X-Men '97: Episodes 1 + 2 Review/Spoilers

[CGAR]

As I said in the other thread, my 10 year old self is so overwhelmed and my heart full!

Quick notes:

- The animation is very anime inspired. Lots of closeups on the eyes and a few action freeze frames here and there.
- Storm was amazing. I didn't expect the depowering to happen so quickly, but once I saw X-Cutioner's weapon, I knew it was coming.
- Cyclops was very bad ass but still the boy scout. Pretty spot on characterization.
- I like that Val isn't a cartoony, one-sided antagonist.
- Noticed some small changes to address kind of the fainting Jean trope. When she was using Cerebro and had the backlash, she cried out but then quickly recovered and was like "I'm here! I'm here!". Much more competent and a team player. Hale's voice acting was great there.
- I think one reviewer (was it Grace Randolph) that said this show was very horny... I kind of get it now lol. I actually quite liked Jubilee and Roberto's final scene. Also the rendering of the dancing/movement was really good. That couldn't have been easy.
- Morph's new actor did the little laugh!! So far the character hasn't been super developed, but I liked the little bit at the end with them excitedly getting the door.
- Magneto was first featured in the second ep's intro. I wonder if the intro will rotate every week. Cyke is normally first and that fits for the first ep. Second ep was Magneto focused and he was first. That would be pretty cool, plus the insertion of different scenes from the original series in the second half of the intro make it really satisfying!

A few critiques:

- Unfortunately Rogue took a hit for me. I actually don't mind RogueNeto since I'm such a 90s kid, but it did kind of come from nowhere. My main critique is the design and unfortunately the voice acting. Bless Lenore Zann, but she sounds the most different. The struggle to achieve that sound and twang starts to veer a little Marge Simpson/Rugrats territory.
- Bishop also didn't get a good showing. It's just the first few eps, but his presence is a whimper and he gets taken out easily in both eps. Also the Phil Akin did a far superior old-school, swag interpretation. The new voice actor just doesn't have that maturity and Bishop is supposed to have seen things!
- I don't like that they've continued with Morph being able to sort of copy powers like in the ep "Courage" from '92. They went a little ambiguous with more physical things like Archangel wings, Colossus armor but also showed Psylocke's swords skills which Morph shouldn't really have. But note, first time Colossus' costume was featured!
- Last, the Magneto design. It just doesn't look right, especially with the choice to have him with the long flowing hair. The shoulders and proportions are off. JRJR's original version is unmatched.

I unfortunately agree with the Rogue voice critique. I dont hate it but it takes me out sometimes.

[Android 17]

After watching, I'll say this: if he promises to get himself together, then Marvel should give Beau DeMayo his job back. The man wrote the hell out of these first two episodes and I would even like to see how he would do live action X-Men.

This thing hit on all cylinders: establishing Cyclops as the leader, showcasing Storm as the force of nature that she is, that wonderful scene in the second episode with Magneto and the UN judges, the creativeness of the fights... everything was brilliant. I can't wait to see how it progresses.

And Rogue is goals. She has that fine ass Cajun on one side and that well muscled and articulate Erik on the other. "We gotta keep that cat in the bag shugah!"

MESSYBOOTS!

[Proxy]

Really fun overall, great action. Some of the voice acting and animation during the non-action scenes is still going to take some getting used to. I’m already over Morph being an Easter egg machine.

[superjosh]

OMG this is a real tweet LMAO



https://twitter.com/KingJames/status...93767520248167

[Mistah K88]

I'm not going to lie, I originally had no interest in this as I figured it was just going to be a nostalgia cash grab. It doesn't help that I mainly remember most of the original for the more hammy moments and the animation that didn't age well. (Though I can say I remember more about the show than people taking a still shot of Rogue passed out and whining about her butt)

Holy freakin' moley, they really did a take on January 6th.

That was bold as ****, NGL. The X-Men still got it.

X-Cutioner basically said word for word "other people have it hard too, but they don't whine about it" that will fly over the heads of the people who are literally like that thinking it's "subtle" and "not in your face"

[GoingGreen]

I loved it for the most part. You can definitely feel the benefit of modern tech on that animation. And I think the voice acting is a definite upgrade. The thing with Rogue's voice - yes, Lenore's aged 30 years, but I don't think that's the problem, honestly. There's something with her mic / editing. Like, you can HEAR she's in a sound studio. It sounds like they didn't put her voice through ambiance filters, so it sounds like she's moving in and out / forward back in the space of the scene. There is a hollowness in the recording itself that isn't present with the others. You can almost hear an echo when Rogue speaks.

