Wolverine and the X-Men Review
Nicktoons and Teletoon Bring Back Comic Classic to Animation
Jan 23, 2009
The X-Men label seems to have the Midas touch. Anything with the name usually has a bit of success. Nicktoons and Teletoon have now tapped into the world of X-Men, and for the past few months, the Nicktoons has been heavily advertising and hyping up their latest animation acquisition: Wolverine and the X-Men. From the premiere, it doesn't look as if they have been over-hyping very much at all.
Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Rogue, Colossus, Shadowcat, and Angel, Just to Name a Few
The writers obviously did their best to satisfy both the diehard fans and fans from the live action movies to start a foundation for their new show. The opening sequence rolls with the giant robot Sentinels marching down the streets, blasting any resistance and rounding up young mutant children. Enter Wolverine with his adamantium claws slashing, shortly followed by Cyclops and Storm. The comic book fans and fans who have watched the various X-Men animations over the years are already slightly appeased. If they aren't here, they will be when they catch a glimpse of the island called Genosha
But if that wasn't enough to intrigue them in the beginning, the X-Men roll call starts right after the opening credits. New fans who may have only seen the live action movies will recognize Professor X, Jean Grey, Beast, Angel, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, and Colossus. Also like the movies, Rogue is a young loner student with a familial attachment to Wolverine, and Cyclops is depressed and well, useless, because he thinks Jean Grey is dead.
Story Involves Familiar Elements, Including Senator Kelly and the Brotherhood
The story also envelopes elements that have graced both comic books and the live action movies, but they aren't so complicated that brand new fans can't quickly pick up on them and follow along as though they too have been fans for many years. Senator Kelly -- everyone's favorite anti-mutant Senator -- is proposing a Mutant Registration Act to label every mutant in the United States for every citizen to see. He has a lot of support, particularly from the Mutant Response Division (MRD), a militant police force exclusively for patrolling and disciplining mutants, as well as Warren Worthington, II.
The X-Men were at one time around to help mutants from the MRD and pave the way for a peaceful co-existence between man and mutants. However, the team of mutants disbanded after an explosion destroyed the mansion in Westchester, and both Professor X and Jean Grey disappeared from the blast. Now that they are out of the way, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants has a clear path to prove the mutants' superiority to mankind. They consist of a string of familiar faces to diehard fans: Quicksilver, Toad, Blob, Avalance, and Domino. Their first act of business: assassinate Senator Kelly.
With the MRD and the Brotherhood out of control, Wolverine has taken it upon himself to regroup the X-Men by any means necessary, even if the former members aren't that interested, such as Rogue and the melancholy Cyclops.
Boom-Boom, Pyro, Scarlet Witch, White Queen, Archangel, and Magneto All to Come
Viewers shouldn't despair that these are all the mutants who will make an appearance in this new series. Quite a few other mutants have been hinted at making a bigger presence or coming later. Boom-Boom and Pyro made a tiny cameo appearance early on with plenty of hints that they will be back, and the previews for next week's episode included Scarlet Witch, the White Queen, Magneto, and the angry Archangel. All X-Men fans should be rubbing their hands together with glee.
To top it all off, according to Nicktoons' website for the series, these mutants are just the beginning. The characters' list has dozens of hidden mutants still to come.
Nicktoons and Teletoon Have a Hit
The first two episodes were definitely exciting and action-packed enough to be worthy of the X-Men label. So far it seems to be just as fun as the past animation series as well as the movies, and hopefully they will be able to keep this momentum going. If they keep adding in comic book favorites, and maybe stir in a few brand new mutants, they will be able to hold a picky fan's interest as well as entice new fans.
Wolverine and the X-Men airs on the Nicktoons Network and Teletoon every Friday night at 8 p.m. EST.
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