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Spider-Man: The Animated Seriesmight be getting a continuation in comic book form, but the series' original creator is not involved, and he has some choice words to say about it. Marvel Comics recently announced Spider-Man '94, a comic continuation of the popular animated series that looks to finally resolve the original cliffhanger from the animated series of Peter Parker going off into the multiverse to find Mary Jane Watson. The four-issue limited series will be written by J.M. DeMatteis (who wrote the original series) and feature art by Jim Towe and covers by Nick Bradshaw, Ron Lim, and John Tyler Christopher. One person who won't be involved, however, is Spider-Man: The Animated Series creator John Semper.

Semper took to X (formerly Twitter) to make an announcement clarifying his involvement or lack of participation in Spider-Man '94. "Since I will no doubt be asked about it by fans of the series: No.

It’s a great time to be an X-Men fan — the comics behemoth has seen a resurgence in public consciousness thanks to the revival of the much-loved X-Men: The Animated Series. Ever since its announcement, X-Men ’97 has gathered fans, old and new, and the voice cast has played a pivotal role in winning the fans over once again.

Veteran actor George Buza, the voice of Hank McCoy/Beast, was at Toronto Comicon sharing in the love of the show and the X-Men universe. Buza definitely knows how to work a crowd of X-Men fans as he greeted his audience with “Hello, fellow mutants”, before asking us who thought Magneto was right. Quite a few cheers went up for that. As we wait for season 2 of X-Men '97 to finally arrive, let's take a look at Buza's experiences on the show and with the character of Beast.

Buza on being...

Superheroes thrive in animation. The medium is uniquely positioned to capture the visual possibilities and sheer imagination of comic books without having to compromise anything. It's the reason the highest-rated superhero show of all time on IMDb is a cartoon. As we have seen time and time again, from the masterpiece that is "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" to the gripping drama of "X-Men '97," animation can serve these stories in a way that live-action can't.

Still, that doesn't mean every effort is a home run. For every "Batman: The Animated Series," there's a "Batman Unlimited." While the '90s saw plenty of masterful cartoons based on superheroes, even Marvel ones with "X-Men: The Animated Series" and "Spider-Man," there was still something missing — The Avengers. So, in the late '90s, Fox Kids decided to fix this grave mistake and create an Avengers cartoon. Before the show could get greenlit, however,...

In Roland Emmerich's "Stargate," Egyptologist and linguist Daniel Jackson (James Spader) is invited to decipher markings on a portal-like device known as a Stargate. Daniel succeeds in cracking the code and pinpoints a destination in a distant galaxy, where he travels alongside a special task force led by Colonel Jack O'Neil (Kurt Russell). When an eerie turn of events leaves the crew trapped on the desert planet of Abydos, Daniel leverages his extensive knowledge to shift the odds in their favor. While Colonel O'Neil handles matters involving physical combat, Daniel demonstrates incredible bravery by protecting the world's local populace and eliminating the threat once and for all.

This would be the only version of Spader's Daniel to exist on the big screen, as the original plan to make a "Stargate" movie trilogy did not come to pass. However, this wasn't the end of "Stargate" as a franchise; if anything,...

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Sir Patrick Stewart is a nexus between "Star Trek" and "X-Men." For geeks, his two most famous roles will always be Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier, and the two roles have a lot in common. The characters are both wise and fatherly leaders, even if Professor X is much warmer than the reserved Picard could ever be.

Stewart is not the only actor to appear in both a "Star Trek" and an "X-Men" production, though. But one overlap you may have missed is the late John Colicos, who played an important villain in both "Star Trek" and "X-Men."

On the original "Star Trek," Colicos played the first major Klingon character, Kor, in "An Errand of Mercy." About 30 years later, he voiced Apocalypse in the animated "X-Men" series, being the first actor to ever do so. Apocalypse was recast...

[Editor’s Note: The below piece was originally published on November 20, 2018. It has since been updated.]

Evaluating animated TV can be tricky. Not only is animation a medium that crosses a wide range of genres, but so many of our earliest memories in front of a screen are tied to an animated series, short, or special, and that impermeable nostalgia can be difficult to penetrate with typical critical tools like reason, logic, and other objective criteria. Some shows just click. They hit at the right time and capture a blossoming imagination. When it comes to ranking animated series, you’re not just analyzing TV shows. You’re critiquing childhoods.

