X-Men: Volume 2 DVD Review

Rating:

When you check out the X-Men: Volume 2 Animated DVD set, you’ll notice a big improvement in the animation. After the success of the first season, the creative team behind this Marvel series went all out.

Storylines were more ambitious, the animation was much improved and any character you could think of (Longshot, Mojo, Starjammers, Guardian, Alpha Flight) could make an appearance. The highlight of this Volume 2 release is easily The Phoenix Saga.

It’s very rare that an animated series commits to a large multi-arc storyline, such as this. But commit they did. Although the storyline was changed drastically for this kiddie-aimed series (can’t have her destroying planets), the ending is similar to the one comic fans are familiar. Jean Grey—the Phoenix—is exiled and possibly dead, after sacrificing herself to save her teammates and the galaxy.

The rest of this volume finishes up Season 2 of the series and ends midway through Season 3 (with the Phoenix episodes). Several characters get spotlight episodes in this volume. Look for episodes featuring Colossus (“Red Dawn”), Rogue (“A Rogue’s Tale”), Wolverine and Alpha Flight (“Repo Man”), and a spectacular spotlight on furry blue Beast in “Beauty and the Beast.”

The most disappointing episode on this volume is “Mojovision.” The characters of Longshot and Mojo are two of my favorites and when longtime X-writer Chris Claremont integrated them into the X-mythos, I was ecstatic. The use and execution of these characters in animated form was less than great. Rather than focusing on the characters, the show chose to spoof current television and feature three fake TV shows with the X-characters.

Aside from that minor (and opinionated) complaint, the rest of the episodes are great. Here’s are the episodes included:

Disc 1
Red Dawn
Repo Man
X-Ternally Yours
Time Fugitives (Part 1)
Time Fugitives (Part 2)
A Rogue’s Tale
Beauty & The Beast
Mojo Vision

Disc 2
Reunion (Part 1)
Reunion (Part 2)
Out of the Past (Part 1)
Out of the Past (Part 2)
The Phoenix Saga (Part 1): Sacrifice
The Phoenix Saga (Part 2): The Dark Shroud
The Phoenix Saga (Part 3): Cry of the Banshee
The Phoenix Saga (Part 4): The Starjammers
The Phoenix Saga (Part 5): Child of Light

My only complaint are the same ones I had for Volume 1. The video is a little soft and there are no special features. I didn’t expect this set to get the full restoration treatment that a Buena Vista Disney feature does, but a little color correction and adjusting could have easily been done on this set. Overall, it looks a little better than Volume 1, but that could be from the improvement in animation.

Also, there are no extras. With the history the X-Men have, something could have been added to this set. Heck, put the original “Pryde of the X-Men” pilot on here or the episodes of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends that featured the X-Men.

Still, we’re getting the show on DVD and that’s a good thing. If they want to make these DVDs great, then Volume 3 and Volume 4 should have a few bonus features.

Previews from the episodes: