X-Men: First Adaptation
Friday, June 10, 2011 at 5:00PM 
Andreas here. In his recent review of X-Men: First Class, Nathaniel pointed out how movies keep trying to master "television's most powerful asset (long form storytelling) without having the right equipment by which to master it (weekly hour-long episodes)." This is exactly why, to my mind, the most successful adaptation of the X-Men comics to date wasn't directed by Bryan Singer, and doesn't have a numeral after it. It's the Marvel/Saban-produced X-Men: The Animated Series, which ran for 76 episodes in the mid-'90s.
Like many superhero-themed TV shows, X-Men: TAS served as a "greatest hits" compilation, compacting decades of comics storylines into dense, bite-sized portions. It showcased some of the comics' most thrilling narrative arcs and most terrifying villains, like Apocalypse and the Sentinels. While the X-Men films have only scratched the surface of most characters, reserving the vast majority of screen time for Xavier, Magneto, and a few privileged others, the animated series had time to explore its mutant ensemble, devoting whole episodes to individual crises.
Better yet, X-Men: TAS used its guise a kids show (complete with lasers, spaceships, and time travel) to introduce a new generation to a range of social issues: institutionalized oppression, harassment, self-loathing, political assassinations, police states, and more. It was covertly progressive and slyly written in ways that are still impressive today. The show ended its run over a decade ago, yet its main authority figures (who doubled as bad-ass warriors) were a black woman and a disabled man.
So while I'm still excited to see X-Men: First Class, I doubt it'll top X-Men: The Animated Series, which embraced and exploited its source material's superpowered soap opera. (It was also my childhood gateway drug into the nerdy world of superheroes and comics, so that nostalgic attachment helps.)
I'll close with my big wish as a cinephile and animation junkie: why can't we get more high-quality, feature-length, animated superhero movies, à la Batman: Mask of the Phantasm? Bad example, I guess, since that was tragically unprofitable... but the idea's still good! I'd definitely pay $8-10 to see X-Men: The Animated Movie on the big screen. Oh, and Marvel, while you're catering to my dreams: can you please bring back the Sentinels?
What dreams would you like Marvel to fulfill?
TV, X-Men, animated films, superheroes
Reader Comments (8)
I absolutely loved that show! I still judge all XMen films on that (and the pretty good Saturday morning X-Men Evolution). It had Rouge, Gambit, comedy, action, Gambit, Wolverine, Beast, etc. The best part I think, was the the series started in the middle of a mutant crisis, where the Sentinals existed and killed mutants, whereas the live action films haven't dealt all that much with public sentiment I feel. X-Men's strength was in it's juxtaposition of mutants vs. society, not necessarily mutants vs. bad guys.
I mean come on, XMen was so great because those heroes were outcast, born this way different; the movies make them cool, sexy people with powers. The animated series will always be superior to me.
Also, WHY HAVEN'T THEY DONE THE LEGACY VIRUS PLOTLINE YET!
I loved the animated series and that was my first introduction to the X-Men, so it'll always have a place in my heart but the Bryan Singers films are the tops for me. Still, you make a very good case for the series being the best adaptation of the comics and I'm definitely with you on the Sentinels.
As for what dreams of mine would I want Marvel to fulfill, I would start with something small like making films as good as Spider-Man 2 and X2. Marvel Studio films have been decent but they feel like marketing tools for The Avengers instead films done with a personal touch like Raimi and Singer had for their series. Other than that, I'd love to see a really good Fantastic Four film series. I didn't hate the first two but they fell far below the potential they had.
For the record I've started writing like 4 different comments on this post, only to give up once I realized they'd turned into long fanboy rants. X-Men is really the only franchise I approach as a fanboy (with unthinking excitement and inevitable disappointment) and I must say it's exhausting.
So I'll just say: Yes, the cartoon was really really great... and OMG HOW MUCH DID THE MOVIES EFF UP THE DARK PHOENIX SAGA!!!! I'm okay, I'm okay. Moving on now.
I LOVE the Xmen:TAS!!
Thanks for this article.
I'd love to see a total reboot of the franchise, starting in the middle of the crisis, not another origin story. I'd also like to see them use some of the other villains, Sentinels would be nice, but I'd love Apocalypse and especially Magneto leading the X-Men. My biggest grief with the films thus far is how they so totally disregarded the relationships the characters have with each other. Where's Rogue and Nightcrawler being Mystique's adopted and biological children. And most importantly, where's the badass Rogue who has super strength and can fly?!
Glad to see all the mutant love!
Daniel Armour -- To be honest, I haven't seen either Singer movie all the way through since they came out. Maybe this summer calls for a rewatch (plus First Class)! The more personally driven superhero projects are inevitably the best ones: that's why Nolan, Singer, Raimi, etc. will always trump the assembly line products (e.g, Thor) in terms of quality and watchability if nothing else.
Matt and Robert -- I'm totally with both of you on how miserably the movies have handled some of the more nuanced aspects of the X-saga. Especially since so much of the fun comes from how the different relationships evolve and interact across time. And just thinking about how X3 tried to bring in the Dark Phoenix gets my nerd blood a-boiling...
agree with y'all that the movies have really messed up the nuances, even though a few of the movies have strong individual moments. The thing with the X-Men... I remember my mom saying this to me when I was like 12... she was reading one and she's like "this is like a soap opera"... and it totally is.
She didn't mean it as an insult just an observation but other than the Xavier/Magneto frenemy nuances, they've ignored almost all of the interpersonal stuff. Part of that comes from messing with the chronology, changing Rogue so much, making Storm so weak, and misinterpreting some of the Wolvie/Jean/Cyclops stuff to make it the way fans actually always wanted it since they have such a hardon for Wolvie.
anyway...
my point is: superhero TEAM movies should always be television series rather than movies. That's the only way to get at their very complex mythologies and interpersonal stuff in any superb way while also dealing with the adventures and the villains and the training.
My dream superhero team adaptation would be NEXTWAVE: Agents of H.A.T.E. It was a recent, 12 issue team comic. The Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four are too complex for the cinema. Casting it:
Aaron Stack: Dye Michael Cera black.
Elsa Bloodstone: Dye Katie Jarvis red
Tabby Smith: Emma Stone, natural.
Monica Rambeau: Kerry Washington
The Captain: Ryan Gosling
Dirk Anger: Bruce Campbell
Fin Fang Foom (voice): If it has to be a celeb, I'd say Will Arnett, but I'd actually prefer Lewis Lovhaug somewhere in the adaptation. Here would be the easiest fit.
Devil Dinosaur: For sheer bizarreness, I'd suggest Ralph Fiennes
Forbush Man: Max Records
Officer Mangel: Russell Crowe
Dread Rorkannu: Kieran Culkin
If anyone else has any suggestions, feel free.