Of course, animation is also one of the more expansive TV subsets, with dozens of different tones and styles that make comparisons often feel like apples and oranges. There are cartoons, anime, short films, short series, short films turned into short series, web series, adult-oriented animation, and that’s before digging into all the individual genres, like...

Quick Links The Salem Seven Take Center Stage in Avengers: United They Stand Agathas Son Has the Upper Hand Visions Love Conquers All in Avengers: United They Stand

Besides finally breaking out of Wandas spell after three long years and making the decision to travel on the Witch's Road to get her powers back, the newest Marvel show on Disney+, Agatha All Along, also shows Agatha Harkness being stalked by none other than the Salem Seven. Their mere presence does not bode well for the titular witch and her new-found coven. Even with some blink-and-you-miss-it appearances in the first two episodes, these robed and ghastly-looking figures have already caused a stir online, with every MCU fan quickly trying to figure out who they are and what they are capable of.

For starters, they are Agathas grandchildren, who practically burned her at the stake at one point and also helped summon the cosmic horror Shuma-Gorath.

X-Men '97 executive producer Brad Winderbaum teased that Marvel Studios has plans for X-Men '97 Season 2. Before this, Winderbaum conveyed that Season 3 is already in development, professing that just like X-Men: The Animated Series drafted "so heavily from Chris Claremont's work," the production team is continuing that.

In a recent interview with The Official Marvel Podcast (via ComicBookMovie.com), Winderbaum was asked if there was anything there that he thought people should keep an eye out for as they've "just finished watching it," to which he replied, "We've got big plans for the second season. I've already seen all the animatics and we're well on our way to creating something that hits the heights of the first season. I know the first season is an emotional ride; that ride continues in a very X-Men fashion in the second season."

Related Ex-X-Men '97 Showrunner Offers His Services to Batman: Caped Crusader...

Despite being one of the most acclaimed Marvel entries in recent years, before its premiere, X-Men ’97 garnered some backlash following the sexual orientation of Morph. After former Showrunner Beau DeMayo confirmed that Morph is non-binary in the show, which is never explicitly mentioned in the series, it prompted some netizens to cry foul and criticize.

But in the long run, it did little to hinder its success, as the continuation of the ’90s animated series holds a whopping 99% at the Tomatometer. Later reflecting on the initial backlash over the matter, Jp Karliak, who voiced the mutant in the series, stressed he was surprised when fans came forward to defend the show.

X-Men ‘97 Voice Artist Appreciated Fans Remembering What X-Men Stands For

Morph in X-Men ’97 | Disney Plus

Following the recent political climate, Jp Karliak wasn’t shocked when some netizens went up in arms over Morph being non-binary...

Serving as the revival of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men ’97 has become one of the most successful Marvel projects amid a time when the studio has been substantially struggling to meet expectations.

X-Men ’97 | Credit: Marvel Entertainment

With season 2 of the show already in development, series director Jake Castorena recently shared insight into the show’s creative process. He also discussed how they have been able to avoid the pitfalls of mediocrity that can plague modern adaptations while preserving the essence of the beloved original series.

X-Men ’97 Director Reveals the Key to the Show’s Success

Created by Beau DeMayo, X-Men ’97 picks up where the original animated series concluded decades ago. Jake Castorena, who directed the first episode of the show, recently discussed their approach to ensure that it serves well to the original fans along with the new audience in an interview with Discussing Film.

The animated return of the X-Men this year breathed life into Marvel fans, who were waiting for something good from the franchise for quite some time. X-Men ’97 was the perfect mix of nostalgia and modernization and hit the viewers’ right in the feels. Though creating that effect was not easy, the original X-Men cartoon had it way more tough.

A still from X-Men ’97 | Marvel Animation

X-Men ’97 used the best in class animation and techniques to bring out characters and storylines straight from Marvel comics. Back in the early 90s, animation was not as simple, and creating a moving panel took a lot more than just clicking a button.

How different was it back then? Let’s have a look at what the showrunners have to say.

X-Men: The Animated Series took a lot of time and effort to be made The original X-Men: The Animated Series (1992)| Marvel Animation

Back in the 90s,...

X-Men: The Animated Series is often counted as one of the greatest adaptations of superhero comics, placing it among the likes of Justice League Unlimited, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes.

