As The Boys and Invincible continue to thrill with their unique takes on superhero stories, fans can’t help but debate whether Omni-Man or Homelander is the more powerful antihero. However, that question was actually answered months ago, along with a whole host of other ‘superhero vs’ questions.
To celebrate the 20 year anniversary of the Invincible franchise, comic creators Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and Cory Walker sat down for Skybound’s ‘Invincible vs. the World’ video, discussing how the franchise’s character stack up against other pop culture juggernauts. In the interview, Kirkman says he believes that “Omni-Man would trash Homelander easily” – and that the production team behind The Boys actually agree. But do YOU agree? – Vote in our end-of-article poll to have your say on Omni-Man vs Homelader.
Kirkman claims that in a prior discussion with The Boys‘ executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the two agreed that Invincible‘s Viltrumite warrior Omni-Man would win a fight against Homelander hands down, though he does express some misgivings about whether his series’ titular hero would fair as well, saying:
I’ve actually talked to Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg about this, and they have conceded that Homelander is significantly less powerful than Omni-Man, and that Omni-Man would trash Homelander easily. But it is a question how Invincible would handle him. I mean, early series Invincible, he would definitely have a hard time fighting Homelander, just because while Homelander might have less strength, he’s got more of the Superman power set, which, let’s just say that. … Homelander is a seasoned superhero pro, also not going to hesitate going to a violent place, whereas Mark might. … Blue-costume Invincible would trash Homelander.
Invincible Creator Claims Homelander Wouldn’t Stand a Chance Against Omni-Man
But Admits Invincible Would Have a Way Harder Time
Created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys began its comic run in 2006 before being adapted for live-action by Amazon in 2019. The TV and comic universes are hugely different, down to their core attitude to superheroes. While the TV show mocks superhero media in a pseudo-affectionate way, the comics exemplify Ennis’ public and long-held antipathy toward the very idea of superhuman vigilantes.
In contrast, Invincible plays with many superhero tropes, but ultimately treats Omni-Man as a deeply misguided villain who learns and seeks redemption. The series treats his power level with far more affection, and demonstrates less disdain towards the general idea of superpowers. It’s because of this that the Invincible team believe their characters could beat not just Homelander, but many other comic powerhouses…
Invincible’s Creators Think He Could Beat the Hulk and Superman
Other Match-Ups Include Thanos and Manga Heroes All Might and Chainsaw Man
While Homelander fans might level accusations of bias, Rogen and Goldberg are executive producers for Invincible as well as The Boys, though creator love does feature heavily in the discussion. In the Invincible vs Hulk match-up, Ottley (who was drawing Marvel’s Hulk vol. 5 at the time) backs the Jade Giant, while Kirkman argues that flight would give Invincible the edge. Other match-ups include Invincible vs My Hero Academia’s All Might (where no agreement is reached), Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet (Kirkman admits that going by comic rules, Thanos could change reality before Invincible acted, but the movie version’s need to snap his fingers would be a weakness), and Superman, who is easily the most controversial discussion.
During the interview, Kirkman, Ottley and Walker lay into the iconic hero who inspired both Homelander and Omni-Man. Ottley reminds his co-creators that he sometimes posts images where Invincible brutalizes Superman to social media, and that “fans hate it when I post drawings of that.” Kirkman equivocates over Clark Kent’s experience and expertise, but adds, “I think that Superman might be able to defeat Invincible just with the sheer boredom that that character causes,” although he does follow-up the insult by saying, “I’m just trying to cause controversy.”
Would Omni-Man Really Beat Homelander?
Invincible’s Creators Agree, But Do the Comics?
Of course, Invincible‘s comic creators don’t get to have the last word, and the decision is really down to individual fans. However, their comic feats do paint a picture of a pretty one-sided brawl. In the comics, it’s estimated that Homelander could lift “a dozen Mack trucks,” equaling around 960,000 pounds. While this makes him capable of throwing a jet with one hand, it doesn’t come anywhere close to the upper level of Viltrumite strength shown in the Invincible comics, where the alien species are revealed to be able to fly through planets.
At the same time, Omni-Man is a trained warrior from a warlike culture, where Homelander hasn’t had anything like the same training. In the comics, Homelander rarely gets in actual fights – his ‘superhero’ image is mostly propaganda, with a few missions to neutralize problem Supes for Vought-America – and when he does, he ends them by flying through his opponents rather than engaging in any long-term battles.
Indeed, Homelander only has one truly involved fight in all of The Boys, and that’s against his clone Black Noir. When the two battle in the White House, it’s revealed that their offensive power is far in advance of their durability – Homelander instantly burns off Black Noir’s arm, while his clone punches off his jaw in response. Based on this, Homelander would be even more susceptible to Omni-Man’s powers than he seems. The sole weapon that suggests Homelander might stand a chance is his heat vision, which is incredibly powerful, however moments where Viltrumites fight within stars suggest Omni-Man would live long enough to close the distance.
Homelander Loses Because The Boys Hates Superheroes
Invincible Loves Spectacle, While The Boys Loves Gore
Ultimately, the winner of Omni-Man vs Homelander is decided by their series’ very different attitudes to superheroes. The Boys loathes superheroes, and engages heavily with the theme that any individual having too much power is an inherent evil. While aliens and magic are hinted at early in its comic story, it later confirms that all ‘superhero weirdness’ in its world is a result of Compound V. In contrast, Invincible is far more approving of the spectacle of power, and expands its world to distant planets and alternate dimensions.
Invincible paints on a larger canvas, and that means building its characters up in terms of power and expertise. The Boys wants to depict the world of superheroes as squalid, limited, and corrupt, and so while Homelander is more powerful than other Supes, he’s nowhere near Superman or Omni-Man, and ultimately ends up being killed off-panel in his first real fight. While Amazon’s adaptations of the properties may change some details, these core attitudes aren’t so easily escaped, meaning that in a hypothetical Omni-Man vs Homelander fight, Invincible‘s antihero probably does trash The Boys‘ egotistical villain with ease.
