Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes – Volume 1 (Marvel Animated/Fox)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: D Episodes: C+
The
recently released on DVD Fantastic Four:
World’s Greatest Heroes – Volume 1 is both well written and well animated,
but still lacks something and that something may be heart. From this lack of heart the series could age
worse than the 1994-1995 Animated Fantastic
Four Series (which this reviewer still holds a nostalgic emotion for). Unlike other recent great series such as Justice League or Justice League Unlimited or even the tad bit older series like Batman – The Animated Series or Superman – The Animated Series; Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes
just does not cut it, most likely due to the lack of connection with the
characters.
Superhero
fans of today are looking for more than the blow em’ up, beat em’ up series and
are concurrently seeking series where there is character involvement with a
dash of continuous story lines. In the
end, with only 4 lackluster episodes in this Volume, this reviewer would call
this a skip.
The
technical features of this 1 Disc, four episode set are good for a quick
release. The picture is presented in an
annoying but clear 1.33 X 1 Full Screen aspect ratio that is color balanced but
should be in anamorphic Widescreen if nothing else. The sound is booming and crisp with its Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surrounds, but even at that seems to have moments of
imbalance. Extras are nonexistent, but
this reviewer was not expecting much from a four episode volumized series.
If fans
of The Fantastic Four series get nothing else from this animated collection,
there is at least a nod at other great superhero genres like the Incredible
Hulk. But then again placing other
superheroes in the series this early may just exemplify the true failure this
series will become. Four thumbs down.
- Michael P Dougherty II