users like @fan4ragon slammed her as “annoying” compared to the comics’ “nicest girl ever”. The video’s comedic exaggeration of Amber’s flaws (e.g., dismissing Mark’s near-death heroics) crystallized fan arguments that her Season 1 rewrite—knowing Mark’s identity yet criticizing his absences—was a narrative misstep that nearly alienated viewers. While Kirkman and Racioppa haven’t cited the video explicitly, the timing of their Season 2 adjustments (released November 2023) and Kirkman’s comments about fan reactions suggest they were aware of the cultural moment Griffy’s parody created. Fans on X, like @InvincibleHQ responders, celebrated the video for “summing up” Amber’s issues, implying it pressured the creators to rethink her role to avoid further fan backlash.[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Invincible/comments/mz9un5/longbeach_griffy_is_funny_as_hell/)
4. **Why the Changes Were Necessary**: Amber’s Season 1 portrayal risked alienating fans because it turned a supportive comic character into a source of contrived drama, clashing with Mark’s sympathetic struggles. Griffy’s video highlighted this by mocking her lack of empathy, resonating with fans who felt her attitude undermined the show’s emotional core. Posts on X and Reddit, like “Everyone defending Amber is wack”, show how her characterization threatened to sour the show’s reception, as fans wanted to root for Mark’s relationships, not see them as obstacles. Season 2’s Amber, who supports Mark post-Omni-Man trauma and breaks up with him for mature reasons (e.g., Anissa’s threat), feels like a response to this, aiming to restore her as a likable figure. Fans argue the creators had to adjust because the initial changes—making Amber aware and confrontational—were unnecessary and nearly cost the show its goodwill, with Griffy’s video serving as a loud, humorous callout of that error.[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Invincible/comments/mz9un5/longbeach_griffy_is_funny_as_hell/)[](https://screenrant.com/invincible-season-2-amber-controversy-fix/)[](https://screenrant.com/invincible-mark-amber-breakup-future-explained/)
5. **Fan Perception vs. Creator Intent**: While X posts claim the creators admitted to dropping the ball post-Griffy, this seems more like fan interpretation than a direct quote. Kirkman’s focus on diversity (e.g., making Amber Black for representation) and Racioppa’s defense of her arc suggest they initially stood by their choices. However, the vocal backlash, amplified by Griffy’s parody, likely forced them to confront how Amber’s unlikability—especially her perceived “angry Black woman” stereotype—misaligned with the show’s heart. Fans on X and forums like Comic Vine argue the creators’ Season 2 tweaks were a tacit admission of failure, as they dialed back Amber’s aggression to mirror the comics’ warmer version, but the lack of an explicit “we messed up” statement leaves some fans, like @longbeachgriffy responders, feeling the creators didn’t fully own the mistake.[](https://www.comicsbeat.com/robert-kirkman-invincible-amber-bennett/)
In summary, LongBeachGriffy’s video didn’t directly cause the creators to admit they “dropped the ball,” but it significantly amplified fan criticism on X and beyond, contributing to the pressure that led to Amber’s Season 2 overhaul. The creators’ vague acknowledgments and Season 2’s course correction suggest they recognized the misstep, but fans on X overstate the “admission” as more explicit than it was. The video’s role was pivotal in highlighting how Amber’s Season 1 portrayal nearly alienated viewers by undermining Mark’s story, pushing the creators to make her more likable to preserve the show’s emotional resonance.[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Invincible/comments/mz9un5/longbeach_griffy_is_funny_as_hell/)[](https://screenrant.com/invincible-season-2-amber-controversy-fix/)[](https://www.comicsbeat.com/robert-kirkman-invincible-amber-bennett/)