MARVEL
ANIMATION
What If...? Season 1, Episode 1
Spinning out of the events of Loki, the MCU takes a page from the Spider-Verse playbook to organically flesh out its burgeoning multiverse with versatile & dynamic animation while utilizing the Twilight Zone anthology format of the comics. The perfect fit.
Premiere: Aug 11, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 2
2 of my top comic films collide as the Black Panther joins the Guardians Of The Galaxy. A brilliant & hilarious use of the shows premise fully capitalizing on the MCU's history & its incredible cast, headlined by the late & great Chadwick Boseman. A must see.
Premiere: Aug 18, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 3
A Nick Fury & Black Widow centric murder mystery set during a pivotal time before the Avengers assembled. An enjoyable detour through theMCU's quaint beginnings. Animation is a little stiff & ScarJo's likeness is off. Great cast, including the impressions.
Premiere: Aug 25, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 4
I was waiting for an episode to match the bleak & entropic narratives of the comic series & this was it. The cast of Doctor Strange return to show the dark side of the occult & explore the mechanics of temporal paradoxes. The versatile animation shines.
Premiere: Sep 1, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 5
The strict premise is slightly contorted to resurrect the dormant Marvel Zombies concept. Balances the horror & humor with a campy tone in the vein of Evil Dead. Moves at a break neck pace but only goes skin deep. Surprisingly heavy on gore. Light on brains.
Premiere: Sep 8, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 6
Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger steals the spotlight, reshaping the MCU from the beginning. Another shocking episode with an amazing returning cast & sharp, fluid animation. RDJ impression is on point. Suffers from an abrupt ending. Hopefully more to come.
Premiere: Sep 15, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 7
The shark is jumped gloriously in an over the top celebration of the MCU where everyone is invited & the only rule is to have a good time. A cartoon first, chapter of a cinematic universe second. Thor's characterization is way off, but it's all in good fun.
Premiere: Sep 22, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 8
The first of a 2 part finale. Fully utilizes the flexible art style & smooth animation to portray the rise of the MCU's most powerful & devastating villain yet, an overachieving Ultron. Unprecedented action & scale. The only flaw is a lack of James Spader.
Premiere: Sep 29, 2021
What If...? Season 1, Episode 9
The existential threat of the Infinity Ultron pushes the Watcher to act in the finale, unifying the seasons tangental story lines. An innovative approach to the anthology format & an incredibly satisfying conclusion to the impressive & experimental series.
Premiere: Oct 6, 2021
What If...? Season 1
Cleverly uses the comic's format to fill the new multiverse using finely crafted 3D animation with a rich, cinematic art style. The returning cast bring authenticity. Gives creators the freedom to workshop ideas for universes to spinoff into live action.
Finale: Oct 6, 2021
I Am Groot Season 1
Didn't get a great first impression from "Groot's First Steps". The animation and physics just aren't up to the standard we have come to expect. "The Little Guy" is the standout. It's an adorable spin on a sci-fi trope and gives off heavy Pikmin vibes.
Premiere: Aug 10, 2021
I Am Groot Season 2
These are great. A big improvement. Gets better as they go, building to a wonderful finale guest starring Jeffrey Wright's Uatu The Watcher. It feels like it should have come out around the Holiday Special, but the extra time polishing the animation clearly payed off.
Premiere: Sep 6, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 1
A sci-fi noir homage to Blade Runner set on Xandar staring Nova Corps officer Nebula. At this point I'll take all the Nova I can get. They really work the tone when needed without it becoming a parody. A great start to the exciting daily holidays release schedule!
Premiere: Dec 22, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 2
Is it just me or does this show give the Guardians Of The Galaxy the most love? I'm not complaining, especially when they include neglected classic characters like Mar-Vell & Goliath. It's still crazy that these episodes have more star power than a Pixar film.
Premiere: Dec 23, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 3
I've personally never been big on Holiday specials, but this is a smorgasbord of successful gags and clever references. It turns out, Happy Hogan in an Avengers Tower Die Hard scenario against Justin Hammer was exactly what I wanted for Christmas!
Premiere: Dec 24, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 4
The episode cut from the 1st season. Iron Man and Gamora get caught up in some wacky races on Sakaar. It's a shame they couldn't get RDJ back to play against Goldblum's Grandmaster. The imitation Tony is good, but that banter would have been legendary.