X-Men: The Animated Series | Marvel

The Animated Series served as the definitive version of the characters for a generation of superhero fans. However, despite the massive popularity that eventually came the show’s way, Hollywood was not very confident about X-Men headlining their own series, and for almost 10 years, the series was a no-go.

Hollywood did not believe that X-Men could be popular

The X-Men in the comics. | Marvel Comics

Eric Lewald, the series creator, talked in the The Making of ‘X-Men: The Animated Series‘ interview published by Marvel about how the series had a tough time getting picked up. He revealed:

Margaret [Loesch] had wanted to do the show for ten years. Nobody in Hollywood believed the X-Men could be popular.

X-Men: The Animated Series stayed true to its comic book roots, despite production challenges and network censorship concerns. The series captured comic book themes like sacrifice and danger, bringing the iconic storylines to life on screen. Fox censor Avery Coburn played a crucial role in shaping the show, navigating Saturday morning TV restrictions, even when dealing with violent scenes.

With the success of the show's follow-up X-Men '97, interest in the '90s classic X-Men: The Animated Series has increased rapidly in recent weeks. And why shouldn't it? A generation of fans has fond memories of the show's complex characterizations and intricate storylines, and the series' run has remained popular as broadcast reruns, DVD releases, and streaming material for over 25 years now. Maybe X-Men: The Animated Series didn't have access to prestigious Japanese animation studios, or the budget of contemporaries like Batman: The Animated Series, but it featured a staff...

In a drastic move, Marvel shockingly fired the X-Men ’97 creator Beau DeMayo on the eve of his project’s debut. Despite being in the midst of a particularly busy time at Marvel Studios, DeMayo was suddenly laid off after his company email was deactivated and his colleagues were informed about his exit from the project.

Beau DeMayo at San Diego Convention Center | image: Instagram/@beau_demayo

While Marvel Studios’ decision to fire Beau DeMayo has sent shockwaves through the fandom, this move doesn’t seemingly compare to Fox’s measures in the 1990s. According to reports, in a surprising twist of fate, Fox had taken a critical decision regarding the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series and its crew that still blows people’s minds.

Marvel Surprisingly Fired Beau DeMayo Ahead of X-Men ’97 Release

Premiered on March 20, 2024, with its first two episodes, X-Men ’97 soon took over the internet...

X-Men ’97 just finished its first season, one of the best things the MCU has ever released. Yet, way back in 1992, Fox Kids almost killed its predecessor before it had a chance to evolve.

In the new documentary special Assembled: X-Men ’97, three of the chief creatives on X-Men: The Animated Series reveal their struggles getting the show off the ground. Producer and director Larry Houston recalls working under Marvel Productions president Margaret Loesch, who always championed the X-Men throughout the ’80s, resulting in misfires like Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends or Pryde of the X-Men but no ongoing series. When Loesch took a role as head of Fox Children’s Network, she brought Houston with her and gave him his shot, with one caveat.

“The folks above her didn’t believe X-Men was gonna do anything,” says writer Julia Lewald, who, along with her husband Eric, worked as a writer on the original show.

This X-Men ’97 article contains spoilers.

The first nine episodes of X-Men ‘97 teased a suitably epic finale to the X-Men: The Animated Series revival, and it’s safe to say that “Tolerance Is Extinction, Pt. 3” catapulted us into the already confirmed season 2 in style. Magneto and Professor Xavier put their differences aside, Bastion was bested, and a smorgasbord of cameos squeezed in everyone from Black Panther to Daredevil.

More than just teasing a potential Spider-Man: The Animated Series reboot, X-Men ‘97’s cliffhanger ending set up what’s next for Charles Xavier’s Gifted Youngsters. The team was divided across time, with Magneto, Xavier, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Beast trapped in the year 3000 B.C., while Jean and Cyclops are marooned in 3960 A.D. But the ending doesn’t account for all of our spandex-clad heroes, and for those questioning where a certain de-clawed Canadian is, you aren’t alone.

*Spoiler warning for X-Men ’97 Episode 10!*

There had been a lot of talks about X-Men ‘97 featuring Morph as a nonbinary character, and evidently, many were still unimpressed with this move. The season finale just brought out a huge surprise for everyone, and clearly, that one scene with Morph and Wolverine left many fans speechless.

