X-Men ‘97 X-Men ‘97 News and Discussion Thread (TAG SPOILERS!!!!)

[psylockolussus]

My main issue is the animation, so I hope they improve it for X-Men '98, and make it look on par with the late 90s Disney animated films like Mulan and Tarzan.

And speaking of animation,this just reminded me of when I was taking animation classes during the late 2000s.

 

[Cap2024]

Response to latest episode:

what just happened

Great way to start day just prior to seeing Civil War (sarcastic). Saddest animated episode I’ve ever seen.

Adding: I think this episode might be especially triggering for minorities since throughout I just kept remembering “people want to get rid of us for not being what they deem “normal”.” Ie. pulse, etc.

 

[Stringer]

If this level of quality can be maintained, I'm actually not seeing the need for a live action version of this anymore. Like I'm good where we are now. Just an amazing episode through and through.

 

[Venom 1988]

Didn't see this posted but apologies if it already has been.

‘X-Men 97’ Episode 5 Cements It As One Of The Best Marvel Projects, Ever

While everyone is raving about Shogun, the current best show on TV, I would argue that X-Men 97 is making a pretty strong case for itself.

www.forbes.com

And for those who cant read it cause of the paywall, text below

Spoiler

"While everyone is raving about Shogun, the current best show on TV, I would argue that X-Men 97 is making a pretty strong case for itself.
What could have been a throwaway nostalgia play without much substance to it, capitalizing on ‘90s kids reliving their youth, has somehow become one of the most gripping things on the air right now, and as of the absolutely stunning episode 5 last night, I am willing to say that X-Men 97 may be one of the best Marvel projects…ever. In the MCU, before that. All of them.
We’re going to have to get into spoiler territory here, so don’t read on unless you’ve seen episode 5. Or if you haven’t started X-Men 97, fix that. To answer your next question, no, you definitely do not need to have seen the original animated series to jump on board with this.

Episode 5, Remember It, is one of the most haunting, thrilling pieces of superhero content I’ve ever seen onscreen. The entire 30 minutes is jam packed with compelling characters arcs culminating in a stunning finale that almost brought me to tears. X-Men 97! Making people cry! How?

Even though it’s the finale that will get all the attention, I loved the Cyclops/Jean/Logan bits, where Cyclops flips out during a TV interview, saying that humans don’t deserve what mutants have sacrificed for them. Jean kisses Logan. Scott mentally(?) kisses Madelyne Pryor, who he still appears to be in love with despite being a clone, in part because well, she’s the mother of his child.

Speaking of his child, Cable shows up to warn everyone about a pending attack on Genosha which happens about ten seconds later. A giant “Godzilla” Sentinel shows up and starts murdering well, everyone. Every mutant it sees. Genosha, celebrating its new inclusion into the UN, is absolutely decimated.

This results in an incredible Magneto/Rogue/Gambit sequence, building on the love triangle aspect from earlier in the episode. Magneto shields a bunch of mutants he previously promised to protect, and seemingly dies from a Sentinel blast. Then, Rogue, in a blind rage, attempts to take it down by herself, but is knocked out of the way by Gambit, who then goes after the thing himself. He ends up skewered, but manages to energize the entire thing, blowing it up, along with himself. Gambit dies saving Genosha almost singlehandedly, saving Rogue and countless others in the process. I am not doing the scene justice with this description, but if you’ve seen it, you know. “Remember it.”

I am less convinced that Magneto is actually dead, as unlike Gambit, we don’t see his body, and the “Omega-level threat eliminated” could be him masking their detection or maybe it was one of the other mutants.
But yeah, what an episode. This is easily the best Marvel project since Endgame, and this specific Gambit moment reminded me of the epic Loki finale. It may have been better. I can’t believe how good this series is".

 

[JP]

My main issue is the animation, so I hope they improve it for X-Men '98, and make it look on par with the late 90s Disney animated films like Mulan and Tarzan.

And speaking of animation,this just reminded me of when I was taking animation classes during the late 2000s.

I think the animation is stellar.

 

[squeekness]

I think the animation is stellar.

I have no issue with it.

 

[Venom 1988]

I think the animation is stellar.

I think the thing that some people don't get is that the animation doesn't look this way because they are cutting corners, have a low budget, or inexperienced animators. They are picking a specific style they want to use for this show and honestly I think it works.

It's not going to improve because it doesn't need to. Love it or hate it (and honestly can't see how someone can hate it but to each their own), this is the animation style for the show.

 

[Lencho01]

I can’t think of a time where an episode shocked and saddened me to the point of feeling a need to watch a previously lighter episode. I mean, I was on a high feeling like this at the start…


And then looking back to what just happened, you just have to pause and be like, “Damn, man.”

Haven’t been following the development of this show much, so I can’t speak on what’s happened with TPTB. But, I do appreciate that it feels like an ensemble where characters outside of Wolverine get a chance to shine for audiences (new and old). Also how life can be much like how the latest episode played out with its ups and downs that can be gradual or just out of nowhere due to factors beyond our control.

 

[DeadStroke]

Im wondering if they should have just done Lifedeath back-to-back.

I worry people are going to be understandable letdown by not picking up where we left off.

I really hope its another banger to maintain momentum.

 

[JP]

I'm wondering if they should have just done Lifedeath back-to-back.

I worry people are going to be understandable letdown by not picking up where we left off.

I really hope its another banger to maintain momentum.

Funny enough, I was worried that not going right into Lifedeath 2 would be a letdown, and then BOOM, this episode hit. I think we've earned the reprieve.

 

[BlackFox]

I think the animation is stellar.

