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Show:		8.0
Picture:		8.0
Sound:		9.0
Extras:		6.0
Score:		8.0

Director(s):	Boyd Kirkland • Steven E. Gordon
Writer(s):	Greg Johnson, Craig Kyle
Starring:	Phil LaMarr • Steve Blum • Nolan North • Fred Tatasciore • Tom Kane • Jim Ward • Yuri Lowenthal
Genre:	Animation • Comic Book • Television
Release Date:	April 21, 2009

List Price:	DVD - $9.99
Amazon:

Typically, I condemn studios for releasing "episodic samplers" of a television series in lieu of an entire season box set. It's a lousy practice designed with nothing more than money grubbing in mind. The Wolverine and the X-Men: Heroes Return Trilogy, if tradition holds true, should receive similar reproach. But it doesn't; at least not entirely. It turns out people like me are the exact intended audience of this set. Yes, I still somewhat resent Lionsgate for putting out a one disc release that represents a mere fraction of the entire season - but it brought a superb series to my attention and really, isn't that the point?

Wolverine and the X-Men possesses a mythology depth that rivals and ultimately bests the 90s X-Men animated series and an updated animation style that borrows yet improves upon the X-Men: Evolution series of a few years back. Wolverine and the X-Men is the comic book animated series we've all been waiting for. Virtually everything is improved upon - everything.

The premise of the entire series has a dark origin: Xavier's Academy for the Gifted comes under attack putting Xavier into a 20 year coma and splintering the X-men team, sending everyone in their own direction. Cyclops goes into depression over the perceived loss of Jean Gray. Wolverine retreats to his lone wolf phase. Rogue teeters on a moral fence unable to decide her allegiance. Storm returns to Africa. Everyone goes their own way - except for Beast. The dark origin should be enough to convince the average X-fan that they're seeing a new dawn of X-Men animation but, as if further proof is necessary, we're treated to two timelines: the present and the future. Charles Xavier has emerged from his coma 20 years down the road to a reality dominated by the sentinels with both humans and mutants alike on the run or imprisoned. Determined to change his present, Charles uses a smaller Cerebro to contact Wolverine in the past to reassemble the X-Men and attempt to change the events that led to such an unfortunate future.

The concept of Wolverine as the team's leader may ruffle a few feathers among the X-Men devotees in the crowd, but that uncertainty is exactly what this three episode arc was designed to alleviate. Resetting everything we've come to know about the X-Men universe, Wolverine and the X-Men pushes the audience to accept a darker storyline that, until now, was only found in the comic books.

Perhaps the biggest distinction here is the new direction given to several of the key characters. First off, the fact that Forge is a permanent character, even if somewhat of a goofball, is just awesome. Cyclops, while still a tool, has the darker edge of depression pervading his character making it entirely understandable that maybe he's not quite up to the task of leading the X-Men on both an emotional and mental level. Most importantly, is the portrayal of Rogue. I don't know about you, but I was getting sick and tired of her being a permanently tortured soul who couldn't use her mutant power without large amounts of mental anguish. In fact, in her present incarnation, Rogue goes about touching people all willy nilly to steal the information in their head and their mutant powers as she sees fit; a definite improvement - such a welcome one too. Then we have Wolverine and you'd think that there's not much you can do to elaborate on this character - and for what it's worth that's true and it isn't. Wolverine was always the center of the X-Men cartooniverse; only now they've made him somewhat hypocritical. When Wolverine went off on personal vendettas in past series it was written off as part of his character, "oh, he's a loner, that's just what he does." That remains true, but when he's doing it an episode after lecturing Cyclops about not abandoning the team to search for Jean - it rings hollow.

The animation style no longer has the classic feel of the 90s series nor the overly cartoonish feel of X-Men: Evolution. It's the perfect middle ground for animation styles and I really couldn't be happier with it.

DVD Bonus Features

First off, we have two different audio commentary tracks: one with series directors Steven E. Gordon and Boyd Kirkland and another with series writers Greg Johnson and Craig Kyle. The commentaries will interest those of you who claim allegiance to either of the older series, hearing the new generation's take on where the series is and should be headed is worth it. The featurettes include two behind the scenes pieces which, like the commentaries, feature the opinions of the new writers and directors as they talk about their original vision for the series and why they think the new angle on the team with Wolverine as the leader is the badly needed breath of fresh air. The last extra feature is a bunch of really quick "profiles" of the characters. These things take like 25 seconds a piece; easy to digest but overall not that interesting.

I don't like recommending sampler packs for a television series, but in this case I would implore X-Men fans everywhere to at the very least rent this disc to get a taste. If you're anything like me you'll find yourself drawn into the series. I for one have begun advocating this to the X-Men fans around me. Try it out.