Disney+’s X-Men ’97

Even with the legendary director Larry Houston, who helmed the original X-Men animated series, and J.P. Karliak, the voice actor of Morph, explaining how the character’s orientation has always been presented as such, it remained a cause for debate throughout the season.

Morph’s Nonbinary Status In X-Men ‘97 Is Still A Hot Controversy

Larry Houston previously explained via Variety that Morph’s nonbinary status is as easy to understand as the character being a shapeshifter.

“For me, the word ‘nonbinary’ is the same as the word ‘shapeshifter.’ Every character...

This article contains spoilers for "X-Men '97."

Magneto of "X-Men" has one of the most brilliant backstories in superhero comics — they almost made a movie entirely about it. He was once a young Jewish boy when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Captured and dehumanized, he suffered at concentration camp Auschwitz like so many of his people. He survived but it convinced him that hatred is as natural to men as breathing, and so he fights to ensure the prosperity of mutantkind. This backstory was not part of Magneto's original conception (Chris Claremont added it in 1981's "Uncanny X-Men" #150), but you'll be hard-pressed to find a writer who hasn't embraced it since.

"X-Men '97" certainly has. In episode 2, "Mutant Liberation Begins," when Magneto is tried before the United Nations, he recalls how he was first put on his path when his people were slaughtered because "they called God by a different name.

Following a string of underwhelming additions to Marvel’s superhero franchise, MCU fans were treated to the joy of X-Men ’97. Crafted by Beau DeMayo, the animated series serves as a revival of the beloved superhero TV show X-Men: The Animated Series.

X-Men ’97 | Credit: Disney+

Released in 1992, the animated series follows Charles Xavier and his mutant team as they combat government bigotry and mutant extremists like Magneto, running for five seasons. And DeMayo recently took to Twitter to honor the series and its creators, stating that the success of the recently released MCU series owes much to its predecessor.

X-Men ’97 Creator Beau DeMayo Pays Tribute to Original Series

Beau DeMayo recently took to X (Twitter) to acknowledge the foundational work done by the creators of X-Men: The Animated Series. The creative forces behind the 1992 animated series included luminaries like Larry Houston, Eric Lewald, Sidney Iwanter, and Mark Edens.

The intro for this week's episode X-Men '97, "Lifedeath - Part 2," sees Nightcrawler join the X-Men. Before this, Nightcrawler had returned in last week's episode, "Remember It."

The video, which was shared onto YouTube by user Visser1978, begins with a rather somber noise playing over the Marvel Animation logo which almost sounds like a heartbeat. The intro itself then begins, with Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Morph, Rogue, Beast and Jubilee all appearing. The character introductions end with Nightcrawler popping up, first within a reflection on the blade of one of the swords he's carrying, then teleporting onto his logo and leaping up and slashing at the screen with said swords. He later reappears when the X-Men run past the Xavier mansion.

Related X-Men '97 Director Teases 'What Lies Ahead' for the Mutants Following Episode 5 Deaths Following the shocking deaths in X-Men '97 Episode 5, head director Jake Castorena...

For decades, Hollywood has struggled with the concept of the reboot.

Not merely the "remake," which was a fairly common occurrence ever since Hollywood figured out how to upgrade the technology of The Wizard of Oz (1910) and re-film The Wizard of Oz (1939) -- now with sound and color! -- but specifically, the reboot. 

As in upgrading not the technology but the culture of the original piece.

When The Brady Bunch Movie reboot came out in 1995, it was an audacious spectacle. It was reimagined as a tongue-in-cheek parody of 1960s/1970s culture and of the naivete of the original series. 

By the early 2000s, reboots were no longer quirky experiments of avant-garde filmmakers but big money makers and even award-winning art films.

By the time Disney, Marvel, DC Comics, and Hasbro joined the reboot revolution, audiences had been lulled into a sense of tepid acceptance of all things rebooted. The visual effects were out of control.

Only the best television series can create genuinely jaw-dropping, tragic moments that linger with audiences long after the credits have rolled, and their screens have faded to black. X-Men '97, the Marvel series created by Beau DeMayo for Disney+, has proven itself to be one of those programs by creating an episode that has left audiences rattled, heartbroken, and hungry for the next one. This continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series, created by Larry Houston, Eric Lewald, and Julia Lewald, has truly impressed viewers with its latest installment, a dazzling story that sees members of the X-Men traveling to the mutant island nation of Genosha.

