REVIEW: 'X-Men '97' is the ultimate civil rights animated series

 

A lot of time might have passed between 1997 and 2024 but the struggles for civil rights persist to this day. X-Men ‘97, the revival series of the X-Men: The Animated Series (XTAS), eloquently reminds the viewing public—the adults who were once 90s kids who grew up watching the Saturday morning (Friday night, locally) cartoon—of the dangers of choosing tolerance over acceptance, and assimilation over embracing one’s identity. 

Also, the hypocrisy of some fans of the X-Men who turn out to be homophobic and bigots in real life. Yup, there are still those who don’t get what X-Men is all about, and are opposed to same-sex unions and the SOGIE bill on this side of the planet - or borrowing words from the Shi’ar Deathbird, the “Milky Way Ghetto”.

Being gay himself, executive producer Beau DeMayo magnificently served as the architect of X-Men ‘97 and used the challenges of being queer as an allegory to being a mutant. You’ve got a mother who had a gut feeling her kid was mutant all along but she’d rather his son stay in the closet so their stock prices won’t drop. There’s even a reprise of an intimate conversation between friends Professor X and Magneto, confessing to each other that they’re mutants, similar to how gay and bisexual men used to discreetly refer to themselves as “PLU” or “people like us”.

X-Men ‘97 cohesively ties loose ends from the show's original run while plucking classic 80s, 90s, and 2000s comic storylines. Any avid comic book fan will be delighted to see Chris Claremont’s Lifedeath and Inferno; Fabian Nicieza and Scott Lobdell’s Fatal Attractions; the 90s line-wide crossover Operation: Zero Tolerance,  and Grant Morrison’s E is for Extinction brought to life. In the animated series, these comic book storylines were not adapted in the same order, showing DeMayo’s mastery in building tension per episode. Well, except for the arcade-themed Mojotendo episode that felt like a filler.

X-Men ‘97 is also a love letter to the superhero cartoons in the 90s, featuring cameos from the Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994) with Peter Parker, MJ, Flash Thompson, and characters that have guest-starred in the series such as Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and Iron Man. 

Captain America, who has appeared in a flashback episode of XTAS, returns but fair warning, he might disappoint those who’ve watched the MCU version. The original iteration of Steve Rogers here is not yet an anti-establishment character and is associated with respectability politics, something that turned off Rogue in one of the episodes. 

Yes, kids, there was a time when Avengers = government, and we all know not everything that institution does is just and right. When Avengers save the world, a city will throw a parade at them. When the X-Men do the heroics, people throw stones at them.

But if there’s one character that shines the brightest in the series, it is Magneto. The reformed supervillain tried to walk Professor X’s path, which is a huge character development to begin with. Almost in his every appearance, Magneto’s speeches bring chills. Matthew Waterson gave justice to the beautiful writing, portraying the Holocaust survivor with gravitas. 

Second to Magneto, Rogue’s character journey provokes tears. While time was not on the side of returning voice actress Lenore Zann, her performance as the grief-stricken southern belle makes up for it. 

The animation is top-notch despite losing the Jim Lee-detailed line art seen in the original series. The creative use of superpowers especially by Cyclops makes combat scenes interesting to watch. It also pays tribute to the arcade game Marvel vs. Capcom, mirroring Cyclops, Rogue, and Storm’s iconic moves.

Sure, there are clones, intergalactic engagement, brainwashed cyborgs, and time travel, but at its core, X-Men ‘97 is a civil rights story, and the best series that tackles the subject at the moment, animated or not. This is X-Men, done right.

With only 10 episodes, perhaps it is slightly rushed. But admittedly, my Wednesday afternoons will feel a bit empty after the finale.

All 10 episodes of X-Men ‘97 are now streaming on Disney+. For the finale episode, stay for a post-credit scene.

This article was first published on PhilSTAR Life.