Ok, I better get this out of the way first. This is a motion comic....
Still here? Believe me when I sat down to watch I was not relishing the next hour and a bit at all. Like most people, I'm not a fan of motion comics. In fact, thats an understatement. The animation tends to be jerky and uninvolving, the voice acting is almost always sub par..when they even bother to get different actors to do the various characters! And, I just never saw the point. Always preferred to read the comic, the experience is so similar anyway, I'd rather make up some better voices for em in my own head! But, this one is different. First off, from a visual perspective its actually more of a hybrid. It merges animation with motion comic technology, so we get to see actual flowing movement as well as real facial expressions. Its still not as effective as straight animation but after a while you get so used to it that you barely notice the difference. Also, when the original comic artwork by John Cassaday is this good its actually a pleasure to watch, especially when compared with some of Marvel's earlier efforts like
Ultimate Avengers.
The story is obviously identical to Joss Whedon's first arc for his
Astonishing X-Men run, "Gifted". It follows a pared down team of 5 trying to deal with keeping the school together without Professor Xavier, the emergence of a cure for the mutant gene, and alien powerhouse named Ord and the resurrection of their former team mate, Peter Rasputin(Colossus). It was an Eisner award wining run, and got a lot of people(myself included) interested in reading X-Men comics again after some extremely lackluster, poorly written stories and arcs that preceded it. But Whedon's writing has always divided people so there are also those that can't stand his work on Astonishing X-Men! Personally I think he's pretty damn great. He manages to make the increasingly convoluted world of the X-Men in comics accessible for new readers, while also keeping things in canon for the long time fans. He even gives a nod to Bryan Singer's movie universe when Cyclops insists they switch back to regular Super Hero costumes saying "The black leather is starting to make people nervous". On top of that he has a great grasp of the character dynamics, and simply writes great dialog. All of which is audible here with some fine voice acting from a largely unknown cast. There are no real surprises either though, Wolverine sounds gruff and angry, Cyclops sounds clean cut n all American, Emma Frost icy/sexy etc. But would we want it any other way? That is how they are supposed to be after all, why not have em sound like it. It works anyway. Beast and Kitty Pryde actually make the biggest impression both from a character and voice acting standpoint. The score is also very good, and another bonus you get from a motion comic I guess. Negatives? Well, its about 67 minutes long and although thats clearly how long it takes to tell this first part of Whedon's story, it just feels too short.
But all in all a very pleasant surprise. You may have seen some of these chapters online already so you have some idea of what to expect, but I urge you to check out the full thing when you can. If motion comics will be following
Astonishing X-Men's lead from now on I may just be a convert.
Here are some specs for the upcoming DVD along with the official press release release.
MARVEL KNIGHTS ANIMATION:
ASTONISHING X-MEN – GIFTED
HITS THE HOME ENTERTAINMENT SHELVES FOR THE FIRST TIME
OWN IT ON DVD SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
FROM SHOUT! FACTORY
The time has come for Marvel Super Heroes CYCLOPS, EMMA FROST, SHADOWCAT, COLOSSUS, BEAST and WOLVERINE to leap from the comic book pages into every home this Fall. On September 28, 2010, Shout! Factory, in association with Marvel Knights Animation will unleash the highly anticipated DVD of ASTONISHING X-MEN – GIFTED, the first title in the multi-part ASTONISHING X-MEN home entertainment series.
Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s Eisner award-winning take on Marvel’s mightiest mutants comes to life through the studio of comics legend Neal Adams, in the ASTONISHING X-MEN Marvel Motion Comic, adapting the acclaimed “Gifted” storyline! Remaining true to the heritage of panel-by-panel graphic storytelling, with groundbreaking visuals, sensational soundscapes and, of course, the explosiveness of the Mighty Marvel Universe, the ASTONISHING X-MEN – GIFTED DVD features the first story arc of the ASTONISHING X-MEN 3-part series by Whedon and Cassaday. Boasting an exciting array of bonus features, this DVD invites viewers to delve deep inside the imaginative world of the Marvel Universe. A must have for collectors and loyal fans, this deluxe DVD is featured with a graphic rich cover and a unique replica of comic book-style plastic sleeve packaging that bridges the comic book to DVD concept. It is priced to own at $14.97.
Synopsis:
Professor Charles Xavier’s X-Men — the aggressive Wolverine, conflicted Beast and newly returned Kitty Pryde, led by Cyclops and Emma Frost — find themselves confronted with Dr. Kavita Rao, who has developed a controversial “mutant cure.” Now they’re up against science, prejudice and a mysterious new foe named Ord! Can the X-Men protect the world’s mutants against this powerful new alien menace and the “cure” that threatens to rid them of their unique abilities forever?
Extensive Bonus Features:
A Conversation with Joe Quesada and Neal Adams
ASTONISHING X-MEN “Rise Up” music video
ASTONISHING X-MEN – GIFTED trailer
Visual history of the characters
Behind-the-scenes: Marvel Knights Animation
Marvel Super Heroes™: What The — ?
Artists gallery – John Cassaday
Additional trailers
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