Created by Beau DeMayo, X-Men ‘97 is an animated television series based on the Marvel comics superhero team X-Men. The animated series is said to be the revival of 1992’s X-Men: The Animated Series and starts from where the original series ended. The story in X-Men ’97 follows the team facing new challenges following the death of their leader, Professor X.

Several cast members returned to voice their characters from the original series in addition to voicing new characters as well. The series premiered on March 20, 2024, with two episodes on Disney+, and has received positive responses from the audience and critics. Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming television and animation at Marvel Studios, recently shed some light on Beau DeMayo’s departure from the series.

X-Men ’97 premiered on March 20, 2024 (Credits: Disney+) Brad Winderbaum addresses Beau DeMayo’s departure from Marvel’s X-Men ’97

In an exclusive interview with EW, head...

We're almost halfway through the first season of X-Men '97, and this long-awaited reboot of the classic title just offered viewers one of its most visually stunning episodes yet. A continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series, created by Eric Lewald, Sidney Iwanter, and Mark Edens, this Disney+ show has wowed watchers with the amount of callbacks to the former series and classic Marvel comics it has been able to feature. This is owed largely to creator Beau DeMayo and the series' creative team; a group who've displayed a steadfast love and appreciation for the stories that helped create the amazing superhuman world this team inhabits.

Marvel Studios’ X-Men '97 has set a new viewership record for Disney+, surpassing What If…? Season 1’s previous ratings.

Per Deadline, Disney confirmed that the Season 1 premiere of X-Men '97 has generated a total of 4 million views during its first five days on Disney+. Because of this, the revival has now officially become the streamer’s most-watched full-length animated series premiere. Prior to the show’s debut last March 20, Disney+ had already seen an impressive increase of 522% in the views for all five seasons of the original X-Men: The Animated Series. In addition to its rating success, the revival has also been receiving glowing reviews from critics, and is currently holding a 98% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 49 reviews.

Related X-Men '97's Opening Title was Created By Director of Original Series X-Men 97s intro sequence provides major fan service with a faithful recreation of the opening title from...

X-Men ’97 dropped its first two episodes on Wednesday on Disney+ and fans were transported back to the nostalgic times of X-Men: The Animated Series. The new series is neither a reboot nor a remake of the old series, but a continuation. The animation team had to work within the parameters of the nineties. The biggest challenge for them was the technological advancements in animation between the original show and this new show.

X-Men ’97 had one major challenge in continuing the storyline from X-Men: The Animated Show

X-Men: The Animated Series ended in 1997 with the death of the X-Men leader Professor Charles Xavier. The new series begins with the characters struggling to fulfill Professor X’s dream of coexistence. Despite being a continuation, viewers need not freshen up their memories of the old series to watch X-Men ’97.

X-Men ’97 Producer Reveals Why Technology Was A Challenge For The...

Marvel Studios' head of streaming Brad Winderbaum, who also serves as an executive producer on the show, recently revealed Marvel Studios President and Cco Kevin Feige's conditions for X-Men '97 becoming a reality.

Winderbaum discussed said conditions in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, recalling, "Following the success of What If…?, when we were able to make more animated shows, [X-Men '97] was my first idea out of the box. And Kevin [Feige] was like, 'Alright, if we can get the [original] cast and we can get the song, let's do it.' And fortunately, we were able to do that."

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Related X-Men '97 Will Give Two Overlooked Characters 'Their Due' in Disney+ Revival X-Men '97 EP Brad Winderbaum reveals which two characters finally get their due in the Disney+ revival series.

Series consultant Eric Lewald had previously delved into Marvel obtaining the rights to the X-Men: The Animated Series theme song,...

"X-Men '97" brings back the marvelous mutants as if they never left TV screens after the original series finale, "Graduation Day." The trailer promised a tone and style befitting the original, plus plenty of Marvel comic book Easter eggs.

Now, the X-Men are larger than life — and ultimately, any one actor. In the 27-year hiatus between the 1992 series and this revival, the X-Men finally made it to live-action (we ranked their cinematic adventures here) and starred in other animated series. Since "X-Men '97" is a revival of a specific version of the X-Men, though, the show has brought back cast members and creatives from the original show. If they hadn't, then why revive this series instead of just making a new "X-Men" cartoon?

