February
8 Ultimate Avengers

I managed to catch a while back an actual screening (i.e., on a big screen on a studio lot) of the new Ultimate Avengers animated feature being released on DVD by Lions Gate and Marvel Feb. 21. There’s some stuff that animation does better and by going the DVD route Marvel and Lions Gate have made a feature that’s more sophisticated, cool and action-packed than what can be done with a broadcast series that has to abide by the rules of children’s programming.

Basically, there’s lots of really cool superhero fights in this that are more like what comics readers are used to – namely lots of strong guys beating the crap out of each other. It’s in its way more satisfying than even the best of the live-action comicbook movie action scenes because of its scale.

The plot follows pretty closely the first series of “The Ultimates” by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch, though some of the really edgy bits (i.e., the wife-beating scene) have been left out. But the overall characterization is the same, with Tony Stark being the party man, Hank Pym a total dick and the Black Widow as sexy as an animated Marvel character can be.

There was one comment when I wrote about the preview of this feature shown in November at Wizard World Texas that the footage looked like the 1990s Marvel TV toons. The film definitely has that look, as it’s a true 2-D animated movie in terms of style. But the quality of the animation is definitely smoother and much more attractive than that. I saw the film projected on a big-screen and the visuals definitely held up. The extras on the disc look interesting and, with at least three other animated Marvel pics due in the next year, this is an auspicious debut for the line.

The pic will have its world premiere on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at WonderCon, with Marvel VP of animation Craig Kyle on hand to answer questions and give out advance copies to those wearing the best costumes at the screening.