On Morph's abilities - interesting there was no explanation for Morph's base form changed. But yeah, those are definitely more similar to Morph's Exile's abilities. In Exiles, he usually didn't take on the full appearance of someone else, but just elements of others - however, his form was capable of wild formations that didn't belong on people, either. He also often broke the forth wall (not quite on par with Deadpool or She-Hulk, but in the same realm).

This show Morph is definitely different... a culmination of X-Men TAS, 616 X-Men, and Exiles.

All that said, I really don't care, I found the character pretty fun. A bit part who will get a highlight here or there. Did I miss anyone on screen referring to this Morph with gendered language?

edit: Oh, and yes. I need STORM's amazing role to be really highlighted here. What an amazing moment on screen for her.

[whitecrown]

They need to bring Beau back. This was a great launch and it's nice to have the X-Men feeling like the X-Men again.

[superjosh]

They need to bring Beau back. This was a great launch and it's nice to have the X-Men feeling like the X-Men again.

It's really a mystery. Brad Winderbaum said they parted amicably so that doesn't sound like Marvel distancing themselves from something unsavory that might come to light. And it doesn't seem to be about the material either because DeMayo would have been replaced a long time ago if that was the case. (I also don't think it's about DeMayo's thirst traps because he's been doing that all thru production.)

[Android 17]

They need to bring Beau back. This was a great launch and it's nice to have the X-Men feeling like the X-Men again.

I had a fear his love of Jean would overshadow the others, but hell yeah, after watching this in its entirety, bring him back.

[Zoks]

Gambit has that "I turn my phone off when I'm off the clock" energy, and I'm all here for it. Cyclops trying to guilt him into working free overtime like the Boomer he is.

[superjosh]

My current theory is that DeMayo is having some personal issues that affected his work and he had to be let go. I don't think it's going to be something super salacious since Marvel seems to be giving him a soft exit. I hope that he is doing ok and can bounce back.

[whitecrown]

It's really a mystery. Brad Winderbaum said they parted amicably so that doesn't sound like Marvel distancing themselves from something unsavory that might come to light. And it doesn't seem to be about the material either because DeMayo would have been replaced a long time ago if that was the case. (I also don't think it's about DeMayo's thirst traps because he's been doing that all thru production.)

Didn't they say it was a difference of opinion? Maybe there was something he wanted in a future season that he wasn't allowed to do so he quit the show. It's definitely not his pics because like you said, he's been posting those non-stop since day one. Either way, whatever the problem was, I hope it can be resolved especially if he was the primary writer and driving force behind these first two episodes. This is definitely the best media portrayal of Cyclops and Storm especially compared to the movies. In Cyclops' case, I'd go even further and say it's better than his depiction in the comics since it's free from all the baggage.

[Psy-lock]

I hope so, but I also doubt it. The showrunner is a Jott shipper and not a fan of Emma as a hero. Maybe in season 3?

I just want to see Emma in a recurring role. Emma, Betsy and Kitty are the biggest omissions so far (even though we saw the first 2 briefly in TAS).

Maybe someone in the higher ups is a huge Scemma shipper and that's why they fired him

[Android 17]

Maybe someone in the higher ups is a huge Scemma shipper and that's why they fired him

Sidebar, but did you scream a little on the inside when Morph turned into Psylocke?

[superjosh]

Didn't they say it was a difference of opinion? Maybe there was something he wanted in a future season that he wasn't allowed to do so he quit the show. It's definitely not his pics because like you said, he's been posting those non-stop since day one. Either way, whatever the problem was, I hope it can be resolved especially if he was the primary writer and driving force behind these first two episodes. This is definitely the best media portrayal of Cyclops and Storm especially compared to the movies. In Cyclops' case, I'd go even further and say it's better than his depiction in the comics since it's free from all the baggage.

Yeah DeMayo had an unimaginable task in front of him and he knocked it out of the park. He was the sole credited writer too!