In its opening titles, "X-Men" would introduce each member of the team one-by-one with hero shots demonstrating their powers and/or quirks alongside huge text displaying their names.

The creators of the upcoming X-Men ’97 series want to clarify that their decision to make Morph a nonbinary individual does not stem from the woke culture of modern society but rather from the figure’s own skills and powers.

X-Men: The Animated Series

The backlash on this character’s radical change was so severe that the original creators of X-Men: The Animated Series had to explain their side and illuminate fans who have been having confused thoughts about Morph’s portrayal. They also returned to give their input on the reboot.

X-Men ’97 Creative Heads Defend Morph As A Non-binary Character

During an interview with Variety, director Larry Houston claimed that being nonbinary is the same thing as being a shapeshifter, which is Morph’s signature power.

“For me, the word ‘nonbinary’ is the same as the word ‘shapeshifter.’ Every character that can change from one gender to another,...

Morph's nonbinary identity in X-Men '97 challenges critics, reflecting the show's commitment to diversity and inclusion. X-Men: The Animated Series creators defend Morph's portrayal, citing shapeshifting abilities as synonymous with being nonbinary. X-Men '97 aims to inspire viewers to embrace differences and belonging, launching on Disney+ in March 2024.

X-Men '97, a continuation of the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series, has taken a bold step forward by reimagining the character Morph as nonbinary. The decision, though met with some backlash, mirrors the show's loyalty to its foundation and its responsiveness to evolving social standards.

Morph, originally introduced as a dark-haired male character, has undergone a significant transformation in X-Men '97. Now depicted with a plain, mask-like bald head, Morph's physical appearance is a visual representation of their nonbinary identity. This change has sparked discussions and criticism on social media, with some accusing the series of making "woke" alterations. However, the...

The X-Men: The Animated Series creators have no issues with X-Men '97 leaning into the depiction of Morph as a non-binary character.

While X-Men '97 serves as a continuation that picks up from where X-Men: The Animated Series left off in 1997, there have been changes made to some of the characters. Morph, an original creation from the original series, is no longer presented as a dark-haired man, instead imagined with a plain mask-like bald head and face. It was also revealed ahead of the show's premiere that Morph identifies as nonbinary. This prompted some social media criticism over the series making "woke" changes, but the creators of X-Men: The Animated Series feel that it's actually in line with the concept of the character.

Related X-Men 97 First Clip Pits the Mutant Team Against Sentinel Forces Wolverine, Rogue, Beast, and more fight off an army of Sentinel robots with their iconic Mutant...

The superhero genre has permeated mediums well outside of the comic book source material, leading to some memorable TV shows in the process. Across both animation and live-action productions, various creative teams made excellent adaptations of characters ranging from Marvel, DC, Image Comics, and more.

The serialized structure of TV is a natural fit for superhero stories, as many of their respective comic book series follow a similar narrative format. From the groundbreaking Batman: The Animated Series of the '90s to Daredevil's gripping approach to the crime drama genre, there is an impressive level of depth among the greatest superhero TV shows.

X-Men: The Animated Series Helped the Mutant Team's Mainstream Success

X-Men: The Animated Series

In X-Men: The Animated Series, a team of mutant superheroes fight for justice and human acceptance in the Marvel Comics universe.

Release Date October 31, 1992 Creator Mark Edward Edens, Sidney Iwanter...

When the X-Men debuted in the pages of Marvel Comics back in 1963, their superhero costumes looked a little more like school uniforms. The team at the time was made up of the characters Cyclops, Ice Man, Beast, Marvel Girl, and Angel, and they all wore a notable yellow-and-blue ensemble with hoods to partially cover their faces. "The Uncanny X-Men" also allowed creators Stan Lee and Jack Kirby to skip over the bothersome task of having to invent a superhero origin story. Rather than a tale of cosmic rays, gamma radiation, spider-bites, or some other powers-granting conceit, the X-Men were merely born with their abilities. They are mutants.

When the X-Men universe expanded to include more and more characters, the blue-and-yellow ensembles gave way to a wide variety of outlandish costumes, each one adhering to the styles of the day. Those who read X-Men comics in the 1990s, for instance,...

