Comic based DVD gifts for Christmas!
Batman: The Animated Series
This is the greatest comic book cartoon series ever produced. I cannot see this being topped. No hyperbole there, that's how good this series is. It debuted in prime time, that's how amazing this is. It only got better as it went on. This is the complete collection, they're all available individually too, but this is the definition of in for a penny, in for a pound. Cannot recommend this any higher. AMAZING.
Superman: The Animated Series
I'm a big fan of this, but it didn't click as well as Batman did. I recommend it primarily because it's a bargain at this price. It's very well made, but something was just off. I loved Dana Delaney as Lois but never warmed up to Tim Daly as Supes/Clark. Very Kirby-centric, which is cool. It leads into our next offering, which is...
Justice League: The Complete Series
Great series that got off to a slow start. It had a lot of the problems Superman had. Something just didn't feel comfortable about the first season. Green Lantern wasn't fully realized and they were very formulaic about the adventures. It actually mirrored the way the early years of the actual JLA comics played out. Pairing up leaguers to go on individual adventures. Second season and when it became JL Unlimited were VERY good years. They got over their fear of dumb viewers and just told fun comic stories.
Green Lantern: First Flight
DC and Marvel have both finally got off their duff and have been producing fantastic direct to DVD movies in the last few years. Some have been better than others. On a whole, I've enjoyed DC's more than Marvel's. I think it's the Bruce Timm influence that most of the DC ones have. The two best are Green Lantern: First Flight and Justice League: The New Frontier. GL is a fun, well done succinct origin story of Hal Jordan. If you read my comic recommendations then you know I love GL.
Justice League: The New Frontier
New Frontier is The Right Stuff mixed with Justice League. Slick animation design based on Darwyn Cooke's amazing series puts the DC Silver Age firmly entrenched in early cold war 1960's space race. Green Lantern takes main stage in this one and it's highly recommended.
Marvel Animation
Spider-Man: The 60's Series
This is the one you remember the theme song from. Poorly drawn animation and simplistic storylines are the staples here. But still, the charm cannot be denied. There are a lot of episodes here, and they all feel the same, one after the other. But I still love it!
The best Marvel TV animation isn't on DVD, and that's the problem. Their rights are so crazed, I think with the Disney merger some things will get straightened out. Specifically, the 90's Spider-Man series should have been released years ago. Also, where the hell is Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends???? How about 1980's Hulk? Where are the 1960's fumetti ones ripped right from the pages of the comics? Arg!!!
They did release the 90's FF, which sucked balls. They've just recently released the 90's X-Men with no fanfare and I was never a huge fan of it anyway, so I can't recommend here. TV animation has always been Marvel's weak spot and it continues in the DVD market.
Hulk Vs.
The Marvel ones tend to a chunkier animation style. The best of the Marvel bunch, by far, is the Hulk Vs. This pits Hulk against Wolverine in one chapter and Thor in the other. Both are a lot of fun and the animation is slick throughout. I'm very much looking forward to the World War Hulk upcoming one.
Marvel Animation Six Pack
This is a good bargain for those of you new to all these direct to DVD's. The quality swings here, but included in this set is...
Dr. Strange - Well done. I'm not a big Strange fan and I enjoyed this.
Iron Man - Not great. Done before the film came out and relied too heavily on his Mandarin foe.
Ultimate Avengers 1 & 2 - Ok animation based on a solid book. The sequel is really Black Panther heavy.
Next Avengers - Did not expect to like this, REALLY enjoyable. Aimed at a younger set, it has heavier future distopia themes that would appeal to the adult here.
Hulk VS. - See above, best in this set.
The biggest drawback that Marvel would appear to have with the direct to DVD's is the big guns are tied up with other companies. Spider-Man and X-Men I'm looking at you. Yes we have Wolverine in the Hulk movie, but it's not a Wolverine movie. Fantastic Four is also guilty here. I long for the day when all the rights are back under the Marvel roof.
MotD: Whatever Works
Woody Allen's latest piece has Larry David being Larry David, which is good enough for me. I love Larry David and while this feels a bit more stilted than I like seeing him on Curb Your Enthusiasm, it's still laughably enjoyable. Pessimism and a sardonic look at life here, typical Woody Allen. If you like Larry, you'll get a kick out of this.
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