Premiere: Dec 25, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 5
A sequel to Captain Carter exploring her alternate history while developing her relationship with Black Widow. Though the Hydra Stomper stuff doesn’t really work, it’s easily made up for with plenty of surprises and stunning cinematic action sequences.
Premiere: Dec 26, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 6
Launching an original character here didn't make sense, but this is easily the best of season 2. It just radiates love & dedication. Committing to the Mohawk language shows respect & that ending is an awe inspiring use of the question What If...?
Premiere: Dec 27, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 7
I've been desperate for more Hela and Wenwu. Throw in Odin finally displaying his power in battle and I'm fully satisfied. I love Cate Blanchett for returning. It's too bad Tony Leung couldn't. Jeff Bergman's Odin is so good Anthony Hopkins wasn't necesary.
Premiere: Dec 28, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 8
The set up had me expecting another two part finale, but this is just Saturday morning cartoon shenanigans with heavy Bugs Bunny in drag performing Shakespeare energy. Having the Sinister Strange and Wanda Merlin teases be unrelated was messy and distracting.
Premiere: Dec 29, 2023
What If...? Season 2, Episode 9
This is clearly a backdoor Captain Carter show and I'm good with that. Kahhori is thrown into the fray against a who's who of the MCU. They began following Spider-Verse's lead and this finale feels reminiscent of Across The Spider-Verse, but with a satisfying conclusion!
Premiere: Dec 30, 2023
X-Men '97 Episode 1
I was going to say they didn't miss a beat, but that last season was pretty rough. They've actually managed to recapture the lightning in a bottle of the series at its best. The modern improvements to the animation let the show appear as our nostalgia tinted glasses remember.
Premiere: Mar 20, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 2
Being able to see the series progress further into all the classic story arcs feels like some sort of miracle. Magneto's new dynamic propels the drama into the atmosphere. It just radiates authenticity and passion, completely surpassing even the wildest Xpectations.
Premiere: Mar 20, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 3
They are not holding back. The plot races to a background of sexually charged body horror. I've got some questions after that suggestive Morph and Wolverine scene. It's incredible what they are able to cram into the runtime. At this pace we'll be in Krakoa by the end of season 3.
Premiere: Mar 27, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 4
A well deserved break after that blistering opening arc. The 2-part format is a fun '90s gimmick, but I would have taken a full order of Tron meets the Konami X-Men arcade. The Storm section has some good drama, but it feels a little unfinished and tagged on.
Premiere: Apr 3, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 5
Tackling real world politics was in Marvel's DNA from issue one, but I still wasn't expecting how far they would go to be faithful to the comics. It's incredibly shocking, heartbreaking and commendable of this cartoon to address atrocities most adults would like to ignore.
Premiere: Apr 10, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 6
A taste of Marvel Cosmic is sure to cure any lingering depression left from last week's episode. With that new Marvel Animation intro I'm starting to think we might actually get Fantastic Four '97 or even Silver Surfer '99. This show just feels too good to be true.
Premiere: Apr 17, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 7
The emotional fallout and buildup to the big 3-part finale. Bringing Captain America back to address the Avengers stance on Genosha was a great touch. That other cameo has me drooling over the prospect of an Incredible Hulk '98. They might as well just give them all another season!
Premiere: Apr 24, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 8
The villain reveal is another impressive example of how they manage to condense and improve years of messy comics continuity. They have mastered the formula for success with a refreshing mix of drama, action, horror and social commentary, with just a touch of fetish.
Premiere: May 1, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 9
I've gotta say, after decades of watching X-Men cartoons it is extremely gratifying to finally get to see Wolverine get his claws dirty. He was rightfully sidelined this time around, but I am now very excited to see his progression next season. No notes. Another flawless episode.
Premiere: May 8, 2024
X-Men '97 Episode 10
The hyper pacing that energized the season left the finale with heavy lifting after collecting so many weighty story arcs, but they pull off the landing. Some moments need more time or are skipped entirely, but it's a satisfying conclusion with great setup.
Premiere: May 15, 2024
X-Men '97 Season 1
The best adaptation of X-Men in any medium. Returning to this well is so refreshing after Fox's 24 year drought of comic flavor. I couldn't be more Xcited for a second season with this same creative team. Unless he went full Mr. Sinister, bring back Beau DeMayo!
Premiere: Mar 20, 2024