Ever since Disney absorbed 20th Century Fox, fans have been waiting to see what Marvel would do with the X-Men and Fantastic Four. While Marvel Studios wasted little time in announcing a live action Fantastic Four movie, there has been thus far no official mention of mutants or X-Men related characters in the MCU. Not only that, there hasn’t really been much in the way of mutant activity across any of the screen projects being worked on. It seems that Marvel Studios wants to let the memories of the previous live action franchise fade a bit before properly introducing mutants back into the movies.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have big plans for the folks at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. However, these plans have come in a most unexpected way. The first Marvel Studios X-Men project isn’t a movie, a live action TV series,...

Voice actor David Hemblen, known to longtime Marvel fans as the voice of Magneto on X-Men: The Animated Series, has sadly passed away. While the cause of death isn't clear, the actor's obituary states that he died earlier this month on Nov. 16. He was 79 years old. The X-Men: The Animated Series Twitter account, maintained by writers Julia Lewald and Eric Lewald, have also addressed Hemblen's passing with a post online.

"This horrible, heart-breaking year continues... Our #Magneto," the post reads.

David Hemblen was born on Sept. 16, 1941, in London, England. He'd grow up in Toronto, Canada, taking an early interest in theatre and performing. While attending college, Hemblen took to the stage and began working consistently as an actor, starting in the 1960s. He'd go on to appear in several dozen stage productions at major Canadian theatres, at one point earning a Dora nomination for Best Leading Actor for his role as Dr.

X-men ended its 20th Century Fox run with the not-so-loved Dark Phoenix last year and now the brand is in the trusted hands of Disney/Marvel Studios. We don't know exactly when the X-Men will make their McU debut but the series showrunner of X-Men: The Animated Series, Eric Lewald, thinks that adding mutants into the McU is going to be a problem During a talk with "The Gww",…...

As popular as the live-action X-Men movies were, the franchise was mostly hit and miss in terms of the quality of each individual film. X-Men: The Animated Series that debuted in 1992 had a much more consistent quality and remains a cult hit to this day. The series' showrunner Eric Lewald weighed in on the challenges of adding the X-Men to the current McU.

"It's weird. I know that's a challenge. [The McU has] set up this thing, unprecedented - all these different superheroes that all are successful, and they've managed to give them different tones and different focuses. I'm continually in the awe of this juggernaut that they've set up - I can't use that word because it's a character. I don't know. I don't know how Kevin Feige sleeps at night trying to keep all these balls in the air. But for the X-Men, when people ask me about integrating them in the McU,...

New York Comic Con’s first-ever virtual convention is less than two weeks away and the schedule for the 4-day lineup has been set, with appearances by new TV series like “Utopia” and “The Stand,” and reunions for fan-favorite shows, including “Lost” and “Smallville.”

Hosted by Nycc parent ReedPop and dubbed New York Comic Con’s “Metaverse,” the online event will run Oct. 8-11 as the virtual replacement for New York Comic Con 2020. The Nycc Metaverse panels will stream on New York Comic Con’s YouTube channel.

Per ReedPop, “In addition to panels streaming live & on-demand exclusively via YouTube, fans will be able to participate in talent Q&a’s during panels, turn every panel into a watch party and geek out with other fans using YouTube’s Comments, Community Tab, and Live Chat features.”

See below for a list of must-see TV and film-centric “Metaverse” panels and their descriptions,...

Snikt snikt, motherf*ckers; the X-Men team is bound to ride again! I ain’t talking about Marvel’s recasting and eventual live-action reboot, either. Nah, this time, we’re getting another cartoon.

Also, I don’t mean that to be derogatory at all, since this new show is going to come from the original creators of X-Men: The Animated Series, one of the best superhero Saturday morning cartoons known to modern man. Through their aptly-named X-Men: Tas joint Twitter account, series writers and developers Julia and Eric Lewald announced yesterday in very uncertain terms that something big was on the horizon for both themselves and fans of their work.

Just check out the excitedly cryptic Tweet for yourself:

No, it's not a new season of #XMenTAS, but – b/c of Nda – we can only say that after many months of crunch work we turned in a 'thing' yesterday...

Kids these days have got it made when it comes to superheroes. Not only can you not move for high quality, big screen adventures, but there’s a constant stream of fun cartoon adaptations on TV, too. Back in the 90s, though, we couldn’t afford to be so choosy. Superhero cinema was extremely hit and miss, leaving us with the consolation prizes of Batman: The Animated Series and X-Men: The Animated Series.