When the action ramps up it goes to another level as well.

 

[Iceman]

What happens in season 2 is “intense”? We’ve already blown way past that after the 5th episode of season 1! I need some chill-out football in the park episodes after this.

 

[blueharvest]

 

[psylockolussus]

I'm quite surprised by the reaction of X-Men '97 being "dark". Maybe people just eXpected a Marvel cartoon series to be light and comfort TV. But we are in 2024. There has been so many deep/dark/thought provoking, animated series since the 90s. In the anime world, there are so many eXamples.

And this also I how feel about its animation, there are simply a ton of animated shows with much better looking animation/drawing/style than this, especially if you really dig deep. Every time I watch a clip of this on YouTube, I always notice how the animation is so subpar, which always make me wonder if only they gave this more budget. I'm not asking for top notch 3D animation but just imagining that would be wild if it happens.

 

[DeadStroke]

Funny enough, I was worried that not going right into Lifedeath 2 would be a letdown, and then BOOM, this episode hit. I think we've earned the reprieve.

Heh I did think that was going to be a filler episode.

 

[Iceman]

I don’t mind them setting up Lifedeath to go back to after. Also that Jubilee episode was really fun but it’s good if they have the flexibility to not stretch it out for a full episode if they see fit. I don’t really have much idea what’s coming next, the show is certainly not predictable, an even bigger plus in a nostalgia show. That’s the difference when you have people who really love the material involved rather than people just completing a job before moving to the next one.

 

[Iceman]

Why the **** is this so good? Best Marvel Disney Plus content since Moon Knight (episode 5).
Never thought I will hear Ace of Base, my first favorite music when I was a child, in a Marvel series.

With the mixed reception to the MCU shows, the seemingly disdainful view towards animation from some execs, the early word that the animation was zero effort and with the main creator getting fired, my hopes for this were not high at all. It’s a massive surprise to me, a real treat that we are getting something that is getting most old X-fans back, united and excited again.

I also could never have predicted getting Ace of Base in an animated comic show. Loved them when I was younger too.

 

[Lip]

If this level of quality can be maintained, I'm actually not seeing the need for a live action version of this anymore. Like I'm good where we are now. Just an amazing episode through and through.

Honestly? I agree.

Specially if we get spin-offs on this same level. I keep bringing up these spin-offs because I love this entire universe, and it would be awesome other characters getting a spot light too.

 

[Iceman]

A live action version that is closer to the comics scratches a different itch for me. I want animation to continue long term through this series or a modern one after it’s done, but I definitely want live action MCU X-Men too.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

My main issue is the animation, so I hope they improve it for X-Men '98, and make it look on par with the late 90s Disney animated films like Mulan and Tarzan.

Those were giant budgeted feature films. I think we need to be more realistic than that.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

With the mixed reception to the MCU shows, the seemingly disdainful view towards animation from some execs, the early word that the animation was zero effort and with the main creator getting fired, my hopes for this were not high at all. It’s a massive surprise to me, a real treat that we are getting something that is getting most old X-fans back, united and excited again.

I also could never have predicted getting Ace of Base in an animated comic show. Loved them when I was younger too.

I wasn't expecting much at all aside from a nostalgia trip. I certainly didn't expect something this stellar.

 

[JP]

A live action version that is closer to the comics scratches a different itch for me. I want animation to continue long term through this series or a modern one after it’s done, but I definitely want live action MCU X-Men too.

Ding ding ding.

Marvel is in the rebuilding phase with the X-Men, and '97 is the perfect appetizer. A few people criticized the music & character designs of the X-Men in Doctor Strange and The Marvels as "cheap nostalgia grabs" when, in fact, they feel more like a branding exercise. This is what Marvel wants the X-Men to look like. That guitar riff should be as iconic as any John Williams theme. The FOX movies, particularly the latter half, damaged the brand.

The 90s series was widespread, and the X-Men comics were always a top seller. So why did no film (sans Deadpool) cross 300 million domestically? I remember seeing the first trailer for X1 and thinking, "That doesn't look like the X-Men." Cut to Spider-Man doing gangbusters the following year.

 

[Leo Zelinsky]

If this level of quality can be maintained, I'm actually not seeing the need for a live action version of this anymore. Like I'm good where we are now. Just an amazing episode through and through.

i don’t understand when people say this. X-MEN should have animation, live action film & streaming, video games they shouldn’t just be relegated to X-MEN ‘97.. this show is just to return the excitement to the franchise after Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix, & Nee Mutants failures and get casuals introduced to the world to make it a billion dollar franchise

 

[ALittlePush]

I don’t mind them setting up Lifedeath to go back to after. Also that Jubilee episode was really fun but it’s good if they have the flexibility to not stretch it out for a full episode if they see fit.

I wonder if they are going to at least touch on the aftermath of Remember it in Lifedeath Part 2 because it seems a bit odd to have Lifedeath Part 1 as half an episode then have a completely different episode in the middle then have Lifedeath part 2 afterwards. There must be some relevance to having it in that order.

 

[Stringer]

i don’t understand when people say this. X-MEN should have animation, live action film & streaming, video games they shouldn’t just be relegated to X-MEN ‘97.. this show is just to return the excitement to the franchise after Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix, & Nee Mutants failures and get casuals introduced to the world to make it a billion dollar franchise

I'll clarify then, although I don't think it was hard to understand. I didn't say the X-Men should only be relegated to a cartoon. For me, this show is how I wanted these characters, action, and stories portrayed since I was a kid reading the comics. I suppose it's possible a live action adaptation could do the same, but it's not as important to me since this show is around.