Directed by: various

Released by: E1 Home Entertainment and Marvel

Reviewed by: Fergus McShane

Price: £12.99

[ratings]

2009 as far as hype goes is undoubtedly the year of Wolverine! While X-Men Orgins: Wolverine hits cinema screens as one of the most anticipated superhero films of the year (no mean feat with so many rivals penned for release in ’09), on the smaller screen Wolverine has returned to cartoon form to assault fans on all fronts.

Back in his iconic yellow leotard, Wolverine must reunite the disbanded X-Men after a mysterious explosion at the mansion and the disappearance of Professor Xavier and Jean Grey. With visions of a doomed future and foreboding presence of the Mutant Response Division (MRD), it is again down to the X-Men to force change and with Wolverine’s guidance, save the world.

While to some die-hard fans find it uncomfortable to see the loner, fiercely independent Wolverine becoming a team player and taking on a leadership role, Wolverine’s elevation in status in the last few years through the live-action trilogy makes this a perfect scenario for the animated series to take place. And with a number of cartoon faces that were sorely missed in the film franchise making an appearance (most notably Gambit), Wolverine and The X-Men marks a welcome return to Marvel’s cult-cartoon form.

The only real criticism of Wolverine and The X-Men is the awkward placing of the series in terms of all the other X-Men related material hitting screens in the last few years. Not fitting in with the X-Men trilogy, or the newly released X-Men Origins: Wolverine the series doesn’t quite work in the X-Universe built up in live-action form.

However this is becomes a strength of the series, which by being forced to set aside recent releases it works well as a stand-alone entity in its own right.

Aimed at a younger market than any other Wolverine-related products out there, Marvel have again struck on a great animated series. And with some classic episodes like ‘Wolverine Vs. Hulk’, this is essential viewing for cartoon fans.

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