The latter ran for an impressive 76 episodes (and had an amazing theme tune, too), but sadly left us on a cliffhanger in September 1997 with an injured Charles Xavier leaving Earth for a life with Shi’ar Empress Lilandra. Now, in an interview with Syfy Wire, showrunner Eric Lewald was asked what his plans would have been if the series had continued for a sixth season, and here’s what he said:

“I had honestly never thought about it for all these years,...

X-Men: The Animated Series was a staple of my Saturday morning cartoons ritual when I was a kid. It was so fantastic from the characters (especially Gambit), to the music, to the crossover with Spider-Man (yeah, that was awesome). It’s fun to go back and re-watch some of those old episodes to enjoy the story as well as to point out how 1990’s that show was. The show ran for 5 seasons, 76 episodes, and left fans wanting more. This desire for more was especially felt since there didn’t seem to be a conclusive end to the series. Enter Eric Lewald.

Lewald was the showrunner for X-Men and he recently wrote a behind the scenes book called Previously on X-Men: The Making of an Animated Series, and while promoting his book, he sat down with Syfy Wire to talk about the series. Of course, this non-conclusive ending came up...

Just when you thought you’d seen everything… here comes another 55 insane trailers to whip you into a frenzy in this collection of sick, depraved and hysterically brilliant movie previews from the golden age of Grindhouse cinema in Grindhouse Trailer Classics 4.

Following the successful and critically-acclaimed release of Grindhouse Trailer Classics 1, 2 & 3, Nucleus Films will once again take you on trip back to the “gory days” of cult and exploitation cinema with their latest unseen compilation of audacious theatrical trailers from the sleazy cinematic sub-genre known as “grindhouse”.

I’m a Huge fan of this series (check out this pic of my signed copies of the first 3 releases) so I’m super-excited to see what stupefyingly awesome trailers this collection has to offer. According to the press release, all of the trailers in this collection have been sourced from ultra-rare 35mm prints, many of which haven’t been seen since they...

Ask me to name my favorite cartoon shows growing up. Suffice to say, nearly every one I have feelings for was in some way, shape, or form was touched by the amazing Will Meugniot. That’s pronounced Min-ee-Oh, just in case you missed the boat yesterday. What’s that? You missed our last installment? Shame on you! For the rest who didn’t though, we pick up where I left off, as I casually shifted our conversation towards Will’s amazing career in animation! Roll the tape…

Comicmix:: I’d be remiss if I didn’t start pelting you with questions on all the series you worked on that literally defined my childhood into early teens… Let’s start with my personal favorite…Exo Squad! Tell the fine ComicMixers out there what you did on the show.

Will Meugniot: Well, I’d been working on the first season of X-Men,...

Michael Emanuel has ordered up his human buffet.

The actor-producer has cast Dean Cain, Conrad Janis ("The Cable Guy"), Stephen Lunsford ("Bratz"), Walter Phelan ("House of 1000 Corpses"), Maximillian Roeg ("7th Heaven") and Lacy Phillips ("Pushing Twilight") in his directorial debut, "Maneater."

Emanuel's Canal Street Films is producing, and Eric Lewald ("Trollz") is executive producing.

The horror thriller about a former FBI profiler and small-town sheriff investigating mysterious murders is derived from a Native American legend. Emanuel, repped by Aka, also wrote the screenplay with John K. Anderson.

"Maneater" is the second in a slate of 10 movies that Canal Street is producing with independent financing; the first was "The Uninvited," which is seeking a distributor.

Actor-producer Michael Emanuel is in preproduction on the thriller "Maneater."

Emanuel, a film and TV actor who has appeared on "ER" and "The Nine," co-wrote the script with John K. Anderson and will make the film his directorial debut. Eric Lewald ("Trollz") is executive producing.

"Maneater" tells the story of an FBI profiler-turned-small-town sheriff who begins investigating a series of mysterious murders only to discover that the monster he's profiling might be himself.

"It's a story that was told to me by an old Native American back in the late '70s," Emanuel said. "It's based on the Western Ojibwa (Chippewa) legend of the Windigo."

"Maneater" is the second in a slate of 10 movies that Emanuel's Canal Street Films is producing with independent financing. It begins shooting July 30 around Los Angeles, though the producers are still casting the leads.

Emanuel, who is repped by Aka, most recently produced the horror film "The Uninvited," which is wrapped and out to distributors.