Before Marvel spread its comic book wings, DC could already boast the popular characters of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. These are heroes who are still the most recognizable in the history of graphic stories. However, DC quickly rested on its laurels, and disregarding the competition resulted in the company losing the majority of the comic book market for years. How did Marvel manage to defeat an enterprise with Batman and Superman on board?
The X-Men are back. This is the most important group of freaks in history
Yes, a completely different approach to creating heroes. Marvel focused on characters that will not be flawless and monumental. It was there that the writing of stories about imperfect heroes who, despite their supernatural powers, had completely common, non-supernatural problems began. The essence of the new approach was a series about the X-Men, mutants who, due to their unusual abilities, are rejected by society – at school, work and even in their immediate family.
The X-Men are probably the most important group of comic book heroes in the history. Others, rejected and discriminated against, helped many excluded children who could find support in Charles Xavier’s words when they did not hear them from their loved ones. The founder of the school for mutants repeated ad nauseam that every manifestation of otherness is a gift, not a curse. Both Marvel comics and the cult animation “X-Men” from the 1990s are a praise for tolerance and learning acceptance – also the acceptance that we so often lack, even towards ourselves.
“X-Men’97” delighted viewers and critics. The latest Marvel series is already a hit
A similar message dominates the new Marvel animated series – “X-Men ’97”, the first episodes of which are now available to watch on Disney Plus. Although critics have different opinions about Marvel Studios’ actions in recent years, the series started with 100 percent from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes. After four episodes, the average rating dropped by only two percent. Such high marks are rare, but here they are fully deserved.
The creators of the series decided to continue the story from the “X-Men” cartoon, which was loved by generations. They did not try to make major changes or improve production where it did not require any corrections. Humility paid off. The “X-Men ’97” series seems to be a dream come true not only for those who watched animation in the 1990s, but also for Marvel fans disappointed with film adaptations about mutants. Here, each hero has a distinct character, plays an important role in the plot, and his voice resonates strongly in the story. The action is engaging from the first episode, thanks to the original script and the accurate rotation of characters more and less present in pop culture. The experiences of individual characters contribute to the strength of a coherent whole, and this is visible almost immediately.
What is striking in “X-Men ’97” is improved graphics full of vivid colors and sharp contours, which has a positive effect on the perception of the emotions and characters of the characters. The animation also received a well-deserved upgrade, which is visible, for example, in the new and truly fantastic hairstyles of the characters. However, the changes omitted the structure of episodes, narrative and faithfulness to the source materials. We also have dozens of comic book Easter eggs, returns of episodic characters, episodes divided into parts and those called fillers, which provide the opportunity to delve into the worlds and lives of characters outside the main plot.
“X-Men ’97”. Review of the new Marvel series
The greatest metamorphosis of the hero known from the previous X-Men series can be observed in Morph (Kevin Sydney is this nice gentleman who has the ability to change shape smoothly – he can take on various human and animal forms). The character not only takes on a canonical comic book form, but is also non-binary and joins the titular squad. In the first episodes of “X-Men ’97”, which we can now watch on Disney Plus, we also got a new important character who did not appear in the previous series. It is Roberto Da Costa, also known as Sunspot. The character’s story seems to be quite clichéd, with him strenuously denying his powers and hiding them from his loved ones, but his relationship with Jubilee has great potential to replace the one between Rogue and Gambit.
These, although still feisty, seem to be much more mature. Fortunately, they did not lose their characteristic accents and charm, but after the death of their mentor and friend – Charles Xavier – they finally crossed the boundaries of adulthood, from which there is no return. And this is a thread that repeats itself in the new series. Despite its form, the fairy tale has clearly matured along with its characters and viewers.
The animation is suspenseful, engaging and even moving. Although I didn’t cry when Mufasa died in “The Lion King” or when little Bambi watched his mother die, the creators of “X-Men ’97” made me cry in the second episode of the series, when Magneto spoke to the members of the UN (I will deliberately avoid spoilers here). . It was then confirmed once again that Erik Lehnsherr is one of the most interesting and best-written characters in Marvel history.
Side characters also returned to the series, such as a group of mutants living underground called morlocks, the inventor Forge, and Mojo, who turned from an annoying clown into a disturbing, unpredictable evil. In the new version, he can easily convince viewers that he will do anything for the title of king of entertainment. The interesting storyline of the Goblin Queen was also introduced into the universe, and the character of one of my favorite Marvel villains – Mister Sinister – was refreshed.
The “X-Men ’97” series has a big heart, which is why all Marvel fans love both comics and films belonging to the House of Ideas. This is the essence of what gave the company an advantage over its competitors in all fields. However, the animation provides viewers with more than just an empty nostalgia festival and a nod to slightly outdated storytelling. The new X-Men give fans deeper characters, storylines, relationships and a handful of unexpected plot twists that raise the stakes. The series has grown up with its viewers and plays a slightly different role today than in the 1990s. Under the guise of pure entertainment and a time machine to the carefree years of childhood, it hides an important social commentary that is completely current, even though we wouldn’t want it to be.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
