I had really hoped this would be the last volume of the series, that Lionsgate wouldn’t try to bleed consumers dry by cutting the final 8 episodes of Wolverine and the X-Men into two separate releases – but they did. So, taking into account my customary disclaimer of this being the best X-Men animated series since the mainstay from the 90s (the fifth volume of which is coming out in May), it’s a show worthy of viewing by anyone who ever considered themselves an X-Men fan, even though I dislike how the season is being released piecemeal despite having concluded back in March of 2009. Not only has it taken them a year to release it thus far, but they’re not even done releasing it, as volume 6 will probably be released in the next three months. They’re screwing the show’s fans, but since its second season got canceled at the last minute I guess there’s no rush anymore.
While volume four was highly dissatisfying in the episodes included (it just happened that way courtesy of the release tactics), the fifth volume has a bit more coherence and actually builds towards something. Having introduced Angel back in the third volume, he makes his return just as Worthington Labs, the research firm owned by Angel’s mutant-disliking father, lets leak news that they’ll have a cure for the “mutant problem” developed soon. The strained relationship between Angel and his father eventually breaks leading Angel into an ambush where he breaks his wings and his father lets the doctors surgically remove them during recovery. It seems dark if you assume this is a cartoon intended for the kiddies, but I still maintain this is a series made for the fanboys as it makes use of some of the better and more interesting X-Men story lines. With Angel’s wings removed he has a crisis of identity and goes running into the open arms of the shadowy villain known as Mr. Sinister, who wastes no time transforming the once pure and symbolic hero into the dark, demented Archangel. It would be a small plotpoint if not for its introduction of Apocalypse as the puppet master.
The plot running simultaneously to this one involves Xavier, having woken up from a coma in an uncertain future where Mastermold has wiped out both humans and mutants alike, piecing together the events that led to Mastermold’s rise to power. As the ultimate catalyst for The Xavier’s future becomes clear, the X-Men of the present day make a remarkable discovery in finding Jean Grey alive and unharmed save for a bit of good ol’ fashioned amnesia. It’s a bittersweet reunion however as Emma Frost reveals that it was Jean Grey going all Phoenix on the Academy’s ass which caused the “explosion” that fractured the team and put the professor into a coma all those years ago. Now they must race against the clock to prevent the cataclysmic event that will plunge the world into the future Xavier has been surviving in all season.
The plot and characters for Wolverine and the X-Men have a special place in my heart for two reason. First and foremost, they both go a long way towards helping me forget X-Men Evolution, wherein some braindead studio exec said, “Hey, what if we put all the X-Men back in high school! Kids will find it easier to relate!” Wow, what an awful idea. With one fell swoop they reduce everyone to pesky teenagers (admittedly one of the driving concepts behind the original concept) while stripping them of any real depth or personality beyond harmless teenager stereotypes. No such problem here. Like the 90s version, Wolverine and the X-Men correctly assumes that kids can handle a show that isn’t about someone as old as their best friend, allowing for more mature interactions and better storytelling as we no longer have lame driving factors like “or else Kitty might end up in detention!” (Sad trombone sound).
It should be noted that the series has an exceptional lineup of vocal talent driving the characters with Fred Tatasciore, Jim Ward, Kari Wahlgren, Nolan North, Steve Blum, Tom Kane, and Yuri Lowenthal providing their voices.
DVD Bonus Features
I still avidly encourage fans of the series to hold-out for a full-season set which will likely be released a few months after volume six, at least I should say that. But now that the series has been canceled, these inch-by-inch volume releases might be the best you’ll get. If there is a full-season release down the road, we can only hope that it will include more than the paltry audio commentaries offered on this version, starring Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost, and Greg Johnson.
"Wolverine and the X-Men: Revelation" is on sale May 4, 2010 and is not rated. Action, Adventure, Animation, Comic Book. Directed by Boyd Kirkland, Doug Murphy, Nicholas Filippi, Steven E Gordon. Written by Greg Johnson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost . Starring Fred Tatasciore, Jim Ward, Kari Wahlgren, Nolan North, Steve Blum, Tom Kane, Yuri Lowenthal.
